Nesting behaviour of the icefish Chaenocephalus aceratus at Bouvetøya Island, Southern Ocean (CCAMLR Subarea 48.6)

In this paper we describe in situ observations on nesting by the Scotia Sea (or blackfin) icefish Chaenocephalus aceratus that constitute the first substantive evidence of egg brooding and parental care by species of the family Channichthyidae. These novel observations are enriched by descriptions of the seafloor community that is impacted by fish nesting. Given the vulnerability of spawning grounds and their associated megafauna to damage by bottom trawling and the associated impact on recruitment to adult fish populations, we argue that appropriate management of icefish fisheries must exclude or severely restrict fishing techniques that damage the seabed.