The delegation of Germany has submitted the scientific background and justification for the development of a marine protected area in the Weddell Sea planning area. In accordance with the recommendations by WG-EMM-14 (SC-CAMLR-XXXIII, Annex 6), this was done in three separate documents (SC-CAMLR-XXXIV/BG/15, /BG/16 and /BG/17).

The Scientific Committee is invited to note that:

• Parts A and B of this scientific background are finalised, subject to final editorial corrections and changes;
• Part C will be further improved and extended, inter alia in the light of the recommendations made at WG-EMM 15 (report, preliminary version 2015). A further developed document will be presented to WG-EMM in 2016 with a view for the Scientific Committee to approve Part C at its meeting in 2016.

The Scientific Committee is invited to review and evaluate the documents (SC-CAMLR-XXXIV/BG/15, /BG/16 and /BG/17) and to agree that the information contained in Parts A and B represent best available science.

Whilst Resolution 30/XXVIII on Climate Change recognises global climate change as one of the greatest challenges facing the Southern Ocean, the Commission has yet to consider the issue of climate change impacts on Antarctic marine living resources and any possible responses in any substantial way.  Australia proposes the establishment of an Intersessional Correspondence Group to initiate and sustain a process for appropriately integrating climate change into the work of the Commission.  Australia also proposes that the Commission adopt Terms of Reference for the Intersessional Correspondence Group, a draft of which is provided at Attachment A. 

The attached draft conservation measure establishing the East Antarctic Representative System of Marine Protected Areas (EARSMPA) is a revision of the proposal submitted to CCAMLR XXXIII (CCAMLR XXXIII/23). A draft conservation measure has been under consideration by the Commission since 2012. The latest amendments reflect the changes outlined in the ‘Current Thinking’ paper (CCAMLR XXXIII/BG40), as well as other suggestions made by Members in the intersessional period. The proposal also reflects the advice of the Scientific Committee at SC-CAMLR XXX, SC-CAMLR IM-I and SC-CAMLR XXXII that the proposal is based on the best available science.

Conservation Measure 10-09 requires advance notification for all transhipment activities that occur inside the Convention Area.  However, as noted by SCIC in 2014, it is not clear whether the current measure allows for transhipment by or with vessels flagged to non-Contracting Parties (NCP), nor is it clear whether transhipment constitutes fishing for the purposes of Conservation Measure 10-02.

The delegation of the United States proposes to amend CCAMLR Conservation Measures 10-02 and 10-09 to clarify that Contracting Party vessels engaged in transhipment activities within the Convention Area, or of marine living resources harvested within the Convention Area, must be licensed and notified in accordance with Conservation Measure 10-02.  The proposal would also establish an NCP Transhipment Vessel Record containing the vessels of NCPs that would be authorized to tranship with Contracting Party vessels, through a procedure for granting non-Contracting Parties a status of non-Contracting Parties cooperating with CCAMLR in the monitoring and control of transhipment.  This procedure would require that non-Contracting Parties seeking to obtain or retain such status require all of their flagged vessels engaged in transhipment activities within the Convention Area, or in transhipment of marine living resources harvested within the Convention Area, be included in the NCP Transhipment Vessel Record.  The vessels on the NCP Transhipment Vessel Record would be required to report their positions to the Secretariat while operating in the Convention Area in accordance with Conservation Measure 10-04.