Overview
Since 1998, New Zealand-based vessels have been carrying out exploratory fishing in the Ross Sea targeting the two toothfish species. A pair of scientific observers on each vessel sampled the catch. Prior to each cruise, the observers were briefed by the Te Papa fish team on Antarctic fish species identification and methods of specimen collection.
On their return from Antarctica, frozen samples of fishes were freighted to Wellington for identification and registration into the national fish collection.
To date the Ross Sea exploratory fishing programme has returned over 100 fish species in 26 families with a further 20 species from north of 70 degrees South to the Pacific-Antarctic Ridge. The greatest number (50%) belong to three families: plunderfishes (family Artedidraconidae, 11 species), icecods (family Nototheniidae, 10 species), and dragonfishes (family Bathydraconidae, 6 species). These are the first major collections of Antarctic fishes held in New Zealand. Nevertheless, we know from international research conducted in the area, that we have sampled only a part of the fish fauna currently known from the Ross Sea region.
A number of fishes collected could not be identified to species level. There is the very real possibility that these fish specimens represent new or previously unrecognised species. In addition, a number of rare species have been taken from the stomachs of toothfishes in varying stages of digestion.
This growing collection of Ross Sea fishes at Te Papa is therefore the development of an internationally important resource that will encourage, support and promote identification research. The new discoveries and applied outputs from this research will in turn underpin the future successful management, exploitation and conservation of these remote fish stocks.