Desarrollo de la Antártica

EL DESARROLLO DE LA ANTÁRTICA New Zealand, Soviet and Japanese scÍentists report amazing results when krill have been fed to fish or animals. Krill were fed to trout in a New Zealand hatehery and these grew twice as big in haIf the normal time wifh a mueh more palatable (fishy) taste. The eatching of krill does pose some problems. Although they exist in giant swarms within 50 metres of the surface, deteetion from any distanee is diffieult. Krill respond positively to red light sourees and tO' a changing gradient of voltage applied to a homogeneous elec– trie field. Hydroacoustieal equipment has been used to locate krill but this has not proved fully reliable as it is diffieult to differentiate between krill, jellyfish and anchovy from the soundings. A more re– liable detection method will need to be developed prior tO' assessing the feasibility of eommercial operations. 'Good catmes thave heen ohtained using a variety of trawis and some experimentation has been done usin¡g suetiO'n methods. An important factor is that krill seem to remain unperturbed by nets and other gear and to not even attempt to escape the mesh. Once on board, however, a new problem arises. IProcessing the catch (freezing or eooking) must be eompleted within two hours otherwise autolysis (self digestion) will set in. During the 1'975/76 austral summer tw:o other nations beeame aeti– vely involved in the study of krill. ITwo ships from tlle University of Kiel, finaneed by the Government of l!he Federal Republic of Germany, carried out a survey tO' investiga te the feasibility of develo– ping a krill fishing industry in the SoutJhem Ocean. The plan requi. red the ships to operate in the Atlantie sector of the Antaretic (bet. ween 68/9 W and 30° E) from November 1975 to mid May 1976. The, were equipped with hígh power acoustie instruments for the detec– tion of krill. IPelagie trawls were adapted and used for exploratory fishing ona semi-eommercial basis far establi5hing realistic cateh rates. Quantitative scientific catehes of krill were made to study the distri– bution, density and biologieal parameters as a basis for an improved estimatíon of these resourees and their potential for optimal long– term utilizatian. Landed krill were used for investigatíon on the development of krill produets, in particular ikrill protein concentrate for human consumption, deep frozen krill meat and krill meal for animal feeding. TwO' ,P'olish ships operated in the Atlantie sector of the Antarctic and in Drake [Plassage from December ]975 through March 1976. The researeh programme plan eovered the determination of regions where