Grenadiers of the World Oceans: Biology, Stock Assessment, and Fisheries

<em>Abstract</em>.—A total of seven grenadier species were found in the waters of the Falkland Islands, two of them, <em>Macrourus carinatus </em>and <em>Macrourus holotrachys</em>, being of commercial importance. <em>M. carinatus </em>was found in catches of trawlers and longliners between 173 and 1,201 m. The maximum abundance of this species occurred between 700 and 1,000 m. <em>M. holotrachys </em>occurred between 291 and 1,770 m, mostly deeper than 900 m. <em>Coelorinchus fasciatus </em>was the most abundant among the small-sized species. It occurred between 114 and 982 m, mostly between 200 and 600 m. The maximum age was 37 years for <em>M. carinatus</em>, 26 years for <em>M. holotrachys </em>and 19 years for <em>C. fasciatus</em>. <em>Macrourus </em>spp. reproduce all year round, <em>C. fasciatus</em>—mostly in spring. The survey area (about ¼ of the entire Falkland slope between 500 and 1,000 m isobaths) harbored a biomass of <em>M. carinatus </em>of about 40,000 tons.