In this paper, ASOC argues that the time is ripe for upgrading CCAMLR provisions on transhipments. The 2^nd Performance Review of CCAMLR identified a “significant gap” in relation to transhipments [1]⁠⁠. Members of CCAMLR are expected to act upon its recommendations. Current transhipment provisions in the CCAMLR Convention Area are not up to the highest standards when compared to those of RFMOs worldwide. ASOC builds on previous submissions [2,3] and recommends that CCAMLR adopts conservation measures with the following provisions:

• Establishment of a comprehensive and publicly available CCAMLR record of Authorized Carrier Vessels.
• Development of a comprehensive Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (MCS) package applicable to carrier vessels.
• Application to all CCAMLR fisheries.
• Requirements to report information on all transhipments to the Secretariat, which will prepare an annual report for SCIC with information on transhipments that occurred in the Convention Area.

The Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) first committed to adopting a representative network of marine protected areas (MPAs) in 2009. This paper summarises CCAMLR's progress in fulfilling this commitment to date. Following recent progress with adoption and entry into force of the Ross Sea MPA, ASOC calls on CCAMLR to make swift progress towards adopting a Southern Ocean representative system of MPAs by 2020. ASOC recommends that this year CCAMLR:

• Adopts the East Antarctica MPA proposal including the MacRobertson, Drygalski and D’Urville Sea-Mertz areas.
• Adopts the Weddell Sea MPA, keeping the boundaries intact so that the MPA contains the ecological boundaries of the Weddell Sea Gyre, as previously supported by SC-CAMLR and WG-EMM.
• Takes further steps towards the adoption of the Domain 1 MPA, including the adoption of no-take zones in all critical areas.
• Continues to develop and implement research and monitoring Plans for current MPAs.

This paper provides a brief update on progress by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) on the development of safety measures for non-SOLAS vessels including fishing vessels, and considers current discussions on the implementation of marine mammal avoidance measures under the Polar Code.  ASOC calls on the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) and CCAMLR Members to:

• Support the development of measures by the IMO include fishing vessels in the Polar Code.
• Ratify the Cape Town Agreement.
• Strengthen CCAMLR Resolution 20/XXII to a conservation measure requiring Members only license vessels with a minimum ice classification standard of ICE-1C or more.
• Ask SC-CAMLR to contribute to expanded cooperation between the IMO and the Antarctic Treaty System on marine mammal avoidance planning.
• Ask SC-CAMLR to provide advice on appropriate marine mammal data collection and analyses and how they may best be made available to and used by the relevant stakeholders.

This paper raises a question about CCAMLR’s capacity and commitment to regularly review and update its conservation measures in the light of emerging environmental changes, latest scientific understandings associated with those changes, and advances in prevention or mitigation technologies, including those developed by experts from outside of the ‘CCAMLR club’. Two examples were considered: the protection of VMEs and the mitigation of marine debris and plastic pollution.  This consideration concluded that both these issues require urgent review to ensure the relevant management measures reflect both current environmental conditions and are based on the latest knowledge or best available science.

ASOC recommends that CCAMLR:

• Implement a process to ensure regular review of conservation measures that are not automatically updated on a yearly or bi-yearly basis.
• Encourage broader engagement of relevant global experts in issues of interest to CCAMLR’s membership.
• Review and update urgently current VME-related CMs and processes and marine debris guidelines to reflect current scientific knowledge of impact and mitigation methodologies.

This paper highlights ASOC’s concern that research under Conservation Measure 24-01 and exploratory fishing conservation measures are not meeting the objectives of the Convention. Research and exploratory fishing activities are not increasing our understanding of the fished species and its impact on the ecosystem, putting the future of Antarctic marine living resources at risk.

The Second Performance Review and several Scientific Committee working groups have raised concerns regarding the current approach to research and exploratory fishing within the CCAMLR Area (SC-CAMLR XXXVI/01, SC-CAMLR XXXVI, WG-SAM-18). ASOC strongly supports the need to address these concerns and recommends that CCAMLR:

• Form regional high-level strategies detailing relevant area-based objectives, priorities, research plans, and reporting requirements.
• Establish clear standardised requirements for research, new, and exploratory fishing including the restriction of research fishing under CM 24-01 to non-commercial research surveys.
• Align all current and future new or exploratory fishing activities with research priorities set regionally.

This paper outlines the specific research objectives and plan to achieve them for the third and final year of an agreed 3-year longline survey, in the wider context of connecting the recently undertaken surveys in Subarea 48.2 with the established fishery in Subarea 48.4. The overall research objectives include determining population connectivity between these Subareas, improving understanding of Dissostichus spp population structures in this region, and improving available data on bathymetry and associated distributions of benthic bycatch species. This paper reiterates the key points of WG-SAM-18/15, and addresses update requests made at WG-SAM-18. The survey includes a three-year data collection and two-year data analysis plan leading towards the development of a stock hypothesis for the eastern regions of 48.2 and southern regions of 48.4.

This paper provides a summary of research projects led by Italy in the frame of PNRA (Italian Programme of Researches in Antarctica) that are relevant to monitoring and research in relation to the Ross Sea region Marine Protected Area. The inventory includes: (1) research to establish “baseline” environmental and ecological conditions in the Ross Sea region; (2) “process-based” research to understand environmental and ecological processes and interactions. The intention of this paper is to present the information so that it is useful to researchers in different ways. First, to help researchers to identify existing PNRA data for retrospective analysis. Second to identify Italian scientists and research expertise to stimulate and facilitate new international agreement on collaborative international research on the Ross Sea Region.

The vessel bearing IMO No. 9319856, and which has been provisionally allocated the name Pescacisne I in Chile's Registry of Large Vessels, has been on CCAMLR's NCP-IUU vessel list since 2008. This vessel was acquired by the Chilean company Pesca Cisne S.A., which has provided background information showing that it has no shared interests legal, financial or juridical with the former owners of the vessel, namely Eastern Holdings Limited and High Mountain Overseas S.A.

Chile, as a Member of CCAMLR, and as the state of the new owner of the vessel bearing IMO No. 9319856, requests that the vessel be removed from the NCP-IUU vessel list, based on the fact that the conditions stated in paragraph 18 of Conservation Measure 10-07 (2016) are met, which the information contained in this application shows.

We note that the vessel is currently not flagged to any country. In the past, a request for registration and flag made to Chile was denied in compliance with Conservation Measure 10-07 (2016), given that the vessel was included in the NCP-IUU vessel list. Once the vessel is removed from CCAMLR's NCP-IUU vessel list, Pesca Cisne S.A. intends to register it in Chile, request that it be flagged and use it for fishing activities in waters under Chilean jurisdiction, in accordance with the relevant domestic regulations.