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Understanding and managing the response of marine ecosystems to human pressures including climate change requires reliable large-scale and multidecadal information on the state of key populations. These populations include the pelagic animals that support ecosystem services including carbon export and fisheries. The use of research vessels to collect information using scientific nets and acoustics is being replaced with technologies such as autonomous moorings, gliders, and meta-genetics. Paradoxically, these newer methods sample pelagic populations at ever-smaller spatial scales, and ecological change might go undetected in the time needed to build up large-scale, long time series. These global-scale issues are epitomised by Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba), which is concentrated in rapidly warming areas, exports substantial quantities of carbon and supports an expanding fishery, but opinion is divided on how resilient their stocks are to climatic change. Based on a workshop of 137 krill experts we identify the challenges of observing climate change impacts with shifting sampling methods and suggest three tractable solutions. These are to: improve overlap and calibration of new with traditional methods; improve communication to harmonise, link and scale up the capacity of new but localised sampling programs; and expand opportunities from other research platforms and data sources, including the fishing industry. Contrasting evidence for both change and stability in krill stocks illustrates how the risks of false negative and false positive diagnoses of change are related to the temporal and spatial scale of sampling. Given the uncertainty about how krill are responding to rapid warming we recommend a shift towards a fishery management approach that prioritises monitoring of stock status and can adapt to variability and change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antarctic krill are small sea creatures that play a crucial role in the ecosystem. They are a food source for many animals, including blue whales, and help slow climate change by removing carbon from the air. Despite their small size, Antarctic krill have a massive population and can live in diverse conditions. However, there are mysteries surrounding their reproduction, behavior, and how they will be affected by climate change. Studying krill is challenging, but scientists are working to solve these mysteries and protect this important species. [Extracted from the article]

With rapid, sector‐specific climatic changes impacting the Southern Ocean, we need circumpolar‐scale biomass data of its plankton taxa to improve food web models, blue carbon budgets and resource management. Here, we provide a new dataset on mesozooplankton biomass with 2909 records spanning the last 90 yr, and describe, in comparable carbon units, their circumpolar distribution alongside those of phytoplankton, Antarctic krill, and salps. With our datasets, we estimate total summer carbon biomasses for phytoplankton (36 MT), mesozooplankton (67 MT), krill (30 MT), and salps (1.7 MT). The mesozooplankton value is much higher than previously reported and, added to that of krill and salps, points to an enormous overall biomass of zooplankton in the Southern Ocean. This means that the pyramids of biomass are often inverted, with higher biomass of zooplankton than of phytoplankton. Such high biomasses suggest key roles of grazers in nutrient cycling and we estimate an export of ~ 50 Mt C yr−1, solely from mortality of overwintering zooplankton that typically reside at depth. Deep lipid respiration (the lipid pump), for example, would increase this export even further. While inverted biomass pyramids prevailed at mid latitudes (50°–70°S), the balance of taxa differed regionally: for example, with biomass dominance by phytoplankton (highest latitudes and Pacific sector), mesozooplankton (Kerguelen Plateau), krill (north and east Scotia Sea), and salps (Crozet area). In light of contrasting climate change impacts between these sectors, we provide data that will underpin biogeochemical and food web models, blue carbon budgets, and the planning of marine protected areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plankton drive a major sink of carbon across the global oceans. Dead plankton, their faeces and the faeces of plankton feeders, form a huge rain of carbon sinking to the seabed and deep ocean, reducing atmospheric CO2 levels and thus helping to regulate the climate. Any change in plankton communities, ecosystems or habitats will perturb this carbon sink, potentially increasing atmospheric CO2. Fishing is a major cause of ocean ecosystem disturbance affecting all trophic levels including plankton, but its potential impact on the carbon sink is unknown. As both fisheries and the carbon sink depend on plankton, there is spatial overlap of these fundamental ecosystem services. Here, we provide the first global maps of this spatial overlap. Using an upper quartile analysis, we show that 21% of the total upper ocean carbon sink (export) and 39% of fishing effort globally are concentrated in zones of intensive overlap, representing 9% of the ocean surface area. This overlap is particularly evident in the Northeast Atlantic suggesting this region should be prioritized in terms of research and conservation measures to preserve the high