CCAMLR

The CCAMLR Ecosystem Monitoring Program (CEMP) uses indices derived from data on indicator species collected by standard methods in the three Integrated Study Regions of the Convention Area. Each year the Secretariat updates the standardised index values and provides a summary of trends and anomalies in these data. This report covers biological indices only. Six Members submitted data for 11 sites and 12 CEMP parameters in 2008/09. This continues a decreasing trend in the amounts of data being submitted to the CCAMLR database. No data was received from CEMP sites in Area 88. Since 1989/90, a total of 110 anomalous values (anomalies, see Appendix 1) have been observed in the times series of biological indices. Over that time period, 8 or more anomalies per season were observed in six seasons including 2008/09 when the following anomalies were observed:

• Low number of chicks fledged per egg laid (A6a) for Gentoo penguins at Bird Island;
• Low fledging weight (A7) for Macaroni and Gentoo penguins at Bird Island;
• Low pup growth rate deviate (C2b) for Antarctic fur seals (male and female) at Bird Island;
• Low number of chicks fledged per egg laid (A6a) for Adelie penguins at Signy Island;
• Low stomach contents weight (A8a) for Chinstrap penguins at Signy Island;
• High number of breeding pairs (A3) for Gentoo penguins at Admiralty Bay;
• High number of breeding pairs (A3) for Chinstrap and Gentoo penguins at Cape Shirreff;
• High number of breeding pairs (A3) for Adelie penguins at Esperanza Station;
• High number of breeding pairs (A3) for Macaroni penguins at Marion Island; and
• High number of breeding pairs (A3) for Adelie penguins at Stranger Point Station.

This paper presents a time series of relevant data reported from scientific observations in the CCAMLR krill fishery: 1999/2000 to 2007/08.

Assessment and predictive models need to be developed to provide two assessments of climate change impacts for use by governments, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and other international forums, including CCAMLR and the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting: (i) what are the current climate change impacts on Southern Ocean ecosystems to inform governments of the consequences of climate change on populations, species and ecosystems; and (ii) what are the predicted future impacts on marine ecosystems, using select indicators of Southern Ocean ecosystems as early warning signals, to inform managers of human activities and ecosystem services that could be impacted by climate change?  The manner in which these assessments could be developed, based on field monitoring programs and the development of ecosystem models, was the focus of discussion at an International Workshop on ‘Monitoring climate change impacts: Establishing a Southern Ocean Sentinel program’, which was held at CCAMLR Headquarters in Hobart, Australia, on 20-24 April 2009.  It was hosted by the Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre, Australian Antarctic Division, and WWF-Australia. This paper provides the Executive Summary of the report, which will be released during the final week of the CCAMLR meeting.