Korea Polar Research Institute, with support of the Korean Ministry of Environment, has conducted an annual survey on the breeding biology of Chinstrap (Pygoscelis antarctica) and Gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua) as a part of a long-term ecological research at Narębski Point (Antarctic Specially Protected Area, No. 171), Barton Peninsula on King George Island. Since 2012/2013, the number of breeding pairs has been steadily declining for both species. The breeding success of the two penguin species is also on a decreasing trend since 2009/2010, albeit an inter-annual fluctuation.
Abstract:
ATCM 39/XP019 discusses the work of SC-CAMLR on climate change. It notes that the effects of climate change also includes the effects of ocean acidification. Articles II and IX provide the impetus for work in the Scientific Committee on the effects of climate change, in order to provide, in a timely manner, the ‘best scientific evidence available’ on three issues
Risks of climate change threatening the conservation of species, changing the vulnerability of species and/or foodwebs to the effects of fishing, or increasing the risk of invasive marine species in the CCAMLR area;
Status of AMLR and the Antarctic marine ecosystem relative to the Reference State and whether actions may be required to conserve AMLR because the Reference State had changed;
Requirements for adapting harvest strategies in the future so as fishing does not increase the risk of failing to conserve AMLR in the long term.
The state of knowledge on impacts of climate change on Southern Ocean ecosystems was summarised. It was noted that climate change has been appearing regularly in discussions in SC-CAMLR since 2002 and came on to the agenda of SC-CAMLR in 2008. A constant theme since then has been to develop a risk assessment framework for identifying when climate change impacts may need attention from the Commission, along with developing a ‘state of environment’ report. Most work in SC-CAMLR has been within the Working Group on Ecosystem Monitoring and Management (WG-EMM). In this regard, WG-EMM has focussed on the effects of climate change on Antarctic krill and its habitats, along with a proposal to manage ocean areas adjacent to the Antarctica Peninsula uncovered by ice shelf collapse. It was also noted that SC-CAMLR does not yet have an explicit strategy and timetable of work for (i) assessing climate change impacts on AMLR or (ii) providing advice to the Commission on how to deal with climate change. Nevertheless, many Members have engaged with developing approaches to address climate change impacts when developing strategies on at least three current issues in SC-CAMLR: (i) the design of krill feedback management strategies to accommodate the potential for changing ecosystem state in the absence of fishing, (ii) proposals for representative marine protected areas incorporate considerations of adaptation of the system to climate change as well as having reference areas for measuring climate change impacts, (iii) the development of food web and ecosystem models for evaluating management and conservation strategies. The paper describes how the work of the IMBER-SCAR program Integrated Climate and Ecosystem Dynamics of the Southern Ocean (ICED) and the SCAR-SCOR Southern Ocean Observing System (SOOS) can help both CCAMLR and CEP address the effects of climate change on their interests. They are complementary programs working on, respectively, (i) assessments and modelling of change in Southern Ocean ecosystems (an ICED conference is to be held in 2018) and (ii) the design and implementation of observing systems and the integration and facilitation of access to the observational data. Resolution 30/XXVIII (2009) encourages Members to become engaged in these two programs. The resolution refers to ICED and the Southern Ocean Sentinel, the latter of which has had its aims incorporated into both ICED and SOOS. SC-CAMLR and CEP would benefit from working with these two bodies to develop the capabilities necessary to deliver the advice on the three climate change issues of importance to them.
Abstract:
In this study, we calibrated a commercial echosounder (ES70) installed on a krill fishing vessel to use it in estimating biomass of Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba). The method of calibration was to analyze the difference between the bottom backscattering strength of the commercial echosounder (i.e. ES70) and the scientific echosounder (i.e. EK60) at some transects designated by CCAMLR. 38kHz and 120kHz were used for the calibration, and krill swarm signals, obtained from multi frequencies, was examined to verify the calibration result. The analysis result confirmed the possibility of calibration by bottom backscattering strength, since the proportion of krill swarm signals within 2 dB < SV120kHz‒38 kHz < 12 dB (i.e. a common ΔMVBS range of 38kHz and 120kHz to be an indicative of Antarctic krill) over the total acoustic signals were 26.95% and 92.04%, respectively before and after the calibration.
Abstract:
ATCM 39/XP018 provides an introduction to the Southern Ocean Observing System (SOOS; www.soos.aq). SOOS aims to facilitate the collection and delivery of essential observations on dynamics and change of Southern Ocean systems to all international stakeholders (researchers, governments, industries).