levels of sinking carbon. Small pelagic fish dominate catches here and globally, and their exploitation could reduce important faecal pellet carbon sinks and cause trophic cascades affecting plankton communities. There is an urgent need to recognize that, alongside climate change, fishing might be a critical influence on the ability of the ocean to sequester atmospheric CO2. Improved understanding of this influence, and how it will change with the climate, will be important for realizing a sustainable balance of the twin needs for productive fisheries and strong carbon sinks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poleward range shifts are a global‐scale response to warming, but these vary greatly among taxa and are hard to predict for individual species, localized regions or over shorter (years to decadal) timescales. Moving poleward might be easier in the Arctic than in the Southern Ocean, where evidence for range shifts is sparse and contradictory. Here, we compiled a database of larval Antarctic krill, Euphausia superba and, together with an adult database, it showed how their range shift is out of step with the pace of warming. During a 70‐year period of rapid warming (1920s–1990s), distribution centres of both larvae and adults in the SW Atlantic sector remained fixed, despite warming by 0.5–1.0°C and losing sea ice. This was followed by a hiatus in surface warming and ice loss, yet during this period the distributions of krill life stages shifted greatly, by ~1000 km, to the south‐west. Understanding the mechanism of such step changes is essential, since they herald system reorganizations that are hard to predict with current modelling approaches. We propose that the abrupt shift was driven by climatic controls acting on localized recruitment hotspots, superimposed on thermal niche conservatism. During the warming hiatus, the Southern Annular Mode index continued to become increasingly positive and, likely through reduced feeding success for larvae, this led to a precipitous decline in recruitment from the main reproduction hotspot along the southern Scotia Arc. This cut replenishment to the northern portion of the krill stock, as evidenced by declining density and swarm frequency. Concomitantly, a new, southern reproduction area developed after the 1990s, reinforcing the range shift despite the lack of surface warming. New spawning hotspots may provide the stepping stones needed for range shifts into polar regions, so planning of climate‐ready marine protected areas should include these key areas of future habitat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploitation is one of the major drivers of change in marine ecosystems. Following discovery in 1775, South Georgia saw sequential overexploitation of living resources, including seals, whales, and fish. Although exploitation is now tightly regulated, the ecosystem is still recovering. Marbled rockcod, Notothenia rossii (Richardson 1844), was the first fish species to be commercially exploited and high catches between 1967 and 1972 resulted in dramatic stock decline. Here, we use 30 years of trawl survey data to provide the first evidence of a sustained increase in the N. rossii population starting two decades after the prohibition of targeted fishing in 1985. The way species respond to change is mediated in part by trophic relationships with other organisms. We present the first multi-year, spatially-resolved comparison of adult N. rossii diet at South Georgia, highlighting a variable diet with less reliance on Antarctic krill than previously thought. Life history factors and possible heavy predation on early life stages might have delayed their recovery while diet plasticity potentially supported recent population growth. Due to the dynamic ecosystem at South Georgia and questions over catch reports from the period of heaviest exploitation, it is unlikely the current ecosystem could support a recovery to estimated pre-exploitation levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Southern Ocean provides strong contrasts in rates and directions of change in temperature and sea ice between its sectors, but it is unknown how these affect plankton species that are distributed right around Antarctica. Here, we quantify the changing circumpolar distributions of Antarctic krill, based on the CHINARE 2013/14 circum‐Antarctic expedition, plus independent analyses of compiled abundance data (KRILLBASE: 1926–2016). In the 1920s–1930s, average krill densities in the Atlantic‐Bellingshausen sector were eight times those in the other sectors. More recently, however, the concentration factor has dropped to only about twofold. This reflects a rebalancing broadly commensurate with climatic forcing: krill densities declined in the Atlantic‐Bellingshausen sector which has warmed and lost sea ice, densities may have increased in the Ross‐Pacific sector which showed the opposite climatic trend, while densities showed no significant changes in the more stable Lazarev‐Indian sectors. Such changes would impact circumpolar food webs, so to better define these we examined circumpolar trends of isotopic values in krill and other zooplankton based on the CHINARE cruise and a literature meta‐analysis. Krill δ15N values ranged significantly between sectors from 2.21‰ (Indian) to 3.59‰ (Ross‐Pacific), about half a trophic level lower than another key euphausiid, Thysanoessa macrura. These isoscapes