Data on fish by-catch in the krill fishery from commercial catch data (100 153 hauls) and CCAMLR SISO data (20 766 hauls) up to 1 Sept 2017 was used to examine the frequency of occurrence, length-frequency distribution and geographic provenance of the key fish taxa reported. There is continued evidence of  an increase in the data quality from the observer scheme,  as well as an increase in the reporting of fish by-catch in the commercial krill fishery catch data. There was a high degree of overlap in the most frequently reported taxa in the C1 data and SISO data, with Lepidonothen larseni the most frequently reported in both datasets. The length-frequency distribution of all taxa for which >200 fish were measured had modal size class of ≤10 cm. The characteristics (species and size frequency) of fish taken as bycatch in the krill fishery are  consistent with those reported in the diet of ‘krill-dependent’ predators from the region in which the krill fishery operates.

This paper presents an update of the metrics of capacity and capacity utilisation presented in WG-SAM 14/19 and WG-FSA 15/09 in order to monitor trends in capacity in exploratory toothfish fisheries in Subareas 88.1 and 88.2. The updated metrics show the same pattern as in previous updates and do not indicate an excess of capacity in the fishery. As previously reported, based on a measure of potential daily fishing capacity and the catch limit for an area the notified fishing capacity in some management areas compromises the ability of the Secretariat to forecast and issue a timely closure notice to reduce the possibility of an overrun using the current fishery forecasting procedure.

Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides) are found around South America from Ecuador to Uruguay, and in the sub-Antarctic and Antarctic while Antarctic toothfish (D. mawsoni) are found closer to the Antarctic continental shelf and generally south of the Polar Frontal Zone. Data from existing tagging studies indicate that both species are generally non-migratory with the majority of individuals exhibiting strong site fidelity. Between 2006–2016 there were 111 288 Patagonian toothfish tagged and released of which 10 511 (9.4%) have been recaptured;  for Antarctic toothfish there have been 69 067 fish tagged and released of which 2 072 (3.0%) have been recaptured; the  median distance between release and recapture was  12km (max 5 708km) and 20km  (max 4 525 km) respectively. There were 210 records of Patagonian and 14 Antarctic toothfish where fish had made movements greater than 200km. Of the fish making long-distance movements 91% of D. eleginoides and 86% of D. mawsoni moved in a counter-clockwise direction around Antarctica. The low frequency of long-distance movement of toothfish between management stock units it is unlikely to adversely influence the outcomes of tag-based assessments for toothfish. However, understanding the relative scales of, and  interactions between, biological populations and management stock units for toothfish is clearly important element in CCAMLR’s  ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management.

[this is an update to WG-FSA-16/25 Rev. 1]

The first CCAMLR Scheme of International Scientific Observation workshop (WS-SISO) was held in Buenos Aires in 2017, and discussed and agreed  revisions to observer logbooks for all CCAMLR fisheries (see SC-CCAMLR-XXXVI/08). This paper summarises the proposed changes to the observer  logbooks for the longline and finfish trawl fisheries, and outlines their introduction leading up the proposed adoption for the beginning of the 2019 fishing season.

Owing to commercial fishing during the late 1970s/early 1980s, targeted notothenioid species had become depleted around the South Shetland Islands. Herein we report subsequent changes in the prevalence of three species, Notothenia rossii, Gobionotothen gibberifrons and Notothenia coriiceps in Potter Cove, King George Islands/ Isla 25 de Mayo, in a 33-year effort to monitor recovery. N. rossii and G. gibberifrons had been severely impacted by industrial fishing but in offshore waters N. coriiceps had never been commercially fished; however, all three species exhibit similar nearshore habitats and life history. We examined composition in trammel net catches during 2012–2016, augmenting a time series started in 1983. Our inshore results were consistent with those from offshore bottom trawl sampling in 2007 and 2012 around the South Shetland Islands: (1) continued increase in the  abundance of N. rossii; (2) further decline in G. gibberifrons recruitment evidenced by low proportions of juvenile fish; and (3) a high abundance of N. coriiceps. Reasons for lack of recovery in G. gibberifrons remain obscure but seemingly relate to the dramatically changing ecosystem of the region due in part to climate as well as recovery among previously depleted upper trophic level species. Our results are also consistent with trends reported in seabirds that feed on juveniles of these notothenioids: decrease in the areas commercially fished. Under the regulation of CCAMLR, commercial fishing for finfish in the South Shetland Islands region (FAO Subarea 48.1) remains prohibited since 1991; results indicate that it cannot be reinstated.

Annual report on the CCAMLR marine debris monitoring program.