Three Decades (1988-2023) of Marine Biodiversity in Falkland Islands Waters: Fisheries‑Linked Species Records from the Southwest Atlantic

This dataset compiles 35 years of marine species observations from Falkland Islands waters, collected through single‑observer trips, research cruises, commercial trawlers, jiggers, and longline vessels. It includes more than 8 million records of fish, squid, skates, and benthic invertebrates, with associated length, weight, sex, and maturity data. Key species such as Doryteuthis gahi and Illex argentinus and are extensively represented. The dataset provides a unique long‑term biodiversity baseline for the Southwest Atlantic, linking scientific and fisheries‑dependent monitoring in one of the region’s most productive marine ecosystems.

Class No records No Species Bivalvia 183,087  1 Cephalopoda 4,625,093  38 Elasmobranchii 569,592  30 Gastropoda 79  1 Holocephali 14  1 Malacostraca 18,548  15 Myxini 2,044   4 Scyphozoa 44  1 Teleostei 2,754,678  151