CCAMLR

At the CCAMLR Bioregionalisation Workshop, 13-17 August 2007, it was agreed that physical variables could be used to produce primary physical regionalisations of the Southern Ocean and that benthic and pelagic zones should be considered separately. This paper provides a description of the process and results of the primary benthic regionalisation completed at the Workshop and subsequent refinements to this regionalisation including the use of additional data which could not be incorporated at the Workshop. The process and results of evaluating the physical regionalisation with biological data are also described.

Publicly available bathymetry and geophysical data can be used to map geomorphic features of the Antarctic continental margin and adjoining ocean basins at scales of 1:1-5 million. The geomorphic features identified and their properties can be related to major habitat characteristics such as sea floor type (hard versus soft), ice keel scouring, sediment deposition or erosion and current regimes. Where more detailed data are available, shelf geomorphology provides a guide to the distribution of the shelf benthic communities recognised by a number of authors. For areas off the shelf, the relationships between physical environmental parameters and the benthic biota are more poorly known however geomorphic mapping provides insights into major processes that are likely to influence benthic habitats. The geomorphic mapping method presented here rapidly provides a layer to add to benthic bioregionalisation using readily available data and provides useful insights into seabed and oceanographic conditions that influence benthic communities, even in the absence direct measurements. The conclusion from this preliminary study of sea floor geomorphology from the Antarctic is that there is enough data to available already to produce a meaningful benthic bioregionalisation for an area as poorly known as the Antarctic continental margin and surrounding oceans. Studies of shelf biota that have tried to link the physical environment with benthic communities have found links strong enough to suggest that geomorphology is a useful first-pass tool for mapping the distribution of communities. The link between biology and geomorphology is the degree to which sea floor geometry influences oceanographic, biogeochemical and substrate processes to shape the conditions for benthic communities. Additional layers of bed shear stress and sediment characteristics will further refine benthic bioregionalisation when data become available however the results produced by mapping from bathymetry alone are sufficient to justify its use in the first stage of benthic bioregionalisation for CCAMLR waters

Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) is one of the largest marine resources of animal origin protein on the planet. Krill is the key element of the Antarctic Region ecosystem. Construction of modern vessels for krill fisheries and processing is foreseen anyway; introduction of new technologies on krill catch and resulting products, such as krill oil, hidrolizates, astaxanthine-related antioxidants and other preparations. Became possible due to the construction of specialized large-capacity fish-krill super trawlers.

Presented research on feeding and the dietary structure by species of minke whales, conducted on board the whaling fleet Sovietskaya Ukraina during the 1982/83 - 1985/86 seasons. Whaling was conducted in all four seasons. There have been no noticeable increase of the population size of large whales over the years after the cessation of whaling. The role of a short and profitable from the energy point of view trophic chain «phytoplankton - krill - baleen whales», which is of main interest due to the potential meaning of its last link for the commercial exploitation, reduced significantly.

Selection criteria have been widely advocated as a tool to assist in the identification of marine protected areas (MPAs) worldwide (e.g. Kelleher, 1999; Roberts et al., 2003; CBD, 2006). The application of selection criteria can assist in evaluating candidate sites, prioritising areas that merit protection, and determining the appropriate design and boundaries for selected areas. While they do not provide definitive answers to questions relating to the location and design of protected areas, criteria can be used alongside other tools to support decision-making. For example, selection criteria might be applied in conjunction with bioregionalisation analysis to support the systematic development of a representative system of MPAs.
The effective application of selection criteria depends on the definition of clear objectives to be achieved by a system of MPAs. Different criteria may apply to the selection of different types of marine protected areas (e.g. Antarctic Specially Protected Areas, Antarctic Specially Managed Areas, and other area-based measures including those relating to sustainable fisheries management), designed for the achievement of a range of objectives.
This paper considers how existing selection criteria for protected areas, both in the context of the Antarctic Treaty System and in other international systems, might be applied in the identification of candidate marine sites for special protection and management in the Southern Ocean.

