Exploitation of Antarctic marine living resources: a brief history and a possible approach to managing the krill fishery

Abstract

Four major phases in the exploitation of Antarctic marine living resources are identified and briefly described, viz. exploitation of seals, whales, finfish and krill Euphausia superba Dana. The pattern of exploitation has shifted from one group of resources to another. The recent efforts of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources are considered in relation to management of finfish exploitation and to the development of a scientifically based management plan for krill. Special emphasis is given to the data required for the effective management of the krill fishery, per se, given the current limited knowledge of the potential yield of the resource and in the face of uncertainty concerning key aspects of the species' biology/ecology. A recent South African initiative aimed at developing a practical management strategy for the Antarctic krill resource is described.