H-33 

 RESEARCH PROGRAMMES 



(e) Pseudochaenichthys georgianus. 



Found at South Georgia, the South Orkney Islands and off the Antarctic Peninsula. It 

 reaches a size of about half a metre or a little more. No information about spawning or 

 exploitation is available except that recent West German and Polish expeditions caught 

 significant quantities. 



(f) Dissostichus mawsonL 



Circum-Antarctic, both in the open ocean and on the continental shelf. It reaches a size of 

 nearly two metres and a weight of about 70 kg. The spawning season is uncertain but the 

 species is known to have pelagic eggs. No data are available on commercial catches, but recently 

 the West German expedition caught this species near the South Shetland Islands. 



(g) Dissostichus eleginoides. 



Found in Magellanic-South Georgia region at Kerguelen, Crozet and Marion islands. 

 Reaches a size and weight rather smaller than D. mawsoni. No information about spawning or 

 exploitation is available but may be included in the 'unspecified demersal percomorphs' 

 category for the south-west Atlantic area. 



(h) Channichthys rhinoceratus. 



From the Kerguelen islands. Maximum length about 50 cm. No commercial catch data are 

 available but the species is believed to have made up part of an estimated 120 000 tons taken 

 from the Kerguelen archipelago in 1971—72. 



(i) Notothenia coriiceps (including A'. c. coriiceps and N.c. neglecta). 



Found around the Antarctic continent, Scotia Arc islands except South Georgia, Kerguelen 

 and some other sub-Antarctic islands, and probably all other Antarctic islands except 

 Macquarie. It spawns in May, produces large demersal eggs and grows to a maximum of 50 cm 

 in length. No commercial catch data are available, but the recent West German expedition 

 reported catching it at the South Sandwich Islands. 



(j) Chaenocephalus aceratus. 



Found at the Scotia Arc islands and around the Antarctic Peninsula. Reaches a length of 

 between one-half and one metre. Information regarding spawning is lacking. No commercial 

 catch data are available, but the recent West German expedition reported this species at South 

 Georgia. 



(k) Notothenia magellanica. 



Found in Magellanic and New Zealand regions and at the islands lying on or near the 

 Antarctic Convergence. It has been reported from the Ross and Scotia seas and may migrate 

 there during the summer months. It reaches lengths of about 40 cm and spawns at the end of 

 March at the Kerguelen islands; its eggs are pelagic. No commercial or other catch data are 

 available. 



(1) Pleuragramma antarcticum. 



A pelagic species, circumpolar in distribution over the continental shelves. It is found as far 

 north as the South Orkney Islands. Grows to between 20 and 30 cm. There is no information 

 available about spawning. The fish has not been exploited. 



2.6.2 Objectives 



Recent investigations gave an estimate of the standing stock of fish at the Kerguelen 

 plateau of 130 000 tons (Hureau, 1974, and in press). Data on growth of some Nototheniids are 

 available. Nevertheless, there is still a need for more information on such aspects as distribution 

 and standing stock of the different populations and on the growth and mortality of the 

 individuals. Consequently, more data are needed to understand the dynamics of fish 

 populations. Therefore, the initial objectives concerning the fish component of the BIOMASS 

 programme will be '.o concentrate on the basic studies with the following general objectives: 



