Directed fishing for the Antarctic rockcod (Notothenia rossii) has been prohibited since 1985, and the recovery is being monitored for stocks which were overfished in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Prohibitions are also in place to protect other rockcod and icefish species (other than Champsocephalus gunnari) in Area 48.

BY-CATCH

Measures are in force to protect species taken as by-catch. These measures include catch limits and, in some fisheries, a requirement for vessels to ’move on’ when the catch of a designated by-catch species exceeds a trigger level (e.g. 2 tonnes). The vessel is then required to move a minimum distance (typically 5 nautical miles) from the location where the by-catch was taken, and remain outside that distance for a minimum of five days.