CCAMLR

A data checking and validation process was undertaken for the data held in the CCAMLR Ecosystem Monitoring Programme database.  An outcome from this this analysis has provided an opportunity to examine the temporal patterns in the available time series as well as inter-site and inter-species comparisons. A series of questions designed to improve the understanding of the characteristics of different paramters is provided for discussion by the Working Group.

The 2nd international workshop on the ICED Southern Ocean Sentinel was held at CCAMLR Headquarters on 7-11 May 2012 in Hobart, Australia, hosted by the Australian Antarctic Division and the Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre.  This paper provides a preliminary report on the discussion on strategies for measuring change in Southern Ocean marine ecosystems, including ship-based and land-based monitoring and integrated studies.  The workshop agreed a work plan for benchmarking Southern Ocean ecosystems in 2020 and for establishing routine activities for estimating change in those ecosystems.  As part of ICED and contributing to Theme 6 Biology of the Southern Ocean Observing System, this program of work will build on the work of the CCAMLR Ecosystem Monitoring Program, GLOBEC and other international programs.  It is recommended that the Scientific Committee of CCAMLR become involved in this work, particularly through the Working Group on Ecosystem Monitoring and Management and the experts involved in the CCAMLR Ecosystem Monitoring Program.  The outcomes of this work will be important for CCAMLR in measuring the status and trends of Southern Ocean ecosystems, particularly in support of developing management procedures for fisheries and in conserving marine biodiversity.

Studies related to the abundance and reproductive distribution of marine birds have the potential to act as ecological indicators. The western Antarctic Peninsula is one of the three sites in the world with some of the clearest signals of climate warming. The aim of this study was to monitor the distribution and abundance of breeding populations of chinstrap penguin (Pygoscelis antarctica) and gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua) in the northern sector of the Danco Coast, north-west of the Antarctic Peninsula during the breeding season 2010-2011. Our results showed an overall increase in both populations in relation the 1998. Since the effects of climate change and human harvesting could confound underlying ecological mechanisms, this study highlights the need to strengthen population monitoring studies.

We describe the use of a GIS-based Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) tool designed to aid the development and transparent evaluation of MPA scenarios with reference to spatially explicit protection objectives and cost layers representing rational use in a systematic conservation planning framework.  The MSP tool has been customised to enable rapid set-up and use in any of the nine CCAMLR MPA planning domains.

This document provides a preliminary version of a  research and monitoring plan to accompany a proposal to CCAMLR for the establishment of a system of MPAs in the Ross Sea region in 2012.

The draft Conservation Measure which with this research and monitoring plan is associated includes eight protection objectives as identified in Sharp & Watters (2011).  Within each of these eight objectives there are identified specific objectives each of which is associated with an explicit spatial distribution or ‘target area’ defining the geographic extent of the feature (e.g. key ecosystem processes, habitats, species, populations and/or life-history stages) that has been identified as a priority for protection. This draft MPA research and monitoring plan is structured consistent with these specific objectives and priority features.  Pursuant of each specific objective we identify the following categories of inquiry:  i) research and monitoring to ensure that the boundaries of the priority feature as defined in the target area remain accurate, and/or to determine to what extent those boundaries may be moving; ii) research and monitoring to further understand the ecosystem role and importance of the priority feature, and/or to understand the environmental or biological processes that affect it, including potential threats from fishing; and iii)  research and monitoring to demonstrate the extent to which achievement of the specific objective is being met, i.e. to demonstrate whether identified or plausible threats are being effectively mitigated by the MPA

New Zealand welcomes feedback from and collaboration with other Members in the development of a draft research and monitoring plan. The plan will be revised following discussion for resubmission to SC-CCAMLR-XXXI in September 2012.

