Reliable statements about variability and change in marine ecosystems and their underlying causes are needed to report on their status and to guide management. Here we use the Framework on Ocean Observing (FOO) to begin developing ecosystem Essential Ocean Variables (eEOVs) for the Southern Ocean Observing System (SOOS). An eEOV is a defined biological or ecological quantity, which is derived from field observations, and which contributes significantly to assessments of Southern Ocean ecosystems. Here, assessments are concerned with estimating status and trends in ecosystem properties, attribution of trends to causes, and predicting future trajectories. eEOVs should be feasible to collect at appropriate spatial and temporal scales and are useful to the extent that they contribute to direct estimation of trends and/or attribution, and/or development of ecological (statistical or simulation) models to support assessments. In this paper we outline the rationale, including establishing a set of criteria, for selecting eEOVs for the SOOS and develop a list of candidate eEOVs for further evaluation. Other than habitat variables, nine types of eEOVs for Southern Ocean taxa are identified within three classes: state (magnitude, genetic/species, size spectrum), predator-prey (diet, foraging range), and autecology (phenology, reproductive rate, individual growth rate, detritus). Most candidates for the suite of Southern Ocean taxa relate to state or diet. Candidate autecological eEOVs have not been developed other than for marine mammals and birds. We consider some of the spatial and temporal issues that will influence the adoption and use of eEOVs in an observing system in the Southern Ocean, noting that existing operations and platforms potentially provide coverage of the four main sectors of the region – the East and West Pacific, Atlantic and Indian.  Lastly, we discuss the importance of simulation modelling in helping with the design of the observing system in the long term. 

Conservation Measure 51-07 provides an interim distribution of the trigger level in the fishery for Euphausia superba in Statistical Subareas 48.1, 48.2, 48.3 and 48.4.  It was established because the Commission, in the preambular paragraphs to that measure, recognised that localised catches up to the trigger level may affect krill predators.  They wished to establish a spatial distribution of the trigger level that ensured that krill predators “would not be inadvertently and disproportionately affected by fishing activity”.  CM 51-07 is to be “reviewed in 2016 with the intent of ensuring the implementation of Article II of the Convention, taking into account the resource requirements of land-based predators.”  In this paper, we build on previous investigations to distribute the fishery in Area 48 to develop a framework for the review of CM51-07.  We first consider the requirements for the spatial distribution of the trigger level agreed by the Commission in the preambular paragraphs of the conservation measure. We use these requirements as the basis for a risk assessment method to distribute the catch.  In the second section, we review the best scientific evidence available for krill, krill predators and the fishery to underpin the risk assessment. In the third section, we develop the mathematical basis for the risk assessment and the means of distributing the trigger level in Area 48.  We then provide some worked examples using the method based on data from the second section.  Lastly, we suggest an approach for undertaking the review and providing advice on a future spatial distribution of the trigger level.  The results provide the basis for establishing a spatial distribution of the trigger level across subareas and amongst SSMUs for 2016/17 and beyond.  They indicate that some SSMUs may have a disproportionately higher risk of the effects of fishing if the catch within a subarea is concentrated in those SSMUs.  Nevertheless, the results also indicate that the distribution of catch amongst subareas in the existing conservation measure are approximately the right magnitude, although there may be justification for setting the percentage of the trigger level for Subarea 48.4 to zero.

The research was conducted during the summer season from 12.13.2011 to 02.09.2012 at the Ukrainian Antarctic station "Academik Vernadsky". The most numerous breeding colony of the Gentoo Penguin (Pygoscelis papua) is located on the Petermann Is. From December 2011 to February 2012 there were unfavorable ice conditions around the Argentine Islands. Pointed out the high mortality among the newborn penguins on the Galindez Is caused by starvation. The number of residential nests decreased almost three times. Underwater surveys conducted by us in this period in the area of Galindez Is  witness about the presence of large amount of krill, which wasn’t available for all the species of sea birds because of the ice cover.

The solution of problems of conservation the Antarctic marina living resources and, at the same time, maintenance of their rational use, requires possession of up-to-date information that summarized availability of each harvested species of resources for human use. In connection with this it is proposed a specific indicator – "Availability Index (AI)", which accumulates the all existing information on availability of the specific marina living resources for fishery. The availability index can be used as universal criterium which monitors the protection potential of the conservation measures together with natural conditions, as well as conditions for fishery.

