Popup satellite archival tag (PSAT) time series of 24 Kerguelen sandpaper skates (Bathyraja irrasa) caught around Heard Island, Southern Ocean (2023)

Skates (Rajidae) represent the greatest biomass of incidental bycatch caught in the Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides) longline fishery operating within Australian EEZ waters around HIMI in the Southern Ocean. Due to their life history characteristics of slow growth and late maturation, their populations are particularly vulnerable to fishing mortality which can lead to overall and localised population declines.
The FRDC project 2022-012 (https://www.frdc.com.au/project/2022-012) aims to quantify post-release survival of Bathyraja spp. skates caught in the deep waters of the Kerguelen Plateau using the latest in pop-up satellite tag technology.