Norway proposes a plan to investigate the toothfish populations in the Statistical Subarea (SS) 48.6 in 2017/18 using standardised longline gear, established tagging techniques, pop-up tags and acoustic techniques. The proposed research is pertinent to issues raised by the Scientific Committee (SC-CAMLR-XXXV, paragraph 3.3.252-3.265) and will supplement and expand existing efforts to characterise the local toothfish populations in the area to better understand stock structure, movement patterns and improve estimation of population characteristics and thereby contribute to the development of spatial population models and assessments in support of management advice. 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. This initial year will be used for exploration with particular emphasis on tagging efforts and habitat mapping, and the study will adhere to principles and guidance expressed in CM 41-01. The proposed new studies build on existing research plans and available knowledge and addresses recommendations expressed by WG-SAM 2016, and is being co-ordinated with on-going activities in the same area by Japan and South Africa.  In future years the aim is to expand the investigation and involve additional collaborating members. In 2018 a new Norwegian fishing vessel will be available, equipped with advanced technology for sampling and observation, enhancing the potential for deriving significant new insights benefitting toothfish assessments as well as general ecosystem studies in a relatively data-poor subarea. During the 2017 FSA meeting Japan/South Africa and Norway coordinated and integrated their efforts into a coherent research plan as described in in this rev.1 proposal.

The annual random stratified trawl survey (RSTS) of 2017 at HIMI was conducted during April, with the completion of 163 stations. The survey has been conducted on the FV Atlas Cove since 2015. Sampling protocols such as the design and the duration of the hauls were similar to recent surveys, but with a new set of randomly selected station points.

The unstratified density of Dissostichus eleginoides (Patagonian toothfish) was 1.5 times greater than that of 2016 and also of the long-term average for the survey. The unstratified density of Champsocephalus gunnari (mackerel icefish) was only slightly larger than that of 2016 and 2.5 times the average. For the managed by-catch species, unstratified densities were lower than the average for Channichthys rhinoceratus (unicorn icefish), Lepidonotothen squamifrons (grey rockcod) and Macrourus sp. (macrourids). Conversely, the unstratified density of aggregated Bathyraja sp. (skates) was higher than both 2016 and the long term average. The catch of invertebrates in the 2017 survey was 70% of the average, which included a low abundance of jellyfish.

Length measurements were taken for nearly 13,500 fish and for more than half of those biological measurements were taken. Otoliths were collected from 663 D. eleginoides and 159 individuals were tagged and released.