form a baseline for interpreting the reliance of predators on euphausiids, within the varying food webs around the continent. Overall, we suggest that the Indo‐Pacific sector has acted as a refuge for the circumpolar krill stock while conditions for them deteriorated rapidly in the Atlantic sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecosystem‐based management of fisheries aims to allow sustainable use of fished stocks while keeping impacts upon ecosystems within safe ecological limits. Both the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries and the Aichi Biodiversity Targets promote these aims. We evaluate implementation of ecosystem‐based management in six case‐study fisheries in which potential indirect impacts upon bird or mammal predators of fished stocks are well publicized and well studied. In particular, we consider the components needed to enable management strategies to respond to information from predator monitoring. Although such information is available in all case‐studies, only one has a reference point defining safe ecological limits for predators and none has a method to adjust fishing activities in response to estimates of the state of the predator population. Reference points for predators have been developed outside the fisheries management context, but adoption by fisheries managers is hindered a lack of clarity about management objectives and uncertainty about how fishing affects predator dynamics. This also hinders the development of adjustment methods because these generally require information on the state of ecosystem variables relative to reference points. Nonetheless, most of the case‐studies include precautionary measures to limit impacts on predators. These measures are not used tactically and therefore risk excessive restrictions on sustainable use. Adoption of predator reference points to inform tactical adjustment of precautionary measures would be an appropriate next step towards ecosystem‐based management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antarctic krill, Euphausia superba, have a circumpolar distribution but are concentrated within the south-west Atlantic sector, where they support a unique food web and a commercial fishery. Within this sector, our first goal was to produce quantitative distribution maps of all six ontogenetic life stages of krill (eggs, nauplii plus metanauplii, calyptopes, furcilia, juveniles, and adults), based on a compilation of all available post 1970s data. Using these maps, we then examined firstly whether “hotspots” of egg production and early stage nursery occurred, and secondly whether the available habitat was partitioned between the successive life stages during the austral summer and autumn, when krill densities can be high. To address these questions, we compiled larval krill density records and extracted data spanning 41 years (1976–2016) from the existing KRILLBASE-abundance and KRILLBASE-length-frequency databases. Although adult males and females of spawning age were widely distributed, the distribution of eggs, nauplii and metanauplii indicates that spawning is most intense over the shelf and shelf slope. This contrasts with the distributions of calyptope and furcilia larvae, which were concentrated further offshore, mainly in the Southern Scotia Sea. Juveniles, however, were strongly concentrated over shelves along the Scotia Arc. Simple environmental analyses based on water depth and mean water temperature suggest that krill associate with different habitats over the course of their life cycle. From the early to late part of the austral season, juvenile distribution moves from ocean to shelf, opposite in direction to that for adults. Such habitat partitioning may reduce intraspecific competition for food, which has been suggested to occur when densities are exceptionally high during years of strong recruitment. It also prevents any potential cannibalism by adults on younger stages. Understanding the location of krill spawning and juvenile development in relation to potentially overlapping fishing activities is needed to protect the health of the south-west Atlantic sector ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba   Dana, 1850) exemplifies the key role of marine crustaceans in fisheries, foodwebs, and biogeochemical cycles. Ecological understanding and policy decisions require information on population trends. We have therefore worked with international colleagues to publish KRILLBASE, a database of fishery-independent krill population information for every decade since the 1970s. These data were used by Cox et al. (2018) who dispute the evidence for a late twentieth-century decline in krill density (number per unit area) in the Southwest Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean and claim to overturn "much of recent thinking about climate-driven change in krill populations." They support this claim with an analysis which reaffirms one non-significant result from an earlier paper but does not challenge the five significant results from that paper or those of other studies which support a decline. In this comment we examine the methods which led Cox and coauthors to conclude that krill density has been stable over the last 40 years. Although these authors provide a potentially useful approach, we show that their analysis was biased by the exclusion of usable net types, the inclusion of negatively biased data and