Summary
Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides) is a large bentho-pelagic fish species on the Kerguelen Plateau. Almost the entire Kerguelen Plateau is situated within the area managed by the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), with only the William's Ridge on the eastern side of the Plateau extending into SIOFA Statistical Area 7. Most of the suitable Patagonian toothfish habitat on the northern part of the Kerguelen plateau is covered by the Australian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) around Heard Island and McDonald Islands (HIMI) and the adjacent French EEZ around Kerguelen Islands. Based on available genetic information, catch composition and tag-recapture data from the French and Australian toothfish fisheries, Patagonian toothfish are continuously distributed on the northern part of the Kerguelen Plateau and populations are linked. Population linkages between the French and Australian EEZs are accounted for in the toothfish assessment for the Australian EEZ undertaken by CCAMLR. Based on CCAMLR decision rules, this assessment estimates the catch limit which isfully taken within CCAMLR waters. Any additional fishing mortality of this population, including toothfish catches on William's Ridge, is therefore likely to result in the total fishing mortality exceeding the catch limit set by CCAMLR for this fishery.