CCAMLR

This Background Paper reports on progress with the Southern Ocean Observing System (SOOS), noting in particular the importance of the SOOS to the work of CCAMLR and the key role of CCAMLR in implementation of the SOOS, for example through the CCAMLR Ecosystem Monitoring Programme (CEMP). CCAMLR are invited to appoint an ex-officio representative to the SOOS Steering Committee.
A SOOS Initial Science and Implementation Strategy will be published in October 2011, an International Project Office has recently been established, hosted by the Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies in Hobart, Australia, and an Executive Officer, Louise Newman has been appointed. Currently, a website is being developed and a Scientific Steering Committee is being selected.

Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides) or "Chilean sea bass" support a valuable and
controversial fishery, yet their life history is not well understood and longevity estimates
range from approximately 20 to more than 50 years. In this study, lead-radium dating
provided valid ages for juvenile to older adult groups, which were consistent with the
counting of otolith growth zones in transverse otolith sections, and longevity estimates
exceeding 30 years. Lead-radium dating revealed minor biases between the radiometric age
and interpretation of growth zone counting for regional fishing areas monitored by two
facilities, Center for Quantitative Fisheries Ecology (CQFE) and the Central Ageing Facility
(CAF), using different age estimation techniques. For CQFE, under-ageing of ca. 3.3 years
was observed across estimated ages younger than 20 years. For the CAF, ages were
overestimated for young fish and underestimated for the oldest fish. Lead-radium dating
detected underlying problems in coordinating age estimation between geographically
separated fish stocks, and provided a framework to objectively assess otolith interpretation
and growth modeling between laboratories based on age-validated data.

The vessel Simeiz carried out Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides) fishery in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean beyond EEZ from January till August 2011 in statistical divisions 41.3.1 and 41.3.2.

Whale observation data was collected abroad polish trawler Dalmor II that fished Antarctic krill in the CCAMLR statistical area 48. Observation details, group size, behavioral specific details were fixed. Also photo material was collected. There were 50 sightings of at least 280 individuals from March to July 2011. Vast majority sightings (90%) were minke whales (Balaenoptera bonaerensis). Also humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) were recorded.

Data were collected at Bird Island and King Edward Point, South Georgia and at Signy Island, South Orkneys for the period April 2010 to March 2011. Surveys were also undertaken at Goudier Island, Antarctic Peninsula, but there were no incidences of beached marine debris, entanglements or hydrocarbon soiling at this location during the reporting period. Surveys of beached marine debris at Bird Island recorded a total of 179 and 111 items during winter 2010 (April to September) and summer 2010/2011 (October 2010 to March 2011) respectively. Surveys at Signy Island recorded a total of 46 items during summer 2010/11 (January to March 2011). Plastic was the most commonly observed item during the two seasons at Bird Island, and the majority of items collected at Signy Island were wood/lumber. Entanglements of 27 Antarctic fur seals were observed at Bird Island, 12 at King Edward Point and four at Signy Island. In total, 177 items of marine debris were found in association with seabird colonies at Bird Island, with the highest overall number (80 items) associated with grey-headed albatrosses, and the highest incidence of fishery-related debris (39 items) associated with wandering albatrosses. No incidences of hydrocarbon soiling were observed at any of the three sites. Overall, levels of marine debris at Bird Island and Signy Island during 2010/11 were below the long-term mean for beached debris in summer but above the mean at Bird Island during winter. Marine mammal entanglements were below the long-term mean in summer and winter at Bird Island but slightly above the mean at Signy Island. At King Edward Point the number of entanglements was significantly higher than the single incidence reported in 2009/10. Debris associated with seabird colonies was below the mean level in wandering albatross and giant petrels, but above the mean in grey-headed and black-browed albatross.

The Secretariat contacted 14 Members in January 2011 providing them with a table listing the
number of otoliths collected on each trip by a vessel flagged to that Member and the observer
responsible for collecting the otoliths on that trip. Members were asked to provide information
on the storage location and number of otoliths aged. Responses were received from 9
Members and no amendments were made to the numbers of otoliths collected. Currently 1405
otoliths that were received from the UK are stored at the Secretariat.

Biogeographic information is of primary importance for monitoring biodiversity and detecting impacts of environmental changes, developing the bio/ecoregionalisation of the Southern Ocean, designing marine protected areas, conducting comparative biogeographic analyses or discovering marine biodiversity hotspots.
At the end of five years of extensive biodiversity exploration and assessment by the Census of Antarctic Marine Life (www.caml.aq), with 19 CAML-dedicated cruises in the whole Southern Ocean, and following the intense compilation efforts of biogeographic data by the SCAR-Marine Biodiversity Information Network (www.scarmarbin.be), a new initiative, the multi-authored “Biogeographic Atlas of the Southern Ocean”, will synthesize the CAML biogeographic results on the basis of an unprecedented amount, diversity and quality of biogeographic data.
The “Biogeographic Atlas of the Southern Ocean”, involving 60 contributors under the aegis of SCAR, will constitute a major scientific output of CAML and SCAR-MarBIN. It will take the form of a collection of maps and synthetic texts presenting the key biogeographic patterns and processes of the Antarctic marine biodiversity (benthos, plankton, nekton, birds and seals) south of 40°S. The hard copy version in large format will be extended by a dynamic online version on the SCAR-MarBIN portal.