CCAMLR has established a comprehensive set of conservation measures to prevent significant adverse effects of fishing on vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs). The United States undertook a spatial analysis to examine whether bottom longline fishing activities took place within VME Risk Areas and in relevant VMEs as a step toward reviewing the effectiveness of relevant conservation measures in protecting VMEs from significant adverse impacts. We found several instances between 2011 and 2017 where longline fishing gear was set inside a VME Risk Area. These findings raise questions about the level of compliance with CCAMLR’s scheme to protect VMEs and VME Risk Areas from bottom fishing impacts. As a result, the United States wishes to provide recommendations increasing the effectiveness of measures to protect VMEs from significant adverse impacts.

The document contains information about two marine scientific research expeditions (PS 117 and PS 118) with the German RV Polarstern, which have some relevance for CCAMLR and which are planned to be carried out in the wider Weddell Sea area south of 60° S in the 2018/19 Antarctic season.

The document also provides advice on how further and more detailed information about these planned expeditions and previous Polarstern cruises can be obtained from the AWI home page (www.awi.de).

The Ukraine submitted to WG SAM 2018 a proposal for a new toothfish research program in Subarea 48.1 (see document WG-SAM-18/11). The research area, which Ukraine intends to use for the new fisheries research program, is located within CCAMLR Subarea 48.1. Detailed analyses of the sea ice concentration and the repeated accessibility of this research area were carried out using the method presented at SAM 2018 (WG-SAM-18/01). The results demonstrate that in the months from January to April (when the survey proposed by Ukraine is to be carried out), difficult sea ice conditions prevail especially the southern parts between 64° S and 65° S of the suggested research area. Here, the mean sea ice concentrations range from 50 to 100 % and mean repeated accessibility is low (between 0 and max. 60 %), even for vessels able to operate under 60 % sea ice concentration.

This paper aims to advance the dialogue about the development of a revised Research and Monitoring Plan (RMP) for the South Orkney Islands southern shelf (SOI SS) MPA in order to further the harmonisation of CM 91-03 and CM 91-04, whilst recognising and aiming to contribute to the wider context of the MPA planning processes in Domain 1, and as appropriate, Domain 3. The proposed framework sets out the components of a draft SOI SS MPA RMP to be developed as part of the 2019 review, based on the draft initially proposed in 2014 (SC-CAMLR-XXXIII/11). This aims to address the requirements of CM 91-04, and takes account of general principles from the Ross Sea region MPA RMP (SC-CAMLR-XXXVI, paragraphs 5.39 to 5.42) and the proposed Weddell Sea MPA RMP.

To improve observer safety, the United States proposes to add a provision to the text of the CCAMLR System of Scientific Observation (SISO) to require that observers be equipped with independent two-way satellite communication devices and personal lifesaving beacons.

Cooperation between the Scientific Committee of CCAMLR (SC-CAMLR) and the Committee for Environmental Protection (CEP) has been steadily increasing over the last few years to the mutual benefit of both. In order to avoid duplicate reporting between the two committees and following discussions between the Chairs of the CEP and SC-CAMLR, the report of the CEP meeting is presented to SC-CAMLR by the CEP Observer to SC-CAMLR and the report of the meeting of SC-CAMLR is presented to the CEP by the SC-CAMLR observer to the CEP.  An agreed standard reporting template, to be routinely followed by both committees, has also clarified and simplified the reciprocal reporting.  Accordingly, this report provides the CEP’s annual report to SC-CAMLR-XXXVII.