CCAMLR

A calibrated 120 kHz single-beam echo-sounder was integrated into an ocean glider and deployed in the Weddell Sea, Southern Ocean. The glider was deployed for two short periods in January 2012, in separate survey boxes on the continental shelf to the east of the Antarctic Peninsula, to assess the distribution of Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba). During the glider missions, a research vessel undertook acoustic transects using a calibrated, hull-mounted, multi-frequency echo-sounder. Net hauls were taken to validate acoustic targets and parameterize acoustic models. Krill targets were identified using a thresholded schools analysis technique (SHAPES), and acoustic data were converted to krill density using the stochastic distorted-wave Born approximation (SDWBA) target strength model. A sensitivity analysis of glider pitch and roll indicated that, if not taken into account, glider orientation can impact density estimates by up to 8-fold. Glider-based, echo-sounder–derived krill density profiles for the two survey boxes showed features coherent with ship-borne measurements, with peak densities in both boxes around a depth of 60 m. Monte Carlo simulation of glider subsampling of ship-borne data showed no significant difference from observed profiles. Simulated glider dives required at least an order of magnitude more time than the ship to similarly estimate the abundance of krill within the sample regions. These analyses highlight the need for suitable sampling strategies for glider-based observations and are our first steps toward using autonomous underwater vehicles for ecosystem assessment and long-term monitoring. With appropriate survey design, gliders can be used for estimating krill distribution and abundance.

This paper presents the results of at-sea monitoring of seabirds and cetaceans over five summer seasons, 2010 to 2014, at the Scotia Sea, Antarctica, covering a total of 1463 nautical miles with 1100 ten-min counts. Among birds, six species of Procellariiformes were abundant: Black-browed Albatross, Cape petrel, Southern Fulmar petrel, Antarctic Prion, Wilson’s Storm petrel, and Black-bellied Storm Petrel. Antarctic Prion was the dominant species within the 5 years whereas Cape petrel showed successive decreases in abundance. Five baleen whales where recorded: Humpback, Sei, Southern Right, Fin and Minke, which had different abundances during our study. Fin whale had the highest mean encounter rate in the five years (0.29 ± 1.57 whale/nautical mile), followed by Humpback whale (0.09 ± 0.54). Annual dissimilarity in abundance of both birds and cetaceans occurred in conjunction with changes in sea surface temperature and ice cover, showing the dependence of top predators to environmental changes. The largest aggregations of all top predators (seabirds and cetaceans) were recorded mainly in two regions: west and south of South Orkney Is., suggesting important prey availability, especially krill, in those areas.

A multi-year plan for research by Japan and South Africa aimed at yielding a tag-based assessment of the Dissostichus resource in statistical Subarea 48.6 was adopted in 2012 and formulated in CM 41-04. This paper submits a work plan for the South African contribution to the third year of this research in 2014/15 and is to be read in conjunction with WG-SAM-14/10.

Japan and South Africa are undertaking a multi-year research plan in Statistical Subarea 48.6 as outlined in CM 41-04 (2012 & 2013). Progress achieved during the 2012/13 season is reported and achievements for the first two months of the 2013/14 season are briefly mentioned.

Over the first 14 months of the Research fishery a total of 318 Dissostichus eleganoides and 1660 D. mawsoni have been tagged and released, and 31 tagged toothfish have been recaptured. Even though almost 50% of the recaptures are within season the progress is encouraging and the indications are that sufficient tagged toothfish could be recaptured by the end of the current season to enable a tag-based assessment of the Dissostichus resource in Subarea 48.6 to be undertaken next year.

Concern is expressed over the rise of IUU activity in Subarea 48.6 and the possible negative consequences for the Research being undertaken.

In this paper we provide WG-EMM with an update on aerial survey methods used to provide new estimates of penguin population distribution and abundance. This project will continue to develop over the coming years and we will provide similar updates at regular intervals.

The ICES Benchmark Protocol is a review process for evaluating the data and analyses that form the basis of ICES management advice for a stock. The review examines stock structure, fishery characteristics, biological and assessment data, stock assessment and projection methodology. The review is conducted outside of the ICES annual assessment and advice environment. It includes experts from outside of the ICES community and stakeholders to broaden the knowledge and enhance credibility. The goal of a benchmark is agreement on an assessment methodology that is to be applied in annual update assessments, for a fixed short term period. Introducing benchmarking of CCAMLR assessments would be expected to provide greater transparency, quality control and stability to the SC-CAMLR management advice and to improve communication between science, the industry, stakeholders and administrators.

Submitted format for reporting finfish research proposals of the Ukraine in Subarea 48.2 in 2015.

This paper presents an analysis of data gained from a nine-year tagging programme of Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides) in Subarea 48.3. It describes the tagging procedure, the information gained about biology, growth and movement of Patagonian toothfish, and explains the overlap of tagging length distributions with those of the landed catch and survey data. The characterisation of tag recapture data from Subarea 48.3 shows that the tagging programme is successful in providing substantial information for the stock assessment.

We propose a multi-year and multi-member research plan using standardised longline gear to sample the toothfish populations in the northern areas (61° - 66° S) of SSRUs 88.2A–B. The purpose of the research as requested by the Scientific Committee (SC-CAMLR XXXII, paragraph 3.76) is to characterise the local toothfish populations found there to better understand stock structure, movement patterns and improve estimation of population characteristics predicted by Ross Sea spatial population models. Additional outcomes of the research relate to mapping the bathymetry of the fishable area, documenting relative abundance of Patagonian and Antarctic toothfish, tagging toothfish for biomass estimation and for stock linkage studies, and collecting information on distribution, relative abundance, and life history of bycatch species.

Life history characteristics of Antarctic toothfish (Dissostichus mawsoni), were evaluated using otolith microchemistry techniques. Our aims were to (i) determine whether fish from in CCAMLR SSRUs 88.1C (Ross Sea) and 88.2H (Amundsen Sea), could be differentiated by the trace elemental concentrations in the otolith edge and then to (ii) assess the potential of natal signatures to distinguish  stocks among these regions. For the elements (Mg, Al and Sr) spatial variation in otolith chemistry was shown. This resulted in the correct classification of 63% of fish overall to their original capture sites. Discrimination of otolith natal signatures using Al:Ca and Zn:Ca showed greater classification success (79%), compared to the otolith edge which suggested the majority of fish from SSRU 88.1C and 88.2H show similar patterns of structuring consistent with their known capture location, indicating they may have used different spawning habitats between areas. PCA analyses of natal signatures apportioned in total 83% of fish from both SSRU 88.1C and 88.2H to 88.1C. The remaining group consisted entirely of individuals from SSRU 88.2H (17%), suggesting SSRU 88.2H fish may have used different spawning habitats. However, given these analyses only included adults, further investigations using a larger sample base of both adults and juveniles collected from shelf and slope regions within SSRU 88.1 and 88.2 would provide stronger evidence of structuring between these regions.