AWR LAUNCHES ITS 9TH CALL FOR PROPOSALS AND PRESENTS TWO NEW RESEARCH PROJECTS THAT HAVE RECEIVED GRANTS IN 2022 WITH A TOTAL INVESTMENT OF USD 160,000
“In an era of climate change and threats to biodiversity, it is more critical than ever that we obtain the information needed to secure the long-term health of marine ecosystems. The projects funded by AWR will increase our ability to protect the krill-based ecosystem in the Southern Ocean,” says Claire Christian, the Chair of AWR’s board.
The two research projects receiving funding from AWR in 2022 are the following:
Estimates of baleen whale abundance that overlap in space and time with krill fishing in the Southwest Atlantic
Angus Henderson
University of Tasmania (UTAS), Australia
Funding: USD 68 000
Antarctic krill studied by crabeater seals beneath the sea ice
Sara Labrousse
Laboratoired’Océanographie et du Climat(LOCEAN) France
Funding: USD 92 000
SUPPORTING THE NEW KRILL MANAGEMENT STRATEGY
“This is another year where AWR managed to support important research projects that will be key for the understanding of the Antarctic marine ecosystem and will contribute to the precautionary management of the Antarctic krill fishery,” said Dr. Rodolfo Werner, AWR Scientific Advisor, and Board member.
“The CCAMLR krill fishery management is making big strides forward and getting increasingly reliant on up-to-date scientific information. Promoting and facilitating research on the Southern Ocean is essential in order to take care of the Antarctic marine ecosystem in which we operate, and we are proud that AWR can be part of the solution to fill knowledge gaps,” says Matts Johansen, CEO at Aker BioMarine.
THE NEXT CALL FOR PROPOSALS IS OPEN
The 9th Call for Proposals is now open for applications. For 2023 AWR is looking for research projects that prioritize the following:
1. Krill biology and ecology to inform krill fishery management
2. Krill-Predator-Fishery Interaction
3. Supporting ‘risk assessment’, now referred as ‘spatial overlap analysis’ (previously known as risk assessment framework for the krill fishery management)
4. Cutting edge science to monitor krill for fishery management
These scientific priorities have been the same for the last three years and are in line with CCAMLR research priorities. This year again AWR call emphasizes the need to balance regional diversity, gender and early career scientist in the interest of representing the full diversity of institutions and scientists engaged in Antarctic research.
Closing date for AWR’s 9th Call for proposals is 5 April 2023
Read more about AWR here www.antarcticfund.org
