QUEST Fish was led by Dr Manuel Barange (PML) with 18 co-investigators from POL, PML, CEFAS, University of Plymouth, University of Portsmouth, CSIC (Spain), UEA, WorldFish Centre, IPSL, ICES (Denmark), Met Office, IRD (Paris) and University of North Carolina, as part of QUEST (Quantifying and Understanding the Earth System) This dataset collection contains global fish biomass estimates from the Global Coastal-Ocean Modelling System. QUEST-Fish has delivered a near-global assessment of consequences of climate change for fisheries, demonstrating excellent and innovative bridging of marine biogeochemistry models and socio-economics. QUEST-Fish specifically focused on the added impacts that climate change is likely to cause on global fish production, and on the subsequent additional risks and vulnerabilities to human societies. The team have demonstrated the broad capability of an integrated regional coastal/shelf seas model system. The physical-ecological POLCOMS-ERSEM model that underpinned the research was developed for Europe’s regional seas. Its application to 20 Large Marine Ecosystems (coastal bioregions) worldwide, covering two-thirds of the world’s fish catch, has been critically evaluated and found adequate for most regions (the physical and biogeochemical differences of the upwelling region off Peru presents challenges, with the climate impact likely to be over-expressed in the fisheries projection output).

List of fish species identified and cross-referenced by an integrative taxonomy analysis. Specimens were identified to the lowest taxonomic level using morphological features. A sub-sample of small muscle tissue from each individual was taken for DNA extraction and amplification of two mitochondrial genes, cox1 and the non-coding control region (CR). Special attention was given to larval and juvenile specimens. Samples were collected by fishery observers on board krill fishing vessels for the winter seasons between 2019 and 2024. Extra samples collected before 2019 were obtained from the biological archives at BAS including muscle and fin tissue as well as otolith samples spanning from 1988 through 2022. All samples were measured and photographed prior to be subsampled for DNA. Most samples were blast-freeze and stored at -20 degrees C or fixed in 90% ethanol. Tissue samples were stored in 90-95% ethanol and kept at -20 degrees C. Data resources from this project were used to developed enhanced identification guides for larval and adult fish species caught as bycatch within the Antarctic krill fishery. This is a Darwin plus initiative awarded to Philip, R. Hollyman under round 10 funding scheme, project reference DPLUS166.

QUEST Fish was led by Dr Manuel Barange (PML) with 18 co-investigators from POL, PML, CEFAS, University of Plymouth, University of Portsmouth, CSIC (Spain), UEA, WorldFish Centre, IPSL, ICES (Denmark), Met Office, IRD (Paris) and University of North Carolina, as part of QUEST (Quantifying and Understanding the Earth System). QUEST-Fish specifically focused on the added impacts that climate change is likely to cause on global fish production, and on the subsequent additional risks and vulnerabilities to human societies. This dataset contains global fish biomass estimates from the Global Coastal-Ocean Modelling System.

This dataset compiles fish length and weight measurements from the RMT-25 net hauls carried out on Discovery 2010 cruises (JR161, JR177, JR200) in the Scotia Sea, Southern Ocean in spring 2006, summer 2008, and autumn 2009. The dataset comprises of the station net hauls only. Research cruises were led by British Antarctic Survey aboard the RRS James Clark Ross. Net hauls were conducted along a transect from the Antarctic Polar Front to the sea ice zone in the Scotia Sea. Hauls included in this dataset are depth stratified (1000-700 m, 700-400 m, 400-200 m, 200 m to surface). Individual fish lengths, and weights were measured on board. Where weights were not measured, length-weight regressions have been used to estimate fish weight. This data set accompanies the paper by Belcher et al. in Marine Ecology Progress Series, titled, Respiration rates and active carbon flux of mesopelagic fishes (Family Myctophidae) in the Scotia Sea, Southern Ocean.