SOOS will be implemented regionally through Regional Working Groups, currently one for the West Antarctic Peninsula and one for the Indian Sector. A Ross Sea Working Group is in the process of being established. Apart from the regional working groups, which will be of direct interest to the implementation of monitoring programs in different regions of the CCAMLR and Antarctic Treaty areas, there are 5 main topics described here that SC-CAMLR and CEP may be interested in participating and/or developing a relationship with SOOS:
the development of priority variables (“ecosystem Essential Ocean Variables” – eEOVs) for observing dynamics and change in Southern Ocean ecosystems (Constable et al. 2016). These variables are intended to be defined biological or ecological quantities, which are derived from field observations, and which contributes significantly to assessments of Southern Ocean ecosystems - status and trends in ecosystem properties, attribution of trends to causes, and predicting future trajectories;
the spatial and temporal design of a sustained circumpolar marine biological observing system in SOOS, which is intended to be completed in time for consideration at the ICED 2018 International Conference on Marine Ecosystem Assessment for the Southern Ocean (www.MEASO2018.aq);
the SOOS Portal for linking metadata, accessing datasets and synthesis products, and coordinating field activities, which aims to resolve two important gaps in the Southern Ocean science community – better access to all the data relevant to the Southern Ocean, and better advance knowledge of field activities in order to facilitate better co-ordination and collaboration in research programs.
assessments of the state of Southern Ocean ecosystems will be facilitated by SOOS through linking datasets through the SOOS Portal and in facilitating the collection of observations to support assessments.
circumpolar benchmarking of the state of Southern Ocean ecosystems in 2022, which will build on the work of GLOBEC, the Census of Antarctic Marine Life and the SCAR Biogeographic Atlas, to provide a comprehensive circumpolar ecological assessment that will link different long-term biological datasets from throughout the Southern Ocean and to provide the baseline for sustained circumpolar biological observations and assessments of change in the future.
Abstract:
Antarctic Krill plays an important role in Antarctic ecosystems as the medium that connects phytoplankton to penguins, seals, and whales. It is also in the limelight as an important protein source for the future food resource. Since Krill is mainly schooled within 200m depth, mass catching is operated by Norway, Korea, and Japan, etc. Major fishing area is the surroundings of South Sheltland where it is surrounded by Darke Passage in North, Weddle Sea in East, and Bransfield Strait in South. CCAMLR (Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources) is currently implementing a regulation that limits Krill catch amount using fishing survey and acoustic assessment data in order to utilize Krill resources continuously.
This study is aimed to estimate the density and the biomass of Krill that inhabit in the surroundings of South Sheltland by using acoustics. An acoustic survey was conducted from April 13 to 24 in 2016 in the sea of South Sheltland using a commercial fishing vessel (GwangJa-Ho, 3,012 tonnage). Data on frequency 38 and 120 kHz (EK60, Simrad) were collected (survey area: 90,700 km2). Before the acoustic survey, the system correction (62°28.7‘S, 59°42.4’W) was made using a calibrated sphere with 60mm (frequency 38 kHz) and 23mm (frequency 120 kHz). Using an acoustic post-processing software (Echoview Ver6.0, Myriax), noises of collected data were processed and frequency differences were investigated by cell size (5ping*2m, 10ping*2m, 30ping*2m, 40ping*2m, 50ping*2m). In addition, the density and the biomass of Krill were calculated by applying frequency differences of Krill. The survey of fishing gears was conducted in seven stations of the sea where the acoustic survey had done using a midwater trawl. Samples were classified by species and catch amount, and the length of 200 Krills that were collected from each station was measured.
Results of fishing survey showed that over 99% of Krills were caught in 6 stations except station 3 where all Electrona calsbergi were caught. The range of caught Krill's TL was 23.8~57.6mm. Frequency differences of Krill by station were 7.0~9.7 dB at 5ping*2m, 7.0~9.7 dB at 10ping*2m, 7.0~9.8 dB at 30ping*2m, 7.0~9.8 dB at 40ping*2m, and 7.0~9.8 dB at 50ping*2m. It did not show a big difference by cell size, but the shape of Krill was changed as the cell size became larger. The frequency difference (average) of Electrona calsbergi was estimated to be –2.1 dB in all cells, and frequency characteristics of Krill and Electrona calsbergi on frequency 38 and 120 kHz were clearly different. Krill was shown to be higher density within 500m in water depth, especially the school of Krill was largely found in Bransfield strait. The average density and the current biomass of Krill by station were estimated to be 0.08~344.92 g/m2 and 3 million tons (CV=39.4%), respectively.
