The aim of the ECOgaps is to improve the knowledgebase on physical conditions and biota east of the 0 meridian in the MPA planning Domain 4. Focusing on the Astrid ridge, the continental shelf off of Dronning Maud Land, and the Maud rise, multidisciplinary investigations will be conducted in 2019 by the RV Kronprins Haakon. In this working document, the cruise being planned is outlined. Aims and activities of the six scientific work-packages of the project are described.

The RAPID-KRILL project is funded by the Antarctic Wildlife Research Fund to develop at-sea automated processing of acoustic data on fishing and research vessels. An update on the project progress is presented here, including an overview of the data processing methods.

The primary objective for this project is to develop knowledge on the marine environment essential for the implementation of a Feed-Back Management (FBM) system. In terms of FBM, Marine Protected Area (MPA) development in CCAMLR Planning Domain 1 encompasses the major krill fishing grounds. Thus, data supporting FBM as an integral part of the broader management strategies of the krill fisheries within Domain 1 are critical if the fishery is to be managed by an empirical understanding of krill density, distribution, availability and predator needs. A future developed FBM system, as presented in SC-CAMLR XXXVI/BG20 requires acoustic data to be collected, processed and reported continuously during the fishing season as a measure of the available prey field. This information can be integrated with finer-scale knowledge of krill predator feeding strategies and updated through specific scientific studies at regular (multiyear) intervals. The FBM process studies will take place during the Austral summer 2018-2019.

There is increasing interest in using higher-trophic level predators as ecosystem indicators because their performance is presumed to be linked to the overall function of the ecosystem that supports them. In the southwest Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean, Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) supports huge predator populations as well as a growing commercial fishery.  To utilize information from the ecosystem in an adaptive framework for sustainably managing krill catch levels, performance indices of krill predators have been proposed as a proxy for krill abundance.  However, there are several potentially confounding sources of variability that might impact predator performance such as the effects of environmental variability and fishing pressure on krill availability at scales relevant to predators.  In this context, our study capitalises on the occurrence of an unexpected El Niño event to characterise how environmental variability can drive changes in predator foraging behaviour. We demonstrate a clear link between coastal downwelling and changes in the at-sea habitat usage of chinstrap penguins (Pygoscelis antarctica) foraging in a local krill fishing area. Penguins tracked from their breeding colonies on Powell Island, Antarctic Peninsula, undertook fewer, longer foraging trips during the downwelling-affected season compared to the season where no such downwelling was detected, suggesting that changes in climate-driven oceanography may have reduced krill availability along the northern shelf of the island. Our study demonstrates that penguin foraging behaviour is modified by scale-dependent processes, which if not accounted for may result in erroneous conclusions being drawn when using penguins as bioindicators of krill abundance.

We aim to investigate the qualitative changes in the habitats of two most common species penguin populations in the Wilhelm Archipelago Pygoscelis papua (gentoo) and Pygoscelis adeliae (Adelie) penguins in the CCAMLR Subarea 48.1 under the impact of climate changes and krill fishery. To minimize the effect of human disturbance on the breeding success and survival of chicks and avoid disturbance to the penguins, the new method of registration using time-lapse cameras have been installed in the penguin colonies for observation breeding success of penguins: arrival to colony, copulation, egg lay, hatch, and creche, has been applied. This method was introduced for the first time in the framework of international CEMP project “Establishing a CEMP Camera Network in Subarea 48.1”. The project timeline is expected more than five years. The traditional visual observation of biologists from time to time has been used as well. Changes in the penguin species habitat have been observed on the territory of the Wilhelm Archipelago. It was observed that at the beginning of the ХХІ century the nesting areas of P. papua was significantly extended probably due to the climate warming in the region. It was shown that P. papua is more ecologically plastic species than P. adeliae. Well-known that the breeding success of penguins can be used as an indication of the status of lower trophic levels. Future development of the penguin nesting colonies monitoring using the CEMP Camera Network under the CCAMLR supervising will contribute significantly to the real-time estimates of relative prey availability. The results of the gentoo and Adelie penguin’s chronology and breeding success studies might be used in the development of the krill fishery management strategy in the CCAMLR for the rational use of Antarctic marine living resources; (2) to develop a resettlement model to predict the ecological risks due to climate changes for both penguin species.

