Krill consumption by Antarctic notothenoiod fish.

Abstract

The feeding ecology and the food intake of 4 species of channichthyid fishes (Champsocephalus gunnari, Chaenocephalus aceratus, Pseudochaenichthys georgianus, Chionodraco rastrospinosus) and 3 species of nototheniids (Notothenia rossii marmorata, N.gibberifrons, N.larseni) were studied in W Antarctic waters and off South Georgia. Estimates of their consumption of krill Euphausia superba were made. Krill consumption by C. gunnari, for example, was c800 000 t yr-1 off South Georgia, and 2 400 000 t yr- 1 in W Antarctic waters. The decrease in stocks of C. gunnari due to heavy fishing, has reduced overall consumption of krill to <1 X 106 t yr-1. -from Author