CCAMLR

This paper reports on the Southern Ocean Observing System (SOOS) planning meeting held by the SCAR/SCOR Oceanography Expert Group, 5-7th of July in St Petersburg. The main aim of the meeting was to present some specific plans for different aspects of the SOOS and to agree on key recommendations and actions to move the process forward. The object of a SOOS is to develop the means to observe key changes in oceanography and marine meteorology through time, to relate these to the biota and to underlying processes, and to use that knowledge and understanding as the basis for forecasting future change. SOOS is interested in working with CCAMLR, especially in determining mutual benefits to be realized between SOOS and C-EMP.

This paper reports on the various activities conducted by or involving SCAR that relate directly to CCAMLR or are of potential interest to CCAMLR. This includes a report on outcomes from SCAR’s biennial business and delegates meetings, and the SCAR/IASC 2008 IPY Open Science Conference, as well as reports on progress with the Evolution and Biodiversity in the Antarctic (EBA) programme, SCAR-MarBIN, the Southern Ocean Continuous Plankton Recorder Survey and the Census of Antarctic Marine Life (CAML) project. The CAML had a highly successful field season with 18 ships contributing to the Census. SCAR-MarBIN data portal continues to gather information on marine biodiversity in the Antarctic and the CPR Survey continues to grow with more countries contributing. The SCAR/SCOR Oceanography Expert Group continues to develop plans for Southern Ocean Observing System (SOOS). A detailed report of SOOS is provided as a supplementary information paper CCAMLR-XXVI/BG/43. SCAR has established new Action Groups on “Cold Seeps and Hydrothermal Vents”, “Antarctic Fuel Spills” and “Prediction on Changes in the Physical and Biological Environment of the Antarctic”. The 10th SCAR International Biology Symposium will be held in Sapporo from 26 to 31 July, 2009, with the theme "Antarctic Biology in the 21st Century --Advances in and beyond IPY--". The report includes a message from the new SCAR President Prof. Mahlon “Chuck” Kennicutt II (USA).

Despite the continuous efforts of CCAMLR to fight Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported (IUU) fishing, there remains evidence of IUU activities in the Convention area. This paper is the executive summary of a recent, soon to be published report produced by TRAFFIC International in conjunction with WWF Australia that presents a trade-based assessment of toothfish catch for the period of 2003-2007 with a view to provide an indication of the extent of the IUU catch. The report highlights that in the period 2004 to 2007 the percentage of trade represented by IUU catch is estimated to average 17%, compared to CCAMLR’s average estimate of 10% of total landings. This suggests that CCAMLR may be underestimating IUU catch by more than 50% annually. This analysis reinforces the need for ongoing vigilance by CCAMLR to address IUU fishing, to use all available sources of information to maximise the accuracy of estimates of IUU catch and to continue to improve the current MCS measures in order to minimise opportunities for IUU toothfish to find a market. The report also provides a series of recommendation that the commission may wish to consider.