Research Programs
The principal mission of the U. S. directed AMLR research program is to provide the scientific information needed to detect, monitor, and predict the effects of harvesting and associated activities on target, dependent, and related species and populations of the Antarctic marine living resources and the ecosystems of which they are a part.
The Program utilizes an AMLR-chartered research vessel to conduct predator/prey studies in the vicinity of two field stations in the South Shetland Islands. The ship platform is used to collect environmental, oceanographic, primary productivity and prey data (zooplankton abundance and distribution, specifically Antarctic krill Euphausia superba). More information on why the AMLR Program focuses on krill is available here. Finfish surveys are conducted periodically to assess biomass of species subject to commercial harvesting.
Concurrently, AMLR researchers collect predator data at field stations located at Cape Shirreff on Livingston Island (seabird and seal data) and at Copacabana in Admiralty Bay (jointly funded by the National Science Foundation/Office of Polar Programs
) on King George Island (seabird data).
AMLR Programs