down-weighting of high densities in the early part of the analysis period, the absence of recent data from the north of the sector, and a lack of statistical hypothesis testing. These factors maximise the chances of failure to detect a real decline. To aid future analyses we provide recommendations to supplement those which accompany KRILLBASE. We also suggest the need for consensus scientific advice on krill population dynamics based on agreed standards of evidence, evaluation of uncertainty, and a thorough understanding of the data. This will be more useful to policy makers and other stakeholders than polarised opinions. Meanwhile, the evidence for a decline in krill density still stands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is a threat to marine ecosystems and the services they provide, and reducing fishing pressure is one option for mitigating the overall consequences for marine biota. We used a minimally realistic ecosystem model to examine how projected effects of ocean warming on the growth of Antarctic krill, Euphausia superba, might affect populations of krill and dependent predators (whales, penguins, seals, and fish) in the Scotia Sea. We also investigated the potential to mitigate depletion risk for predators by curtailing krill fishing at different points in the 21st century. The projected effects of ocean warming on krill biomass were strongest in the northern Scotia Sea, with a ≥40% decline in the mass of individual krill. Projections also suggest a 25% chance that krill biomass will fall below an established depletion threshold (75% of its unimpacted level), with consequent risks for some predator populations, especially penguins. Average penguin abundance declined by up to 30% of its unimpacted level, with up to a 50% chance of falling below the depletion threshold. Simulated krill fishing at currently permitted harvest rates further increased risks for depletion, and stopping fishing offset the increased risks associated with ocean warming in our model to some extent. These results varied by location and species group. Risk reductions at smaller spatial scales also differed from those at the regional level, which suggests that some predator populations may be more vulnerable than others to future changes in krill biomass. However, impacts on predators did not always map directly to those for krill. Our findings indicate the importance of identifying vulnerable marine populations and targeting protection measures at appropriate spatial scales, and the potential for spatially-structured management to avoid aggravating risks associated with rising ocean temperatures. This may help balance tradeoffs among marine ecosystem services in an uncertain future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) and salps are major macroplankton contributors to Southern Ocean food webs and krill are also fished commercially. Managing this fishery sustainably, against a backdrop of rapid regional climate change, requires information on distribution and time trends. Many data on the abundance of both taxa have been obtained from net sampling surveys since 1926, but much of this is stored in national archives, sometimes only in notebooks. In order to make these important data accessible we have collated available abundance data (numerical density, no.m-2) of postlarval E. superba and salp individual (multiple species, and whether singly or in chains). These were combined into a central database, KRILLBASE, together with environmental information, standardisation and metadata. The aim is to provide a temporal-spatial data resource to support a variety of research such as biogeochemistry, autecology, higher predator foraging and food web modelling in addition to fisheries management and conservation. Previous versions of KRILLBASE have led to a series of papers since 2004 which illustrate some of the potential uses of this database. With increasing numbers of requests for these data we here provide an updated version of KRILLBASE that contains data from 15 194 net hauls, including 12 758 with krill abundance data and 9726 with salp abundance data. These data were collected by 10 nations and span 56 seasons in two epochs (1926-1939 and 1976-2016). Here, we illustrate the seasonal, inter-annual, regional and depth coverage of sampling, and provide both circumpolar- and regional-scale distribution maps. Krill abundance data have been standardised to accommodate variation in sampling methods, and we have presented these as well as the raw data. Information is provided on how to screen, interpret and use KRILLBASE to reduce artefacts in interpretation, with contact points for the main data providers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antarctic krill is a key prey species for many vertebrate and invertebrate predators in the Southern Ocean; it is also an abundant fishery resource in the Scotia Sea and southern Drake Passage. Here, we identify environmental correlates of krill distribution utilizing acoustic data collected during an extensive international survey in January 2000. Separate models (at scales of 10-80 nautical miles) were derived for the full study area and for each of four subregions: northern and southern shelf waters, the seasonally ice-covered open ocean, and the generally ice-free open ocean. Krill distribution was strongly correlated with bathymetry; densities were higher over island shelves and shelf breaks and