The squid Illex argentinus is the most abundant and one of the most important commercial species in the Southwest Atlantic, including the Falkland Islands. However, there are a number of challenges to Illex fisheries management in the South Atlantic including the lack of a coordinated fisheries mechanism and access to catch and effort data by nations fishing the region, particularly on the high seas to the north of the Falkland Islands.
By using remote sensing data and modelling techniques, this project aims to investigate, how oceanography is related to fishing behaviour and catches and which factors might play a role in illex distribution. Furthermore, the project will assess, whether modelling can be used to predict recruitment success prior to the main Illex season, as an alternative stock assessment approach.