A Research and Monitoring Plan for the Ross Sea region MPA (RSRMPA) has been endorsed by the Scientific Committee (SC-CAMLR-XXXVI/20). The Plan identifies research questions that aim to facilitate assessment of the degree to which the RSRMPA achieves its objectives. The Plan also identifies a set of indicators that, when observed or quantified, provide baseline data for key species and characterize the status of the marine ecosystem in the Ross Sea region. These baselines provide benchmarks from which to assess change and evaluate the performance of the MPA. Here, and in an accompanying background paper (SC-CAMLR-XXXVII/BG/xx), we suggest candidate baseline data for seven indicator species listed in the Research and Monitoring Plan and endorsed by the Scientific Committee. These candidates include zone-specific estimates of the mean densities of Antarctic krill, crystal krill, and larval and juvenile Antarctic silverfish in the RSRMPA; zone-specific estimates of the numbers of nesting pairs of Adélie penguins and adult emperor penguins; and region-wide estimates of the numbers of Weddell seals and Type C killer whales.

This report is the last of four describing the activities of the Secretariat under the 2015–2018 Strategic Plan. Highlights of the year are presented, which include the development of a new Strategic Plan for the next 4 years 2019–2022. Future reports will be against the format of the new Strategic Plan.

The ICG on Sustainable Financing (CCAMLR-XXXVII/17) recommended that several of the clauses of the Financial Regulations be amended to accommodate (i) the creation and operation of a Working Capital Fund, (ii) the creation and operation of a General Capacity Building Fund, and (iii) an amendment to the rules on small purchases to bring them up to date with current financial limits.

The Secretariat proposes changes to the Regulations to accommodate these recommendations.

At CCAMLR-XXXVI, the Commission decided (paragraph 9.34) that, in relation to future work to provide appropriate opportunities for the Commission and Scientific Committee to further consider the PR2 recommendations, it requested:

(i)    the PR2 Report be placed in the public domain on the CCAMLR website with the understanding that the PR2 Report was received as the work of the Panel and was intended to be used for consideration and discussion by Members

(ii)    that the Commission, SCIC, SCAF and the Scientific Committee and its working groups annually review the status of each relevant recommendation

(iii)    the Secretariat to provide annual updates to a matrix, maintained on the CCAMLR website, that records the discussion and action considered in respect of each recommendation at each annual meeting of the Commission and Scientific Committee.

The Secretariat has prepared item (i)¹ which is public, and item (iii)² which is currently password protected. This paper provides a summary of the actions taken at and since last year’s meetings (Annex 1).

¹ PR2 Final Report of the Panel, www.ccamlr.org/node/98950. ² PR2 matrix, www.ccamlr.org/node/99391.

CCAMLR has Arrangements with five other organisations. Two Arrangements (Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna (CCSBT) and South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (SPRFMO)) expire after CCAMLR-XXXVII. Activity under these arrangements has generally been restricted to exchange of reports and invitation to meetings. The Secretariat proposes that this be extended for those organisations that also catch toothfish to include cooperation with CCAMLR’s toothfish tagging program, and to cooperation with the CCAMLR Catch Documentation Scheme for Dissostichus spp. (CDS), sharing CDS data and illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) vessel lists.

The Secretariat seeks a Commission decision to renew these two Arrangements (CCSBT, SPRFMO) for a further 3 years. The Secretariat seeks the endorsement of the Scientific Committee, SCIC and the Commission in respect of activities to be undertaken under the Arrangements with SPRFMO, the South East Atlantic Fisheries Organisation (SEAFO) and the Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement (SIOFA) on toothfish tagging and CDS. 

We describe a spatially and temporally dynamic food-web model of the region surrounding the Western Antarctic Peninsula that can be used to evaluate the potential impacts of various marine protected area (MPA) scenarios. We evaluate four MPA scenarios, including two representing portions of the General Protection Zone presented by the Delegations of Argentina and Chile (SC-CAMLR- XXXVI/18). Our results indicate that protecting regions where krill are anticipated to concentrate in the future could positively affect biomass accumulation of krill and some krill predators. Additionally, protecting areas around Elephant Island seems to benefit chinstrap penguins. We conclude that the most southern areas proposed for protection might positively impact the biomass of krill and krill predators. Protection of these southern areas may be particularly important for ensuring a positive outcome from the D1MPA.

We consider how to advance the development of the concept of an experimental approach to management for the Antarctic krill fishery. We therefore propose a geographic identity matrix and a suitability decision matrix which could help underpin progress towards future implementation. We welcome comments and suggestions to help improve both matrices and their implementation. We also highlight gaps in understanding where we believe new management information is vital and ask the Scientific Committee to consider if these, or other areas of management, are most pressing.

This paper proposes amendments to Conservation Measure (CM) 10-02 and CM 10-09 to strengthen the monitoring and control of transhipments in the Convention Area. The amendments would apply the requirements of CM 10-02 to the carrier vessels of Contracting Parties, establish a CCAMLR Record of Carrier Vessels under CM 10-09 for carrier vessels flagged to non-Contracting Parties, and allow for the monitoring of these vessels as they operate in the Convention Area.