CCAMLR

• The development of a consistent and reproducible ageing method for krill is critical for improving the precautionary management of krill fisheries.
• The only method to date that has shown promise in the determination of the absolute age of krill is that of Kilada et al. (2017), which involves thin sectioning of the eyestalk cuticle.
• The mechanisms controlling the generation and retention of growth bands in the cuticle through multiple moulting processes is poorly understood, and is in fact a point of contention among crustacean researchers.
• Since the interpretation of growth bands in thin eyestalk sections is also difficult, inter-laboratory calibration of this method should be conducted as a matter of priority.
• It is also important to discuss and agree on terminology on the structures that are kept through moulting and what are the structures that we can read growth bands from.
• We propose that an inter-laboratory calibration should be undertaken as a community effort supported by CCAMLR, in a series of workshops led by a qualified scientist, and using known age krill.

The primary objective for this krill research activity was twofold 1) to conduct a survey that provides updated estimates of the biomass and distribution of krill which are used in models to estimate sustainable yield in CCAMLR Area 48 and 2) to develop knowledge on the marine environment essential for the implementation of a Feed-Back Management (FBM) system. The survey follows a similar design as a survey initiated by CCAMLR in year 2000 for comparative purposes, but in addition focuses on high krill-density areas, contains state-of-the art methods and employs modern technology for the research topics currently in focus. In terms of FBM, Marine Protected Area (MPA) development in CCAMLR Planning Domain 1 encompasses the major krill fishing grounds. Thus, data supporting FBM are critical if the fishery is to be managed by an empirical understanding of krill density, distribution, availability and predator needs as opposed to purely conservation-based measures. A future developed FBM system, 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 survey and coupled FBM process studies took place during the Austral summer 2018-2019. The work was coordinated by Norway and involved collaborative international efforts as well as vessels from Norway, Association of Responsible Krill fishing companies (ARK) and the Norwegian fishing company Aker BioMarine AS, China, Korea, Ukraine and United Kingdom. This report presents preliminary results from the survey performed with the Norwegian RV Kronprins Haakon during 08th January – 24th February 2019 and the land-based predator research carried out between 21st November 2018 and 20th February 2019.

Commercial catch rates are important information for scientific evaluation of the krill resource and potential impacts of fishing on the ecosystem. Imprecise information confounds analysis and might undermine efficient and correct management actions. The following procedure now established and standardized on all vessels conducting continuous trawling, ensures that the catch is estimated and recorded at the correct space and time.

This paper informs EMM 2019 about the data layer products, which were developed for WSMPA spatial planning, and lists the DOIs to the respective PANGAEA entries. By depositing these data layers with PANGAEA, we provide transparency regarding the WSMPA development process and follow the discussion under CCAMLR about the need to make reference material on MPAs easily accessible to the scientific community.

This paper reports on the CCAMLR Ecosystem Monitoring Program (CEMP) data submissions for the 2018/19 monitoring season detailed by site and species, and includes an update to the Combined Standardised Index (CSI) analysis from 2018 for Area 48. The CSI analysis is a method used to examine spatial patterns of inter-annual variability of the response by krill-dependent predators to changes in the ecosystem. The CSI analysis continues to show evidence of concordance of response to changes in the ecosystem between sites by Subarea, suggesting CEMP data are tracking similar processes.

• Our study area encompasses all CCAMLR MPA Planning Domains contiguous to mainland Antarctica.
• We present the preliminary marine Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (mIBAS) for penguins.
• A total of 64 definitive sites were identified as IBAs
• We present a systematic overview of the population and penguin distribution data considered
• We highlight areas where collaborative efforts could bolster marine spatial planning initiatives for Antarctic penguin species, and their associated biodiversity.
• We present more detailed results for MPA Planning Domains 3, 4 and 9.

