The relationship between krill (Euphausia superba) fishing areas in the west Atlantic and the species’ circumpolar distribution

Areal cover is calculated for the Statistical Sub-areas (48.1, 48.2 and 48.3) from which the bulk of the commercial krill catch has been taken. Correspondingly, the areas of the following four regions are also calculated - (a) the CCAMLR Convention Area, (b) south of 55°S, (c) containing krill concentrations and (d) south of the mean summer position of the 0°C isotherm using specialised computer software based on a Lambert Geographical Projection. As a secondary step, the mean krill density estimate for the West Atlantic during FIBEX (First International BIOMASS Experiment) is expanded to give a global biomass for krill within each of the above four regions. Similarly, the maximum estimated krill density for the West Atlantic during FIBEX is used to obtain an upper limit for the biomass of krill in the three Statistical Sub-areas being considered. The implications of the results is that the impact being made by the current krill fishery on the krill resource in Sub-areas 48.1, 48.2 and 48.3 merits discussion.