THE ANTARCTIC KRILL AND ECOSYSTEM SURVEY WITH R/V “G. O. SARS” IN 2008

This report describes the multipurpose AKES survey (Antarctic Krill and Ecosystem Studies) carried out with R/V G. O. Sars, 4.01-27.03.08, including some selected results. The main purposes for the AKES project were to • evaluate the links between the krill resources and distribution in the area and Bouvetøya based mammals and birds • study krill biology and ecology • establish TS (Target strength; the ability of an organism to reflect sound) for krill and ice fish • study aggregations of krill, fish and plankton relative to the hydrography • compare aggregations and abundance of krill and plankton relative to hydrography in Antarctica and Nordic Seas • stomach contents and feeding behavior of krill and fish