Taking into account the practice and current state of krill fishery in Area 48, Ukraine proposed to upgrade the Conservation Measure 51-07 in order to redistribute the trigger level of catch in 620 000 tonnes between Subareas in Area 48 in a new percentage limits. This revision includes additional precautional measures to avoid interceptance of krill fishery and preadors consumption needs establishing season limitations of close to shore fishery. New revision will still enable to follow the precaution conservation principles of the Convention and in the same time will not inflict an economic damage to the krill fishery.

We provide a brief update on the progress of our project “Establishing a CEMP Camera Network in Subarea 48.1”. The project was initiated with support from the CEMP Fund in 2014/15. The project is now running, with 53 time-lapse cameras installed throughout Subarea 48.1. Installation of cameras was conducted mainly during the 2015/16 field season. However, early installation and/or inclusion of pre-existing cameras at some sites enabled validation studies to be completed and partial network coverage of breeding chronology and success estimates for 2015/16.  We were also able to develop methods for analyzing the photographic data. We expect estimates of breeding chronology and reproductive success for Adélie, gentoo, and chinstrap penguins at all camera sites throughout Subarea 48.1 to be available for the CEMP from the 2016/17 season.

In the report we describe the season activity in the Ukrainian Vernadsky Antarctic Station area on installation CEMP cameras in penguin colonies as part of the CEMP project run by USA, Argentina, Poland and Ukraine 'Establishing a CEMP Camera Network in Subarea 48.1'. In season 2015/2016 we installed nine cameras at penguine colonies at Petermann, Yalour and Galindez Islands to monitor pengiune nests for breeding success and chronology. Cameras have been installed in the middle of breeding season due to late arrival and hard ice conditions in Argentine Islands area. In time of cameras establishing in all colonies the penguine chicks were in the nests already. We expect to receive photo sequences for all breeding activity the next season in 2016/2017. The training of winterers-biologists has been provided for CEMP rules activity and for monitoring that can assist with camera data validation.

During the last years, a large amount of information was gathered and shared in one unique project for the development of a representative system of MPAs in Domain 1. This process integrates, compiles, analyses and exposes a large amount of information, not only contributing to the best science available but also providing a platform for the sharing and visualization of information, further improving the decision making process. Data was shared according to CCAMLR rules, providing the opportunity for other countries to develop their own analyses. During these years a solid foundation of collaboration and cooperation amongst Members involved in the development was built. However, there are still a number of Members currently doing research and/or undertaking commercial activities, that desirably could became involved in the development of the MPA proposal and contribute to the state of knowledge. This document highlights the progress made towards a common framework for Domain 1 MPA and further encourages the establishment of a cooperation network among countries.

This report is a presentation of environmental information on the Crozet oceanic zone that was obtained during the CROMEBA project (CROzet Marine Ecosystem Based Management). This project aims to determine the prerequisites at the environmental or biodiversity levels to propose new conservation measures that would expand geographically in the EEZ the actual National Marine Nature Reserve. The natural reserve is actually limited to the 12 nautical miles surrounding 4 islands of the archipelago.

This report follows the CCAMLR workshop on Planning Domain 5 with focusing on the Crozet islands oceanic zone (Koubbi et al., 2012).

This report is gives:

1.    A summary of the ecological characteristics of the Crozet oceanic zone on:

-        Pelagic and benthic biodiversity,

-        Marine birds and mammals tracked from the Possession islands,

-        Killer whales and sperm whales linked to fisheries observations.

2.     An ecoregionalisation combining:

-        The pelagic regions obtained from a classification of physical oceanographic features (fronts, retention zones, …) and chlorophyll-a which influence the pelagic food web including top predators,

-        Bathomes influencing benthic and demersal fish ichthyofauna,

3.     Recommendations for future researches and monitoring in the context of climate change consequences on subantarctic areas. 

Given their ecological and economic importance, understanding how climate change will affect krill resources and the marine ecosystem in Antarctic waters is critical. Previous research has demonstrated possible climate change impacts on krill habitat and growth. In this preliminary study, we assessed the potential consequences of these impacts for both the krill stock and its dependent predators using a peer-reviewed krill-predator-fishery ecosystem dynamics model. Initial results demonstrate the potential for projected temperature changes to negatively affect the individual weight and population biomass of krill as well as the abundance of krill-dependent predators. These outcomes have implications for our expectations about krill resources, and the larger Southern Ocean ecosystem. Further exploration is planned.