decreased with increasing distance offshore. Low krill densities occurred in areas of low chlorophyll concentration and high geostrophic velocity. Krill distribution was also related to sea level anomaly but relationships were not consistent between subregions. The models explained a maximum of 44% of the observed deviance in krill density, but did not reliably identify areas of high krill density in the open ocean, and explained a small proportion of the deviance (16%) in offshore areas covered seasonally by sea ice, probably because of the strong, residual influence of retreated ice. The commercial krill fishery is currently concentrated in shelf areas, where high densities of krill are most predictable. As krill are not predictable in the open ocean, the fishery is likely to remain principally a near-shore operation, and should be managed accordingly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diets of marine predators are a potential source of information about range shifts in their prey. For example, the short-finned squid Illex argentinus, a commercially fished species on the Patagonian Shelf in the South Atlantic, has been reported in the diet of grey-headed, Thalassarche chrysostoma; black-browed, T. melanophris; and wandering, Diomedea exulans, albatrosses breeding at Bird Island, South Georgia (54°S 28°W) in the Southern Ocean. Tracking data suggest that these birds may feed on I. argentinus while foraging in Southern Ocean waters during their breeding season. This led to the hypothesis that I. argentinus may occur south of the Antarctic Polar Front. To test this hypothesis, we used stable isotope analyses to assess the origin of I. argentinus. We compared I. argentinus beaks from the diets of the three albatross species with beaks of cephalopod species endemic to the Patagonian Shelf and others from the Southern Ocean. Our results show that I. argentinus from the diet of albatrosses at Bird Island have δ13C values in the range −18.77 to −15.28‰. This is consistent with δ13C values for Octopus tehuelchus, a typical species from the Patagonian Shelf. In contrast, Alluroteuthis antarcticus, a Southern Ocean squid, has typically Antarctic δ13C in the range −25.46 to −18.61‰. This suggests that I. argentinus originated from warmer waters of the Patagonian Shelf region. It is more likely that the albatross species obtained I. argentinus by foraging in the Patagonian Shelf region than that I. argentinus naturally occurs south of the Antarctic Polar Front. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) and salps are major macroplankton contributors to Southern Ocean food webs and krill are also fished commercially. Managing this fishery sustainably, against a backdrop of rapid regional climate change, requires information on distribution and time trends. Many data on the abundance of both taxa have been obtained from net sampling surveys since 1926, but much of this is stored in national archives, sometimes only in notebooks. In order to make these important data accessible we have collated available abundance data (numerical density, no. m-2) of postlarval E. superba and salps (combined aggregate and solitary stages and species) into a central database, KRILLBASE, together with environmental information, standardisation and metadata. The aim is to provide a temporal-spatial data resource to support a variety of research such as biogeochemistry, autecology, higher predator foraging and food web modelling in addition to fisheries management and conservation. Previous versions of KRILLBASE have led to a series of papers since 2004 which illustrate some of the potential uses of this database. With increasing numbers of requests for these data we here provide an updated version of KRILLBASE that contains data from 15,194 net hauls, including 12,758 with krill abundance data and 9,726 with salp abundance data. These data were collected by 10 nations and span 56 seasons in two epochs (1926-1939 and 1976-2016). Here, we illustrate the seasonal, inter-annual, regional and depth coverage of sampling, and provide both circumpolar- and regional-scale distribution maps. Krill abundance data have been standardised to accommodate variation in sampling methods, and we have presented these as well as the raw data. Information is provided on how to screen, interpret and use KRILLBASE to reduce artefacts in interpretation, with contact points for the main data providers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecosystem services are the benefits that mankind obtains from natural ecosystems. Here we identify the key services provided by the Southern Ocean. These include provisioning of fishery products, nutrient cycling, climate regulation and the maintenance of biodiversity, with associated cultural and aesthetic benefits. Potential catch limits for Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba Dana) alone are equivalent to 11% of current global marine fisheries landings. We also examine the extent to which decision-making within the Antarctic Treaty System (ATS) considers trade-offs between ecosystem services, using the management of the Antarctic krill fishery as a case study. Management of this fishery considers a three-way trade-off between fisheries performance, the status of the krill stock and that of predator populations. However, there is a paucity of information on how well these components represent other ecosystem services that might be degraded as a result of fishing. There is also a lack of information on how beneficiaries value these ecosystem services. A formal ecosystem assessment would help to address these knowledge gaps. It could also help to harmonize decision-making across the ATS and promote global recognition of Southern Ocean ecosystem services by providing a standard inventory of the relevant ecosystem services and their value to beneficiaries. