Responses of Antarctic pack-ice seals to environmental change and increasing krill fishing
The compound effects of changing habitats, ecosystem interactions, and fishing practices have implications for the management of Antarctic krill and conservation of its predators. For Antarctic pack-ice seals, an important group of krill predators, we estimate the density and krill consumption in th...
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ftunivnebraskali:oai:digitalcommons.unl.edu:usdeptcommercepub-1337 2023-11-12T04:05:13+01:00 Responses of Antarctic pack-ice seals to environmental change and increasing krill fishing Forcada, Jaume Trathan, Philip N. Boveng, Peter L. Boyd, Ian L. Burns, Jennifer M. Costa, Daniel P. Fedak, Michael Rogers, Tracey L. Southwell, Colin J. 2012-01-01T08:00:00Z application/pdf https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/usdeptcommercepub/338 https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/context/usdeptcommercepub/article/1337/viewcontent/Forcada_BC_2012_Responses_Antarctic.pdf unknown DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/usdeptcommercepub/338 https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/context/usdeptcommercepub/article/1337/viewcontent/Forcada_BC_2012_Responses_Antarctic.pdf Publications, Agencies and Staff of the U.S. Department of Commerce Antarctic pack-ice seals Climate change Fisheries management Habitat change Krill Uncertainty Environmental Sciences text 2012 ftunivnebraskali 2023-10-30T09:46:56Z The compound effects of changing habitats, ecosystem interactions, and fishing practices have implications for the management of Antarctic krill and conservation of its predators. For Antarctic pack-ice seals, an important group of krill predators, we estimate the density and krill consumption in the West Antarctic Peninsula (WAP)–Western Weddell Sea area, the main fishery region; and we consider long-term changes in suitable pack-ice habitat, increased fishing pressure and potential krill declines based upon predictions from declines in sea ice cover. More than 3 million crabeater seals consumed over 12 million tonnes of krill each year. This was approximately 17% of the krill standing stock. The highest densities of pack ice seals where found in the WAP, including in its small-scale fishery management areas, where apparently suitable seal habitat has declined by 21–28% over a 30 year period, where krill density is likely to have declined, and fishing has increased. The highest seal density was found in the Marguerite Bay area which is a source of krill for the Antarctic Peninsula and elsewhere. Significant sea-ice loss since 1979 has already occurred, leading to open water and possible expansion for the fishery in the future. These factors may combine to potentially reduce food for pack ice seals. Therefore, high uncertainty in krill and seal stock trends and in their environmental drivers call for a precautionary management of the krill fishery, in the absence of survey data to support management based on specific conservation objectives for pack-ice seals. Text Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Krill Antarctic Peninsula Crabeater Seals Sea ice Weddell Sea University of Nebraska-Lincoln: DigitalCommons@UNL Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula Marguerite ENVELOPE(141.378,141.378,-66.787,-66.787) Marguerite Bay ENVELOPE(-68.000,-68.000,-68.500,-68.500) The Antarctic Weddell Weddell Sea |
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Open Polar |
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University of Nebraska-Lincoln: DigitalCommons@UNL |
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ftunivnebraskali |
language |
unknown |
topic |
Antarctic pack-ice seals Climate change Fisheries management Habitat change Krill Uncertainty Environmental Sciences |
spellingShingle |
Antarctic pack-ice seals Climate change Fisheries management Habitat change Krill Uncertainty Environmental Sciences Forcada, Jaume Trathan, Philip N. Boveng, Peter L. Boyd, Ian L. Burns, Jennifer M. Costa, Daniel P. Fedak, Michael Rogers, Tracey L. Southwell, Colin J. Responses of Antarctic pack-ice seals to environmental change and increasing krill fishing |
topic_facet |
Antarctic pack-ice seals Climate change Fisheries management Habitat change Krill Uncertainty Environmental Sciences |
description |
The compound effects of changing habitats, ecosystem interactions, and fishing practices have implications for the management of Antarctic krill and conservation of its predators. For Antarctic pack-ice seals, an important group of krill predators, we estimate the density and krill consumption in the West Antarctic Peninsula (WAP)–Western Weddell Sea area, the main fishery region; and we consider long-term changes in suitable pack-ice habitat, increased fishing pressure and potential krill declines based upon predictions from declines in sea ice cover. More than 3 million crabeater seals consumed over 12 million tonnes of krill each year. This was approximately 17% of the krill standing stock. The highest densities of pack ice seals where found in the WAP, including in its small-scale fishery management areas, where apparently suitable seal habitat has declined by 21–28% over a 30 year period, where krill density is likely to have declined, and fishing has increased. The highest seal density was found in the Marguerite Bay area which is a source of krill for the Antarctic Peninsula and elsewhere. Significant sea-ice loss since 1979 has already occurred, leading to open water and possible expansion for the fishery in the future. These factors may combine to potentially reduce food for pack ice seals. Therefore, high uncertainty in krill and seal stock trends and in their environmental drivers call for a precautionary management of the krill fishery, in the absence of survey data to support management based on specific conservation objectives for pack-ice seals. |
format |
Text |
author |
Forcada, Jaume Trathan, Philip N. Boveng, Peter L. Boyd, Ian L. Burns, Jennifer M. Costa, Daniel P. Fedak, Michael Rogers, Tracey L. Southwell, Colin J. |
author_facet |
Forcada, Jaume Trathan, Philip N. Boveng, Peter L. Boyd, Ian L. Burns, Jennifer M. Costa, Daniel P. Fedak, Michael Rogers, Tracey L. Southwell, Colin J. |
author_sort |
Forcada, Jaume |
title |
Responses of Antarctic pack-ice seals to environmental change and increasing krill fishing |
title_short |
Responses of Antarctic pack-ice seals to environmental change and increasing krill fishing |
title_full |
Responses of Antarctic pack-ice seals to environmental change and increasing krill fishing |
title_fullStr |
Responses of Antarctic pack-ice seals to environmental change and increasing krill fishing |
title_full_unstemmed |
Responses of Antarctic pack-ice seals to environmental change and increasing krill fishing |
title_sort |
responses of antarctic pack-ice seals to environmental change and increasing krill fishing |
publisher |
DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln |
publishDate |
2012 |
url |
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/usdeptcommercepub/338 https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/context/usdeptcommercepub/article/1337/viewcontent/Forcada_BC_2012_Responses_Antarctic.pdf |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(141.378,141.378,-66.787,-66.787) ENVELOPE(-68.000,-68.000,-68.500,-68.500) |
geographic |
Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula Marguerite Marguerite Bay The Antarctic Weddell Weddell Sea |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula Marguerite Marguerite Bay The Antarctic Weddell Weddell Sea |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Krill Antarctic Peninsula Crabeater Seals Sea ice Weddell Sea |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Krill Antarctic Peninsula Crabeater Seals Sea ice Weddell Sea |
op_source |
Publications, Agencies and Staff of the U.S. Department of Commerce |
op_relation |
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/usdeptcommercepub/338 https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/context/usdeptcommercepub/article/1337/viewcontent/Forcada_BC_2012_Responses_Antarctic.pdf |
_version_ |
1782341919461867520 |