A balanced ecosystem model is used to explore the system-level characteristics of the food-web of the Ross Sea shelf and slope before the advent of commercial fishing for Antarctic toothfish (Dissostichus mawsoni) in the region. We evaluate: (1) biomass and flow of organic matter by trophic level; (2) mixed trophic impact; and (3) ecological importance. Note that the analysis considers food-web structure and function at the spatial, temporal and ecological scale of the ecosystem model, i.e. the whole Ross Sea shelf and slope area, averaged over a typical year, and in 35 trophic groups. Effects at smaller spatial and temporal scales, and effects concerning only parts of trophic groups, are not resolved by this analysis. The Ross Sea food-web is a partially inverted biomass pyramid with a pronounced peak in biomass in the lower-middle part of the food-web, a result of high biomass of mesozooplankton and benthic invertebrates. The biomass of top predators (trophic levels>4.5) is only 0.5% of the total living biomass in the Ross Sea (bacteria excluded). The six groups with the highest ‘indices of ecological importance’ in the food-web of the Ross Sea are phytoplankton, mesozooplankton, Antarctic silverfish (Pleuragramma antarcticum), small demersal fishes, Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) and cephalopods. Pelagic fishes and crystal krill (E. crystallorophias) are also likely to have high importance in the Ross Sea food-web. These eight groups should be the priorities for monitoring for large-scale ecosystem change in the region, for example due to climate change, trophic cascades or regime shift. The analysis presented here does not support the hypothesis that changes to the abundance of toothfish in the Ross Sea will propagate through the food-web; it appears that Antarctic toothfish only have a moderate index of ecological importance in the food-web of the Ross Sea shelf and slope. Changing the biomass of Antarctic toothfish on the Ross Sea shelf and slope is likely to have the greatest effect on the demersal fish community there.

Bottom trawl sample data from two research cruises were used to identify potential VMEs in the South Shetland Islands area.  High biomass densities of VME indicator taxa, meeting the 10 kg/1200 m² threshold previously set (Lockhart & Jones, 2009), were detected for 5 stations around Elephant Island.  However, this threshold is severely biased towards ‘heavy’ taxa (namely sponges and ascidians) such that communities of many ‘light’ VME taxa have little to no chance of meeting this criterion and are thus not adequately protected unless direct photographic evidence is available.  To this end a new ‘diversity threshold’ is proposed in order to protect those VME taxa that do not occur in the types of communities where sponges and other heavy taxa occur.  A clear example can be made of CITES Appendix II listed Antipatharia (black coral), which in the authors’ experience has never occurred at a high biomass-density station and even large colonies of which weigh relatively little.  After applying the new diversity threshold, a total of 10 VME areas are proposed, half of which encompass multiple stations.

So far this season (2011/12), nine vessels from Chile, China, Japan, Korea and Norway have fished for krill in Area 48; one vessel is using the continuous fishing system. The total catch reported to May 2012 was 78468 t, mostly taken from Subarea 48.1 in December, April and May. Seven vessels were fishing, at the time of preparing this report, and 935 t of krill has been reported so far for June. The forecast total catch of krill for this season ranges approximately from 108000 to 151000 t.

In 2010/11, 13 vessels fished for krill in Area 48 and the total catch of krill was 180986 t; two vessels used the continuous fishing system. The largest catch of krill was taken off the South Orkney Islands in Subarea 48.2 where a total of 111472 t of krill was taken from SSMU SOW (South Orkney West; this was the highest catch reported from that SSMU since 1990/91. The other main area fished during the season was South Georgia where 53112 t was taken from SSMU SGE (South Georgia East). The remainder of the catch was taken predominantly at the Antarctic Peninsula in Subarea 48.1, including 7970 t from SSMU APDPE (Antarctic Peninsula Drake Passage East).

Eight Members submitted notifications for a total 19 vessels for krill fisheries in Subareas 48.1, 48.2, 48.3 and 48.4 in 2012/13 and there was no notification for exploratory fisheries for krill. The total notified, expected level of krill catches is 672 700 tonnes.

The United States and Italy submitted a proposal for a new Antarctic Specially Protected Area (ASPA), accompanied by a Management Plan, to CEP XV, 11-15 June 2012. The plan is entitled Cape Washington and Silverfish Bay, Northern Terra Nova Bay, Ross Sea.

We examined the within- and between- year fluctuations of four Adélie penguin population parameters which are thought to be sensitive to changes in prey availability: breeding success, foraging trip duration, meal mass and fledgling weights. Some years had either good breeding success with heavy fledglings or poor breeding success with light fledglings while others had a lack of concordance between breeding success and fledgling weight. These discordant years also had an inconsistency between the duration of early and late stage foraging trips. For example, low breeding success was recorded in a season with long foraging trips during the guard period, relatively short trips during the crèche period and heavy fledglings. These results may indicate changes in the relative level of resource availability between the guard and crèche stages of the breeding season (i.e. was relatively low during the guard stage and elevated during the crèche stage). The overall temporal variability across years in response parameters was much greater than was observed in the two years with concurrent krill abundance. If the temporal variability in predator response parameters at this site is largely driven by changes in prey availability then these results would add further weight to significant changes in predator response only occurring with changes in krill availability at low levels (ie the Hollings type II shape curve). Our results highlight the importance of taking into account the changing behaviours of birds in the context of life history requirements, changes in prey accessibility as well as any temporal variability in the amount of prey present when interpreting predator response parameters.