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Antarctic krill is a cold water species, an increasingly important fishery resource and a major prey item for many fish, birds and mammals in the Southern Ocean. The fishery and the summer foraging sites of many of these predators are concentrated between 0° and 90°W. Parts of this quadrant have experienced recent localised sea surface warming of up to 0.2°C per decade, and projections suggest that further widespread warming of 0.27° to 1.08°C will occur by the late 21st century. We assessed the potential influence of this projected warming on Antarctic krill habitat with a statistical model that links growth to temperature and chlorophyll concentration. The results divide the quadrant into two zones: a band around the Antarctic Circumpolar Current in which habitat quality is particularly vulnerable to warming, and a southern area which is relatively insensitive. Our analysis suggests that the direct effects of warming could reduce the area of growth habitat by up to 20%. The reduction in growth habitat within the range of predators, such as Antarctic fur seals, that forage from breeding sites on South Georgia could be up to 55%, and the habitat’s ability to support Antarctic krill biomass production within this range could be reduced by up to 68%. Sensitivity analysis suggests that the effects of a 50% change in summer chlorophyll concentration could be more significant than the direct effects of warming. A reduction in primary production could lead to further habitat degradation but, even if chlorophyll increased by 50%, projected warming would still cause some degradation of the habitat accessible to predators. While there is considerable uncertainty in these projections, they suggest that future climate change could have a significant negative effect on Antarctic krill growth habitat and, consequently, on Southern Ocean biodiversity and ecosystem services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Foodweb models provide a useful framework for compiling data on biomass, production, consumption and feeding relationships. They are particularly useful for identifying gaps and inconsistencies in the data, and for exploring plausible scenarios of change. We compiled data on the pelagic foodweb of the South Georgia shelf, which is one of the most intensively studied areas in the Southern Ocean. The data suggest that current average annual copepod production is three times that of Antarctic krill and that flying seabirds and fish are, respectively, responsible for 25% and 21% of local krill consumption. The most striking inconsistency was that estimated consumption of fish was 5 times their estimated production. We developed a static mass balance model of the foodweb representing one of many possible solutions to the inconsistencies in the data. The model included sufficient fish biomass to balance the original consumption estimate, and consequently fish became the main krill consumers. Nonetheless, only 74% of local krill production was consumed by predators, suggesting that there are additional mortality sources that we did not explicitly model. We developed further models to explore scenarios incorporating plausible climate-driven reductions in krill biomass. In scenarios with unchanged predator diets, an 80% reduction in krill biomass resulted in a 73% reduction in vertebrate biomass. However, when predators with diverse diets were able to switch to feeding on alternative zooplankton prey, total vertebrate biomass was maintained at current levels. Scenarios in which 80% of krill biomass was replaced with copepod biomass required 28% more primary production because the estimated consumption rate of copepods is higher than that of krill. The additional copepod biomass did not alter the consequences for vertebrates. These scenarios illustrate the wide range of potential consequences of a shift from a krill to a copepod dominated system in a warming climate. They suggest that both maintenance and dramatic reduction of vertebrate production are plausible outcomes, although the former requires major changes in predator diets. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Fisheries scientists habitually consider uncertainty in parameter values, but often neglect uncertainty about model structure, an issue of increasing importance as ecosystem models are devised to support the move to an ecosystem approach to fisheries (EAF). This paper sets out pragmatic approaches with which to account for uncertainties in model structure and we review current ways of dealing with this issue in fisheries and other disciplines. All involve considering a set of alternative models representing different structural assumptions, but differ in how those models are used. The models can be asked to identify bounds on possible outcomes, find management actions that will perform adequately irrespective of the true model, find management actions that best achieve one or more objectives