Any spatial management units need to be clearly defined for CCAMLR fishery. To facilitate the development of the new krill management approach in Subarea 48.1, the boundaries of 5 candidate management units, including the 4 US AMLR strata adjusted for administrative purpose, and an extra stratum adjacent to US AMLR Strata to reflect proactively the need to manage the krill fishery in the Gerlache Strait area, are given together with the rationale behind the adjustment of the US AMLR Strata and the definition of the extra stratum. The sea surface area of the 5 strata are also given for easy reference.
Abstract:
The CCAMLR Statistical Subarea 48.3 icefish assessment was conducted by applying the standard projection methodology that has been agreed for this stock by CCAMLR Scientific Committee and its Working Groups. The stratified bootstrap of UK 2021 demersal fish survey icefish catch density and catch rate data indicate a precautionary biomass estimate of 22,047 tonnes (lower one sided 5th percentile: 13,279 tonnes) within Subarea 48.3. Projections for the 2022 and 2023 seasons applying the CCAMLR Decision Rule imply catch limits (TAC) of 1,457 tonnes for 2022 and 1,708 tonnes for 2023.
The assessment would lead to a recommendation from Working Group FSA to Scientific Committee that the catch limit for C. gunnari in Subarea 48.3 should be set at 1 457 tonnes for 2021/22 and 1 708 tonnes for 2022/23.
Abstract:
Understanding and addressing climate change impacts in the Southern Ocean is of critical importance for managing risks to Antarctic marine living resources and falls within CCAMLR’s remit. We encourage the Scientific Committee to progress the integration of climate change considerations into its management advice to the Commission. To facilitate this, we recommend that the Scientific Committee endorses the addition of the proposed Terms of Reference set out below for the Climate change impacts and CCAMLR e-Group and continues to utilise this e-Group to progress particular activities in support of identifying and integrating relevant scientific research outputs on climate change into the work of the Scientific Committee and its Working Groups. This work will enable the Scientific Committee to assess the risks presented by climate change, and to ensure the Commission takes timely responses to address such risks.
Abstract:
CCAMLR Conservation Measure 25-03 prohibits the use of net monitoring cables within the Convention Area. Chinese and Norwegian krill trawlers have been granted an exemption from this CM for the 2019-20 and 2020-21 fishing seasons in order to map interactions between seabirds and the net monitoring cables that are rigged on vessels using the continuous pumping method. These trials will also help to evaluate whether further measures are appropriate and if current methods for routine observations performed by dedicated SISO observers on board can be improved. This paper presents the method used in the fishing season 2020-21. The final method design has been developed through previous discussions in WG-FSA, SC, through a dedicated e-group facilitated by CCAMLR and through discussion meetings on Teams from November 2020 to April 2021.
Abstract:
In 1991, CCAMLR adopted Conservation Measure (CM) 25-03, which prohibits the use of net monitoring cables in the Convention Area and applies to all trawling techniques. The establishment of this CM was a consequence of concerns over seabird mortalities resulting from collisions with net monitoring cables in fisheries. Technology has progressed since the introduction of this CM and the trawlers currently involved in the krill fishery that use continuous pumping methods differ in methodology from the fisheries that initially led to the establishment of it. The main change is that the part of the monitoring cable exposed in air is considerable shorter and represents no longer a separate wire in between the warps but attached to, or close to, the warp itself. In modern trawl fisheries the use of a monitoring cable enables expanded data flow which helps improve fishing efficiency, catch reporting, reduces negative ecosystem impact and increases crew safety. Some of the concerns regarding net monitor cables may be less significant now, and so Chinese and Norwegian vessels that use continuous pumping technology were permitted a derogation of the CM, allowing net monitor cable trials for the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons. This report presents the results from the 2019-20 fishing season (Jan-Oct) from three vessels (two side-trawlers and one stern-trawler) using the continuous pumping fishing method from CCAMLR Area 48. The study was undertaken in full compliance with the requirements of the CCAMLR Scientific Committee (SC) (SC-CAMLR-38, paragraph 5.14) and data were collected according to standard SISO warp monitoring and Incidental Mortality Associated with Fishing (IMAF) protocols, and followed methods required by the derogation. Abundance estimates of birds, not required by CCAMLR, were obtained while fishing within Subarea 48.3. Seabird mitigation measures used on all three vessels were determined by ACAP best-practice guidelines. A combination of deck observations and video monitoring were used to observe warps and monitoring cables and a total of 1,193 hours of observations were made, representing 4.5% coverage of the total fishing time. Four 15-minute observations were performed at set times each day, and deck observations included three 15-minute observations during turns and other high-risk events, or random periods during trawling. All sets and hauls were also monitored. No heavy bird strikes were observed with the net monitoring cable on either of the side-trawlers. One heavy ‘aerial’ (interaction with the monitoring cable in the air and hits the water with little to no control of its flight) contact was observed on the stern trawler, but with no confirmed injury or death. One contact was also made with the mitigation device, i.e., an equal number of contacts as with the net monitoring cable. In conclusion, this report demonstrates that for both types of trawlers (side and stern), the risk for seabirds in connection with interactions with the monitoring cable is minimal. All human activity has an impact on nature and biodiversity to some degree but must be attempted to be kept as minimal as possible. The warp and monitoring cables on the stern trawler may be interacting with birds catching up with the vessel from behind, and it may be possible to improve the mitigation design for stern trawlers using continuous pumping methods. The greater efficiency and targeted fishing enabled by vessels using this continuous pumping method can reduce the climate footprint. We ask WG-FSA to consider advising the Scientific Committee and the Commission as to revise CM 25-03 to allow the use of a net monitoring cable, with mitigation measures as requested by the derogation.
