The aim of KrillBIS II is to continue krill stock research as a tool for the science-based decisions of the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) and ensure the contribution of German research within the framework of the Commission for the Conservation of Living Marine Resources in the Antarctic (CCAMLR). At present, catch quotas are estimated using fishery pressure, the abundance and distribution of krill predators, and predator dependence on krill abundance and distribution. However, KrillBIS I showed that focusing more on the biology of krill, the seasonal distribution pattern of its developmental stages, and the ability of krill to adapt to climatic environmental changes is urgently need to improve conservation. The KrillBIS II project supports the development of krill specific data for this new approach and analyzes the extent it improves on the management of the krill population compared to the previous predator-centered approach. In order to realize this: a) the current level of knowledge of krill must be analyzed to uncover knowledge gaps, b) How these knowledge gaps can be closed must be identified, and c) existing data on the biology and adaptability of krill must be integrated into models in order to enable predictions on population development under various climate scenarios.

Participants
Prof. Dr. Bettina Meyer (AWI/ICBM/HIFMB)
Dr. Ryan Driscoll (AWI)

Collaborations
Dr. Thomas Badewien, ICBM
Dr. Christian Reiss, NOAA

Duration
2019-2022

Funding
German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL).
The project as well as the funding are localized at AWI.