The RRS James Clark Ross carried out a benthic scientific research voyage around the South Orkney Plateau in February-March 2016. The Expedition, led by the British Antarctic Survey, was in collaboration with the Scientific Committee for Antarctic Research (SCAR) State of the Antarctic Ecosystem (AntEco) research programme, including scientists from 8 CCAMLR members. The main purpose of the voyage was to understand the distribution and composition of the benthic communities associated with different geomorphic features both within and outside the South Orkney Islands Southern Shelf Marine Protected Area. The expedition used a range of scientific sampling gear and video and photographic equipment to investigate species diversity, assemblage composition, abundance and habitat zonation along the shelf break of the South Orkney Islands. The results from these investigations will enable us to ascertain whether there are characteristic indicator species prevalent in each proxy geomorphic habitat. The expedition also aimed to map the locations and distributions of all species found that were identified as VME indicator taxa.

Monitoring and hydroacoustic assessment of the distribution and biomass of krill (Euphausia superba) was held on board the BIC Humboldt during scientific campaigns Peru to Antarctica in the austral summer: Antar XXI (15 to 22 February 2013) and Antar XXII (22 to 31 January 2014). The areas included Bransfield Strait, Joinville and around Elephant Island (Antar XXI: : 8 040 nm2 with 10 transects; ANTAR XXII: 21 070.62 nm2 with 17 transects) .The SIMRAD EK60 scientific echosounder used for multifrequency 120 and 38 kHz, respectively. This system is calibrated according to the procedure of ICES. For pelagic trawl hauls- Pelagic Engel gear were used for checking acoustic signals (Antar XXI: 9 stations; ANTAR XXII: 16 stations). Results indicated that krill swarms during the day swarms were recorded at high densities between 20 and 50 m deep while overnight, dispersed and scattered swarms were detected from the surface to 20 m deep. A wide distribution of krill in the study area, the highest densities (> 1000 m / mn²) were observed around Elephant Island and Joinville was recorded; while the lowest were recorded in the Bransfield Strait and between Deception Island and Isla Torre (250-1 000 m / mn²). The estimations of hydroacoustic biomass krill by the method of Distorted Stochastic Approximation Wave (SDWBA) were 876.367 t and t 7'330,574 during ANTAR XXI and XXII respectively. The estimated biomass in Elephant Island (4'569,039 t) represents 62.3% of all existing biomass in the study area.

Six Members notified a total of 18 vessels for krill fisheries in 2016/17 in Subareas 48.1 (17 vessels), 48.2 (16), 48.3 (15) and 48.4 (10), and Divisions 58.4.1 (3) and 58.4.2 (3); there were no notifications submitted for exploratory fisheries for krill. Notification details are available on the CCAMLR website and the notified information on the fishing operation and gear is summarised in this paper. Participating Members are thanked for providing feedback and assistance in developing the new online notification system.

Analysis of the data from tooth fish fishery in the northern part of the Ross Sea (SSRU 88.1 B, C and G) revealed that the current approach to analyze longline fishery data in the presence of questionable CPUE values does not allow obtaining adequate information for decision-making.  Necessity to develop procedures for analyzing logline fishery data with aims to provide information for scientifically based decision-making in relation to questionable CPUE values have been discussed.