Distribution of squid and fish in the pelagic zone of the Cosmonaut Sea and Prydz Bay region during the BROKE-West campaign - data

Fish data collected by a RMT net. Samples were collected during the BROKE-west cruise of RV ‘‘Aurora Australis’’ (05/06 V3) in 20 the CCAMLR statistical subarea 58.4.2, between January 2 and March 17, 2006. The sampling grid consisted of eleven longitudinal transects between 30° and 80° E and 58°S south to the Antarctic coastline. Fish were caught using Rectangular Midwater Trawl nets (RMT 8 + 1), consisting of a RMT 1 mounted above a RMT 8 with a mouth area of 1 and 8 m² and a cod end mesh size of 0.33 and 0.85 mm, respectively. Two types of methods were used: target trawls and routine trawls. Target trawls were not pre-planned and were aimed at acoustically detected aggregations. The net was lowered to the depth of the aggregation, and opened and closed remotely. Routine hauls consisted of a standard double oblique tow from the surface down to 200 5 m and back again to the surface. Towing speed was approximately 2.5 knots (4.5 km h-1).