The Catch Documentation Scheme for Dissostichus spp. (CDS) was effectively implemented in 2020 by 17 Member States, 3 Acceding States, 1 non-Contracting Party (NCP) cooperating with CCAMLR by participating in the CDS and 1 one NCP with limited access to the CDS. CDS reports of catches outside the Convention Area have decreased from 2019 to 2020. The Secretariat contacted 12 NCPs to seek their engagement in the CDS in 2021.

Analysis of the trends in the CDS data for 2019 and 2020 has identified decreases in the number of Dissostichus Catch Documents (DCDs), Dissostichus Export Documents (DEDs), and Dissostichus Re-Export Documents (DREDs) between these years, thought to be a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic. Across both years, France landed the largest quantity of toothfish (5 632 tonnes and 5 623 tonnes respectively) and exported the largest quantity of toothfish (4 487 tonnes and 3 596 tonnes respectively). The largest quantity of imports was by the United States of America (USA) in both years followed by China.

Oceanites, Inc. is a US-based, nonprofit, scientific, and educational organization under U.S. law, which was founded in 1987 (https://oceanites.org). Its mission is to advance science-based conservation and to increase the awareness of climate change, its potential impacts, and climate change adaptation through the lens of Antarctic penguins.

This report summarizes activities of Oceanites since CCAMLR-39 and SC-CAMLR-39, including:

• Update on the Antarctic Site Inventory

• Update on the Mapping Application for Penguin Populations and Projected Dynamics (MAPPPD) database

• MAPPPD Related Projects

• State Of Antarctic Penguins Report and Penguin Population Changes

• Update on Climate Change

This paper summarises data collected by Scheme of International Scientific Observation observers and vessels, of incidental interactions between fishing vessels, seabirds and marine mammals during fishing activities undertaken during the 2020 and 2021 seasons. The extrapolated total of 44 seabirds caught in 2020 is the lowest on record for CCAMLR fisheries. Three humpback whales were recorded as incidental mortalities in krill fisheries in 2021, the first mortality records for this species.

SOOS has been recognised by the Scientific Committee as having an important role to play in CCAMLR ecosystem monitoring and observation, and spatial management of impacts on ecosystems, climate change, and data delivery and management. Reciprocally, CCAMLR is important to SOOS as an international, scientific body that advocates for and collects observational data in the Southern Ocean.

In recognition of this, this Background Paper provides an update on SOOS data activities that are relevant to the CCAMLR community.