Status of the Polish FIBEX acoustic data from the West Atlantic

Acoustic data from the Polish FIBEX survey in the West Atlantic were analysed using recent acoustic target strength estimates of krill (SC-CAMLR, 1991a). This analysis indicated that the acoustic densities of krill in the oceanic parts of the Drake Passage were low (3 g m-2); however, the results also indicated that spatial variability was important and that parts of the shelf to the north of the South Shetland Islands were areas of high density. High acoustic densities of krill (77 g m-2) were also present in the Bransfield Strait. These results are discussed in the context of spatial and seasonal variation which has previously been reported for the area and shown to be important.