We present initial findings from a multi-site, multi-species ecological study of pygoscelis penguins in the Bransfield Strait through the austral summer 2018-2019. Using high resolution GPS movement data in conjunction with C1 Catch and Effort data for the Antarctic krill fishery, we identify the home range distribution of chinstrap, gentoo and Adélie penguins at Baily Head (Deception Island), Harmony Point (Nelson Island) and Kopaitic Islands and estimate the amount of direct competition with the fishery over time. We further integrate information on humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) abundance and distribution in the Bransfield Strait collected during the 2019-2020 summer in the same area, to provide an estimate of the potential competitive implications that recovering whale populations may have on constrained, breeding pygoscelid penguins. During the period in which these data were collected, there was no competitive overlap with the fishery during the brood-crèche phase, only 107 tonnes of krill caught during incubation within the foraging ranges of all three species, and a total of ~10,000 tonnes of krill fished in areas occupied by chinstrap penguins during brood-crèche over the preceding thirty years. We summarise the amount of krill fishing conducted during the penguin breeding season at the Subarea 48.1 scale, which has never exceeded 35% of the trigger level and most seasons were under 10%. We also highlight that in the past 10 years the fishery has begun to increase fishing efforts throughout March, resulting in increased spatiotemporal segregation with breeding pygoscelid penguins. Population abundance of chinstrap penguins at Deception and Nelson Islands have declined precipitously over the preceding three decades, and while the marginal levels of direct competition with the fishery cannot be ruled out, it is prudent to actively consider other mechanisms that are contributing to the decline of this species throughout the western Antarctic Peninsula. The movement data of penguins from the three colonies (when considered alongside other species that are not constrained by offspring provisioning) also suggests a structuring of foraging habitat within the Bransfield Strait, that may be linked to hydrographic variability driven by larger scale climactic processes such as the Amundsen Sea Low and its interactions with the El Niño Southern Oscillation and the Southern Annular Mode. As our data represent foraging behaviour of breeding penguins from three sites across the Bransfield Strait which are under no direct competitive pressure from the Antarctic krill fishery, they are amenable for use when comparing similar data to be collected off the western coastline of the South Orkney Islands over the coming two years.

Based on the direction of WG-ASAM during 2021, an e-group was established to develop a method to provide estimates of krill biomass for use in the GRYM and for development of a management strategy for krill. Krill biomass densities at a variety of spatial scales are presented for consideration by WG-EMM in 2021. The mean biomass density ranges from a low of 45.54 gm m^-2 for the time series averaged over the time since adoption of CM5107 to a high of 64.34 gm m^-2 when the time series is averaged over just the last 3 yrs of sampling. Importantly embedded within this time series is a low frequency quasi-decadal variability with several periods when krill biomass density is much lower than the longterm mean of ~52 gm m^-2.

A collaborative research program has been undertaken by Japan and South Africa since 2013 to enhance data collection and analysis in the subarea 48.6 under CM 21-02. Spain joined the proposal starting from 2018/19 fishing season in order to contribute to the data acquisition and to speed up the integrated assessments of the Antarctic toothfish (Dissostichus mawsoni) stock in this subarea (WG-FSA-18/34).

The continuation of the three-member research proposal for 2021/22 season is presented to ensure continuity of previous research activities. Data and investigations about the population structure and various demographic parameters of D. mawsoni using trotline (JPN and ZAF) and Spanish longline (ESP) gears, established tagging techniques, pop-up tags and genetic analysis will provide the basis for the development of spatial population models and assessments in support of management advice. An Integrated Stock Assessment (ISA) which takes into account the tag time series from southern research areas of Subarea 48.6 D. mawsoni is going to be continually developed until the end of the 2023/24 season.

The updated CCAMLR Research Plan – Research Proponent Self-Assessment can be found in Appendix 1.

To aid the development of a simple first step management approach for the Antarctic krill in Subarea 48.1, the suitable spatial scale for biomass estimate, the choice of recruitment index for the GrYM model and some considerations for the risk assessment are discussed.  

Parasitological study was conducted onboard the Ukrainian trawler “MORE SODRUZHESTVA”, which fished Antarctic krill during the cruise from the end of December 2020 till the end of March 2021. All fish specimens collected and examined were infected with helminths of five taxonomic groups (Nematoda, Cestoda, Trematoda, Acanthocephala or Monogeneans). Two groups of helminths dominated in the helminth communities – nematodes (consists from 28 to 61% of the total parasite number) and cestodes (from 15 to 22%); trematodes and acanthocephalans accounted for 3 to 8% of the total number of helminths found in different species of fish.

Cetacean observations were conducted onboard the Ukrainian trawler “MORE SODRUZHESTVA”, which fished Antarctic krill and was used as a platform of opportunistic research during the cruise from December 2020 till March 2021. During the Australian summer the fishing grounds were in the CCAMLR Statistical Area 48.2 (South Orkney Islands). Visual observations of marine mammals were conducted.

The SCAR Antarctic Biodiversity Portal (biodiversity.aq) is an international effort that seeks to increase our knowledge and understanding of Antarctic and Southern Ocean biodiversity. It does so by supporting the publication of Antarctic and Southern Ocean biodiversity data, integrating data flows and the development of tools for the retrieval and integration of biodiversity data.

Here we provide an update of current activities relevant for CCAMLR.

This report summarizes the workshop sponsored by the Integrating Climate and Ecosystem Dynamics in the Southern Ocean program (ICED). The workshop, held from 17-20 May 2021, was focussed on improving our modeling of Antarctic krill and strengthening connections between the krill modeling community, the SCAR Krill Action Group (SKAG) and the scientists involved in CCAMLR (particularly WG-EMM). Workshop attendees represented a broad cross-section of the international krill modeling community, in addition to researchers focussed on other species, comprising ~80 registered participants across all career stages. The workshop included a background session and three themed sessions focussing on key aspects of krill modeling. The workshop also aimed to provide Early Career Researchers (ECRs) with opportunities to network and highlight their work, as part of ICED’s wider goal of including ECRs in ICED activities to foster career development and shape the future of ICED research. This paper presents the initial findings for research priorities, data requirements, facilitation methods for integrating modeling approaches, and ideas on fostering research networks and involvement within the Antarctic krill modeling community and beyond.

Distribution pattern of living resources is spatial scale-dependence, therefore an inappropriate scale may produce misleading results. As a key species in the Antarctic ecosystem, distribution of Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) demonstrates significant spatial-temporal heterogeneity. The distribution pattern of this species is spatiotemporal complex and cannot be predicted effectively. In order to understand the spatial-temporal distribution pattern of krill resource in the Antarctic Peninsula, an important ecological and commercial-interested regions, the Moran's I value of krill density distribution was calculated at 12 spatial scales (5'×5' - 60'×60') by 5' grid of latitude and longitude. The results showed that the spatial pattern of krill is differed in spatial scales. The distribution of krill density showed a discrete trend at the 25'×25' scale, but the distribution of krill density showed a clustering trend at the other 11 spatial scales. According to the correlogram between the Moran's I value and spatial scale, the characteristic spatial scales of krill density distribution were determined as about 25'×25', which was determined by the Moran's I value inter-crossing the x-axis for the first time, and 15'×15', which was determined by the smallest scale with no significant difference between the Moran's I value and zero in the correlogram, respectively. This study showed that the method with no significant difference between the Moran's I value and zero value was more consistent with the characteristics of krill resource. It was, therefore, recommended that 15'×15' could be the optimum spatial scale for analyzing the distribution of krill density in this region.