given weights assigned to each model, or formalize hypotheses for evaluation through experimentation. Data availability is likely to limit the use of approaches that involve weighting alternative models in an ecosystem setting, and the cost of experimentation is likely to limit its use. Practical implementation of an EAF should therefore be based on management approaches that acknowledge the uncertainty inherent in model predictions and are robust to it. Model results must be presented in ways that represent the risks and trade-offs associated with alternative actions and the degree of uncertainty in predictions. This presentation should not disguise the fact that, in many cases, estimates of model uncertainty may be based on subjective criteria. The problem of model uncertainty is far from unique to fisheries, and a dialogue among fisheries modellers and modellers from other scientific communities will therefore be helpful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mercury is a bioaccumulating toxic pollutant which can reach humans through the consumption of contaminated food (e.g. marine fish). Although the Southern Ocean is often portrayed as a pristine ecosystem, its fishery products are not immune to mercury contamination. We analysed mercury concentration (organic and inorganic forms – T-Hg) in the muscle of Antarctic toothfish, Dissostichus mawsoni , a long-lived top predator which supports a highly profitable fishery. Our samples were collected in three fishing areas (one seamount and two on the continental slope) in the Southwest Pacific Sector of the Southern Ocean during the 2016/2017 fishing season. Mercury levels and the size range of fish varied between fishing areas, with the highest levels (0.68 ± 0.45 mg kg−1 wwt) occurring on the Amundsen Sea seamount where catches were dominated by larger, older fish. The most parsimonious model of mercury concentration included both age and habitat (seamount vs continental slope) as explanatory variables. Mean mercury levels for each fishing area were higher than those in all previous studies of D. mawsoni , with mean values for the Amundsen Sea seamount exceeding the 0.5 mg kg−1 food safety threshold for the first time. It might therefore be appropriate to add D. mawsoni to the list of taxa, such as swordfish and sharks, which are known to exceed this threshold. This apparent increase in mercury levels suggests a recent contamination event which affected the Southwest Pacific sector, including both the Amundsen and Dumont D'Urville seas. • Dissostichus mawsoni present mercury concentrations above the food safety limit. • Mercury concentrations in D. mawsoni vary between Southern Ocean regions. • Amundsen Sea seamount is the study region with higher mercury concentrations. • Major increase (~300%) of the mercury concentrations in D. mawsoni since 2006. • Food safety agencies should recognize a higher limit of 1.0 mg kg−1 for D. mawsoni. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors reflect on the role of ecosystem assessment in protecting the ecosystem in Antarctica. They state that the Antarctic Treaty System (ATS) played an essential role in ecosystem management that recognizes region's interconnectedness. They add that the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) requires fishery managers to maintain the ecosystem. They mention that members of the ATS should cooperate with one another to make decisions.

The author reflects on the Antarctic krill fishery in the Scotia Sea and southern Drake Passage. The author states that the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations estimates that about 30% of global fish stocks are overexploited and 57% are fully exploited. He mentions that that the need for krill products is growing, the ecosystem is under pressure from the effects of climate change, and there is uncertainty on its presents state and how it will respond to change.

Whole-animal, in vivo protein metabolism rates have been reported in temperate and tropical, but not Antarctic fish. Growth in Antarctic species is generally slower than lower latitude species. Protein metabolism data for Antarctic invertebrates show low rates of protein synthesis and unusually high rates of protein degradation. Additionally, in Antarctic fish, increasing evidence suggests a lower frequency of successful folding of nascent proteins and reduced protein stability. This study reports the first whole-animal protein metabolism data for an Antarctic fish. Groups of Antarctic, Harpagifer antarcticus , and temperate, Lipophrys pholis , fish were acclimatized to a range of overlapping water temperatures and food consumption, whole-animal growth and protein metabolism measured. The rates of protein synthesis and growth in Antarctic, but not temperate fish, were relatively insensitive to temperature and were significantly lower in H. antarcticus at 3°C than in L. pholis . Protein degradation was independent of temperature in H. antarcticus and not significantly different to L. pholis at 3°C, while protein synthesis retention efficiency was significantly higher in L. pholis than H. antarcticus at 3°C. These results suggest Antarctic fish degrade a significantly larger proportion of synthesized protein than temperate fish, with fundamental energetic implications for growth at low temperatures., Competing Interests: We declare we have no competing interests., (© 2022 The Authors.)