Abstract:
Reliable statements about variability and change in marine ecosystems and their underlying causes are needed to report on their status and to guide management. Here we use the Framework on Ocean Observing (FOO) to begin developing ecosystem Essential Ocean Variables (eEOVs) for the Southern Ocean Observing System (SOOS). An eEOV is a defined biological or ecological quantity, which is derived from field observations, and which contributes significantly to assessments of Southern Ocean ecosystems. Here, assessments are concerned with estimating status and trends in ecosystem properties, attribution of trends to causes, and predicting future trajectories. eEOVs should be feasible to collect at appropriate spatial and temporal scales and are useful to the extent that they contribute to direct estimation of trends and/or attribution, and/or development of ecological (statistical or simulation) models to support assessments. In this paper we outline the rationale, including establishing a set of criteria, for selecting eEOVs for the SOOS and develop a list of candidate eEOVs for further evaluation. Other than habitat variables, nine types of eEOVs for Southern Ocean taxa are identified within three classes: state (magnitude, genetic/species, size spectrum), predator-prey (diet, foraging range), and autecology (phenology, reproductive rate, individual growth rate, detritus). Most candidates for the suite of Southern Ocean taxa relate to state or diet. Candidate autecological eEOVs have not been developed other than for marine mammals and birds. We consider some of the spatial and temporal issues that will influence the adoption and use of eEOVs in an observing system in the Southern Ocean, noting that existing operations and platforms potentially provide coverage of the four main sectors of the region – the East and West Pacific, Atlantic and Indian. Lastly, we discuss the importance of simulation modelling in helping with the design of the observing system in the long term.
Abstract:
Conservation Measure 51-07 provides an interim distribution of the trigger level in the fishery for Euphausia superba in Statistical Subareas 48.1, 48.2, 48.3 and 48.4. It was established because the Commission, in the preambular paragraphs to that measure, recognised that localised catches up to the trigger level may affect krill predators. They wished to establish a spatial distribution of the trigger level that ensured that krill predators “would not be inadvertently and disproportionately affected by fishing activity”. CM 51-07 is to be “reviewed in 2016 with the intent of ensuring the implementation of Article II of the Convention, taking into account the resource requirements of land-based predators.” In this paper, we build on previous investigations to distribute the fishery in Area 48 to develop a framework for the review of CM51-07. We first consider the requirements for the spatial distribution of the trigger level agreed by the Commission in the preambular paragraphs of the conservation measure. We use these requirements as the basis for a risk assessment method to distribute the catch. In the second section, we review the best scientific evidence available for krill, krill predators and the fishery to underpin the risk assessment. In the third section, we develop the mathematical basis for the risk assessment and the means of distributing the trigger level in Area 48. We then provide some worked examples using the method based on data from the second section. Lastly, we suggest an approach for undertaking the review and providing advice on a future spatial distribution of the trigger level. The results provide the basis for establishing a spatial distribution of the trigger level across subareas and amongst SSMUs for 2016/17 and beyond. They indicate that some SSMUs may have a disproportionately higher risk of the effects of fishing if the catch within a subarea is concentrated in those SSMUs. Nevertheless, the results also indicate that the distribution of catch amongst subareas in the existing conservation measure are approximately the right magnitude, although there may be justification for setting the percentage of the trigger level for Subarea 48.4 to zero.
Abstract:
The research was conducted during the summer season from 12.13.2011 to 02.09.2012 at the Ukrainian Antarctic station "Academik Vernadsky". The most numerous breeding colony of the Gentoo Penguin (Pygoscelis papua) is located on the Petermann Is. From December 2011 to February 2012 there were unfavorable ice conditions around the Argentine Islands. Pointed out the high mortality among the newborn penguins on the Galindez Is caused by starvation. The number of residential nests decreased almost three times. Underwater surveys conducted by us in this period in the area of Galindez Is witness about the presence of large amount of krill, which wasn’t available for all the species of sea birds because of the ice cover.
Abstract:
The solution of problems of conservation the Antarctic marina living resources and, at the same time, maintenance of their rational use, requires possession of up-to-date information that summarized availability of each harvested species of resources for human use. In connection with this it is proposed a specific indicator – "Availability Index (AI)", which accumulates the all existing information on availability of the specific marina living resources for fishery. The availability index can be used as universal criterium which monitors the protection potential of the conservation measures together with natural conditions, as well as conditions for fishery.
Abstract:
Taking into account the practice and current state of krill fishery in Area 48, Ukraine proposed to upgrade the Conservation Measure 51-07 in order to redistribute the trigger level of catch in 620 000 tonnes between Subareas in Area 48 in a new percentage limits. This revision includes additional precautional measures to avoid interceptance of krill fishery and preadors consumption needs establishing season limitations of close to shore fishery. New revision will still enable to follow the precaution conservation principles of the Convention and in the same time will not inflict an economic damage to the krill fishery.