CCAMLR manages the krill fishery in Area 48 using a catch limit (the trigger level) which was established in 1991 based on the maximum catches reported for each subarea. Since that time the ecosystem has undergone rapid environmental change. Several studies suggest that krill numerical density, demographic structure, distribution and availability to predators have also changed. These changes are consistent with global evidence of the ecological effects of environmental change. At the same time catches in Subarea 48.1 have increased beyond the maximum pre-1991 catch for that subarea which was used to set the trigger level. As a consequence of these major risk factors (increased catch levels in Subarea 48.1 and environmental stress on the krill stock), the need for precaution is likely to be greater now than when the trigger level was established. Ideally CCAMLR should establish a process for regularly reviewing whether its management of the krill fishery is suitably precautionary. At the very least Conservation Measure 51-07, which defines subarea catch limits and provides additional precaution, should be retained.

CCAMLR currently manages the krill fishery in subareas 48.1 to 48.4 using an arbitrary measure (the trigger level) which was established in 1991 and is “not related to the status of the krill stock”. At the same time, CCAMLR recognises that “advances are urgently needed” specifically because the trigger level is not related to the status of the stock. The establishing terms of reference for WG-EMM include requests to “assess the status of krill” and “develop management advice … for management of krill fisheries”. Although WG-EMM is now a quarter century old, it rarely assesses the status of the krill stock and CCAMLR still manages the krill fishery using the trigger level. Here we describe the single-species feedback loop that is widely used in fishery management elsewhere, including in other CCAMLR fisheries. This feedback loop regularly modifies management measures, such as catch limits, in response to estimates of the status of the target stock. CCAMLR has already implemented the majority of the components of this feedback loop to establish Conservation Measures that limit krill fishing in Subareas 48.1 to 48.4. However, one component of this loop is missing, namely regular estimates of stock status based on the available data. Here, we briefly review some of the progress that CCAMLR working groups and the scientific community have made towards developing such methods. We suggest that WG-EMM should progress these methods further so that the working group is able to provide the advice requested in its establishing terms of reference. Finally, we emphasise that considerable uncertainty will be associated with any assessment of the status of the krill stock, and therefore there is a need for continuing precaution.

This paper describes the structure and preliminary results of the research cruise to investigate the marine pelagic ecosystem around the South Sandwich Islands in the austral summer of 2019. The research cruise consisted of a large scale acoustic survey, following track lines established during the CCAMLR 2000 acoustic survey of Antarctic krill. Conductivity-Temperature-Depth (CTD) stations and net samples were taken along the track line at approximately 12 hours intervals (centred around midday and midnight). The net samples included a Rectangular Midwater Trawl 8+1, bongo nets and a NEuston MOdified net (NEMO) for micro-plastics. Cetacean observations were also taken along the acoustic track lines. This report provides information on the size of Antarctic krill caught, the distribution of acoustic backscatter attributed to krill using a swarms identification algorithm and a summary of the cetacean observations.

We use cetacean sightings data collected from the northern and eastern Scotia Arc (CCAMLR Subareas 48.3 and 48.4) during the 2018/19 international synoptic krill survey to provide preliminary density and relative abundance estimates for humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae), fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) and for all other baleen whale species sighted. The survey was designed to collect data on the abundance of krill and so was not optimised for deriving design-based cetacean abundance estimates, but may provide a useful means of comparing whale densities and habitat use patterns between the present day and the CCAMLR-2000 synoptic survey. Humpback whales were the most frequently sighted cetacean species during the survey (226 sightings of a total count of 495 whales) and were widely distributed east of 42.5°W in all water depths surveyed, with fin whales the next most commonly sighted species (53 sightings and a cumulative count of 76 whales). Humpback whale abundance in South Georgia (Subarea 48.3) was estimated at 20,333 (95% CI 13,988-29,555) with all baleen whales estimated at 27,143 (95% CI 19,998-36,842). Humpback whale abundance around the South Sandwich Islands (Subarea 48.4) was estimated at 10,893 (95% CI 7,818-15,178) with all baleen whales estimated at 20,699 (95% CI 16,027-26,732). Fin whale abundance over all strata was estimated at 6,002 (95% CI 4,056-8,881). The estimates for humpback whales are consistent with the high recent estimates of abundance and trend from their Brazilian wintering grounds. These new estimates of abundance can also be used to re-assess the annual impact of krill-feeding whales within the Scotia Arc ecosystem, sensu Reilly et al. (2004).