A RESEARCHER from Weymouth is heading to the Antarctic for a two-month probe into declining foodstocks.

Ruth Hicks, from the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aqua- culture Science (Cefas), will head out on the British Antarctic Surveys ship James Clark Ross.

On her return the results will be analysed at the Cefas laboratory on the Nothe in Weymouth.

The expedition will examine declining numbers of Antarctic krill, tiny crustaceans, which are vital for the stability of the Southern Ocean.

It is thought that disease could be behind the dramatic decline in the krill – a major food source for everything from fish to penguins and whales.

Cefas and the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) have joined forces for the study.

Dr Grant Stentiford, project manager for the Cefas study and lead scientist at the European Community Reference Laboratory for Crustacean Diseases, said: “Temperature is an important factor in the onset and extent of disease in marine animals. The seasonal nature of many marine diseases demonstrates the importance of temperature in driving epidemics in our oceans.”

He added: “Our experiment with the BAS is unique.

“Very little work has been carried out on the diseases that krill carry and whether they are on the increase.

“Disease is an important factor in the turnover of animal populations and krill are likely to be no exception.

“The decline in krill numbers has obvious implications for the future stability of the whole Antarctic system.”

Some scientists have suggested that declines in stocks could be down to warming seas.

Ruth will join BAS scientists aboard the James Clark Ross on March 8 to collect Antarctic krill samples.

The sampling will cover a wide temperature range: from 40C at the tip of South America to –20C at the Antarctic ice sheet.

Ruth said: “This project is a fantastic opportunity to work alongside BAS and with them to contribute to research in new areas of science.”