This study reviews the impact of longline fishing on populations of white-chinned petrels and grey petrels from 2004 to 2006 at Crozet and Kerguelen (58.6 and 58.5.1 respectively).
It shows that the population of white-chinned petrels at Possession Island (Crozet) decreased sharply between 1983 and 2004, with the main cause being changes in environmental variables. Nevertheless, the decrease in the population was more marked as a result of previous levels of incidental mortality. At present, the level of mortality of white-chinned petrels in Subarea 58.6 has not reached the critical point beyond which the population would be at risk of declining.
Past levels (up to 2003) of incidental mortality of white-chinned petrels in Division 58.5.1 have probably had a negative effect on the population. At present, incidental mortality of this petrel has a limited effect on the population.
The population of grey petrels in the Kerguelen archipelago (Division 58.5.1) is also very sensitive to changes in environmental variables and particularly to positive values of the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI). The legal toothfish fishery had a significant negative impact on adult survival and population growth rate between 2001 and 2004. Since 2005, incidental mortality of this species is no longer at the levels above which the number of birds killed could cause a decline in the population. In order to limit the decrease, new conservation measures were established for the 2006/07 fishing season.

Incidental mortality has diminished considerably in comparison with the period from 2001 to 2003 (Delord et al, 2004).
During the 2003/04, 2004/05 and 2005/06 fishing seasons the incidental mortality of seabirds was reduced by approximately half each year.
A multivariate analysis has revealed that the incidental catch of white-chinned petrels and grey petrels is caused by a complex set of variables relating to the environment and fishing techniques. Results suggest that a significant proportion of the mortality of white-chinned petrels and grey petrels can be explained by the effects of season and geographical area, as was the case for the period 2001-2003.
Incidental mortality varies according to geographical area, being higher at Kerguelen (where there are some geographical disparities, with higher mortality in the northern and central areas in the east, and northern and southern areas in the west) than at Crozet.
Analyses show that a proportion of the incidental mortality can be explained by other factors, such as, for example, the type of lines used (integrated-weight lines or otherwise, or a mixture of both). The number of streamer lines is also a factor which influences incidental mortality, the rate of which is lower when the number of streamer lines deployed behind the vessel is increased.
This study highlights the phenomenon of incidental capture of live birds during hauling, and of the larger number of species involved than is the case during setting.

The results of the eleventh annual survey of entanglement of Antarctic fur seals at Signy Island, South Orkney Islands are reported for the 2006/2007 summer season. There was 1 sighting of a seal wearing a neck collar of man-made debris. Data are compared with results from a parallel study undertaken at Bird Island, South Georgia in 2006/07.

During the 2006/07 austral summer the seventeenth annual beach debris survey was carried out at Signy Island, South Orkney Islands. Debris was cleared each month between December and March from the three study beaches. The debris was counted, measured and classified by type, material, mass and size categories. A total of 50 items weighing 7.6 kg were collected. The number of items found was greater than the total found during the previous season, although the total mass of the waste recovered had decreased (an increase of 85.2% and decrease of 68.8% since 2005/06 respectively). There was a rise in the number of plastic packaging bands (18) from the total recorded the previous season (9), this increase representing a continuation of the rise in packaging bands experienced over recent seasons. The likely source of these bands is fishing vessels, so these findings highlight the fact that packaging bands continue to appear as beach debris and indicate that the ban on their use aboard fishing vessels brought into force by CCAMLR in 1995/96 has yet to prove entirely effective. Plastic waste was predominant, as in previous seasons, making up 80% of all items recorded, followed jointly by metal and wood, both at 10%. The results of this season's debris survey clearly show that the longevity of plastics and other materials with a high resistance to degradation in the marine environment remains a problem. The need for continued monitoring to ensure that vessels are aware of, and comply with, regulations prohibiting the disposal of debris at sea is paramount.