Abstract:
If, by 1 December 2021, the total allowable catch of Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) in the Scotia Sea is not distributed in time and space, the objective of the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources will be jeopardized. The stated objective of the Convention is conservation (CCAMLR 1980), and the management provision that distributes krill catches throughout the Scotia Sea expires this November. This provision mitigates the risks that concentrated fishing will adversely affect krill predators. Unless the 26 Members of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) achieve consensus to extend this provision or establish an alternative that suitably limits concentrated fishing, some krill predators are likely to be negatively affected. More generally, if CCAMLR does not act to diversify the footprint of krill fishing we expect this socio-ecological system to be less resilient to climate change. If an alternative spatiotemporal distribution of catches is not agreed, it is imperative that the current management strategy, though arguably flawed, be retained to prevent a backslide away from conservation.
Abstract:
Noting that the most recent 5 year strategic plan for SC-CAMLR has now finished, this paper proposes a SC-CAMLR symposium to develop the next strategic plan.
Abstract:
Frequency of fish bycatch in vessel and observer data are examined and discussed in this paper, with results from a survey undertaken by the Secretariat on krill bycatch data collection practices by Members presented. Recommendations on standardizing bycatch collection instructions and investigating bycatch data reported by some vessels are detailed.
Abstract:
Gear loss as reported by longline vessels from the 2020 and 2021 fishing seasons, including differences in line loss by gear type, is reviewed following recommendations made at WG-FSA-18. Vessels reported 1 363 km of line lost in the Convention Area, of which 22% were complete lines. There was a difference in the relative reporting of lost hooks by gear type, with rates of loss ranging from 2.5 to 4.6% for each gear type for the past two seasons. There was a significant difference in the frequency of complete line loss between gear types, with a higher rate of complete line loss for trotline than for Spanish or autoline. New fields for reporting gear loss in an updated C2 form are discussed.
Abstract:
The UK undertook a bottom trawl survey of CCAMLR Subarea 48.3 on the FV Robin M Lee from 7th to 17th May 2021. Seventy-seven random trawls were completed covering depths of 105 to 354 m, including 20 at Shag Rocks, 27 in the NW, 14 in the SW, 6 in the SE and 10 in the NE. The biomass of mackerel icefish, Chamsocephalus gunnari, was estimated at 18,013 tonnes with a lower 1-sided 95% interval estimate of 10,627 tonnes. This is one of the lowest biomass estimates in the survey series. The highest catches were in the SW area, with low catches in the NW area, that are the main commercial fishing grounds and usually have the largest survey catches.
Catches of juvenile toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides) were good, with almost 500 kgs caught in total. Catches were dominated by fish of 40-50 cm TL, but with some smaller fish also caught. Estimated biomass for the other species, such as the icefish Pseudochaenichthys georgianus and Chaenocephalus aceratus, and Gobionotothen gibberifrons were similar to previous surveys. Whilst the total catch of Notothenia rossii was less than 2019, the species was caught in a high proportion of trawls.
During two nights of calm weather to the south of the island, the vessel had significant bird collision events, with more than 200 birds found on the vessel on the night of the 15/16 May. The majority of the birds were diving petrels and were released alive and uninjured, but four diving petrels were killed.