An initiative to support research and monitoring of the Ross Sea Region Marine Protected Area (RSRMPA) through satellite tagging and otolith microchemistry of Antarctic toothfish (Dissosticus mawsoni) within the RSRMPA is proposed. The objectives of this initiative are twofold. The first is to deploy a total 20 pop-off satellite tags (PSAT) on juvenile toothfish within the General Protection Zone (GPZ(i)), as well as adult toothfish the northern seamounts associated with the Pacific Antarctic Ridge. The PSAT component will provide insight into movements between various regions of the Ross Sea, potentially including different zones of the RSRMPA, and vertical movements in the water column. The otolith microchemistry component is designed address key gaps in relation to the Ross Sea Antarctic toothfish life history hypothesis and relationships to the RSRMPA. This includes whether D. mawsoni on the Ross Sea shelf contribute to adult aggregations over the Pacific Antarctic Ridge, and whether ecosystem services are provided in the form of fish exported from the RSRMPA GPZ(i) to habitats downstream. This initiative is dependent on CCAMLR endorsing the proposed continuation of the Ross Sea shelf survey to monitor abundance of Antarctic toothfish in the southern Ross Sea in 2018/19 (Stevens et al., 2018), and a winter longline survey of Antarctic toothfish in the northern region of Subareas 88.1 and 88.2 (Delegation of New Zealand, 2018).

This paper aims to advance the dialogue about the development of a revised RMP for the 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.

In 2008, CCAMLR agreed that the establishment of a representative system of marine protected areas (RSMPA) by 2012 was a priority. This assessment shows that the Scientific Committee and Commission can be kept informed of progress towards this goal using a relatively short list of simple criteria that are based on robust ecological and experimental design principles, and the Commission’s objectives. This study indicates that the currently designated marine protected areas provide important contributions towards a RSMPA, however we are not there yet. Establishment of the proposed MPAs in Domain 1, Weddell Sea and East Antarctica would make significant contribution towards a RSMPA under a scientific definition of representation, and enable CCAMLR to focus efforts on the remaining values yet to be included in proposals.

The CAMLR Scientific Committee in 2017 reviewed the scientific background document SC-CAMLR- XXXVI/BG/28. Germany was asked to carry out further work, in particular as regards the issues and questions raised at WG-EMM-17 and SC-CAMLR-XXXVI with respect to the WSMPA proposal (SC-CAMLR-XXXVI, Annex 6, §§ 5.1-5.14).

Chapter 1 reflects on the recommendations concerning the suitability of some data layers for Marxan analyses, such as the data layer representing the distribution of Antarctic krill larvae (SC-CAMLR-XXXVI, Annex 6, §§ 5.9 - 5.10). Chapter 2 discusses the recommendations concerning the suitability of the cost layer developed for the WSMPA Marxan analysis (SC-CAMLR-XXXVI, Annex 6, §§ 5.10 and 5.12) and presents the updated cost layer. Chapter 3 provides a new data layer on juvenile Antarctic toothfish, and Chapter 4 presents a robustness testing of the WSMPA Marxan model.

The D1MPA planning process has been characterized as inclusive and transparent taking into account Members’ varying interests. In 2017 a D1MPA preliminary proposal was introduced to the Scientific Committee which scientific background was considered comprehensive and appropriate, and where further consideration of fishing activities were highlighted as needed to develop an agreed set of boundaries. This paper provides further information in relation to krill fisheries and the decisions taken in support of the D1MPA proposal, also including comments from the D1MPA Expert Group.