This report presents the results of the Second International Workshop for identifying Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in Domain 1 of CCAMLR. The workshop was held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, from 25 to 29 May 2015.

During the workshop, discussions were concentrated in reviewing and analyzing new and updated georeferenced data, and in further developing conservation objectives´ argumentation. It was noted that a large amount of new data was provided for objectives that so far had none, few or incomplete information,  such as prey distribution (antarctic and crystal krill, T. macrura, salps), important areas for zooplankton life cycles (krill nurseries), and whales distribution during the non-breeding period. Many objectives were updated, either adding new species (as for Emperor and Macaroni penguins), new benthic types (to protect different benthic communities), or incorporating a different canyons´ classification, and minimum and maximum sea ice extension. Furthermore, predators´ colonies, buffers and tracking data were updated; and important areas for fishes life cycles expanded. 

Discussions were also focused in the analysis of the cost layer, reviewing all available data on human activities and investigating the different parameters involved in its estimation. Regarding to Marxan analysis, the Workshop agreed to test three different conservation scenarios with minimum, medium and maximum protection levels, to better identify the most appropriate reserve systems within Domain 1.  

First descriptions of the two proposed MPAs, Stella Creek and Skua Creek, as well as determined their conservation status in accordance with the “A tool to help selecting the appropriate IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) categories and governance types for protected area”. Bathymetric maps and a 3D-model of the sea-bed of Stella Creek and Skua Creek were given for the first time. The non-destructive method of survey using analysis of underwater photos was applied for scientific support and monitoring in the proposed Stella Creek MPA.

Taking into account the practice and current state of krill fishery in Area 48, Ukraine proposed to revise the Conservation Measure 51-07 (2014) 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 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.

Germany intends to present the Working Group on Ecosystem Monitoring and Management (WG EMM) the background document that provides the scientific basis for the evaluation of a marine protected area (MPA) in the Weddell Sea planning area. The contents and structure of the whole document reflect its main objectives, i.e. to set out the general context of the establishment of MPAs and to provide the background information on the Weddell Sea MPA (WSMPA) planning area (Part A); to inform on the data retrieval process (Part B); to describe the results of the scientific analyses and the MPA scenario development with the directly science-based aspects of the WSMPA proposal, i.e. the objectives and the boundaries and zones of the MPA (Part C).

Here, the authors intend to update WG EMM on the current state of Part B of the scientific background document. Part B informs on the data retrieval process within the WSMPA project. Chapter 1 describes the environmental data sets that were acquired for the evaluation of MPAs in the Weddell Sea planning area. Chapter 2 provides a systematic overview of the current data situation regarding ecological data sets. Most data sets are already presented in our background document SC-CAMLR-XXXIII/BG/02, which the Scientific Committee had welcomed and endorsed as a foundation reference document for the Weddell Sea MPA planning (SC-CAMLR-XXXIII, § 5.21).

Germany intends to present the Working Group on Ecosystem Monitoring and Management (WG EMM) the background document that provides the scientific basis for the evaluation of a marine protected area (MPA) in the Weddell Sea planning area. The contents and structure of the whole document reflect its main objectives, i.e. to set out the general context of the establishment of MPAs and to provide the background information on the Weddell Sea MPA (WSMPA) planning area (Part A); to inform on the data retrieval process (Part B) and to describe the results of the scientific analyses and the MPA scenario development with the directly science-based aspects of the WSMPA proposal, i.e. the objectives and the boundaries and zones of the MPA (Part C).

Here, the authors intend to update WG EMM on the current state of Part A of the document that has been presented at the meeting of the CCAMLR Scientific Committee in 2014. The Scientific Committee had welcomed and endorsed the scientific background document (SC-CAMLR-XXXIII/BG/02) as a foundation reference for the Weddell Sea MPA planning (SC-CAMLR-XXXIII, § 5.21). Part A contains (i) a synopsis in terms of the establishment of MPAs (chapter 1); (ii) a description of the boundaries of the WSMPA planning area (chapter 2); (iii) a comprehensive, yet succinct, general description of the Weddell Sea ecosystem (chapter 3); (iv) and finally a guidance regarding the future work beyond the development of the scientific basis for the evaluation of a WSMPA (chapter 4).

Please note that the current state of Part A of the document presents a comprehensive yet incomplete version concerning chapters that have to be (further) developed or revised.

The trophic study of Arctocephalus gazella is an essential tool for assessing its ecological role as a top predator of the Antarctic marine ecosystem. The aim of this study was to analyse its diet during an annual cycle. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the feeding habits of A. gazella during the winter period in the South Shetlands area. A total of 224 scats were collected in the winter 2004 and summer 2004/05 on the coasts of Stranger Point, Isla 25 de Mayo/King George. For the total study period krill was the main prey taxon, followed by fish, cephalopods and penguins. During summer, myctophids Gymnoscopelus nicholsi and Electrona antarctica and the nototheniid Pleuragramma antarcticum constituted the dominant fish prey species; in winter only P. antarcticum was dominant, while myctophids were absent.  The only squid species present in the diet was Slozarsykowia circumantarctica. It is concluded that fur seals centred their foraging activity on a krill community and fish associated with krill aggregations.

VHF radiotelemetry data has been used for over thirty years to monitor the behavior patterns of otariid seals. These data have been used in a wide variety of ways, from characterizing the reproductive and foraging ecology of these species to inferring ecosystem changes based on variation in attendance patterns. Yet the accuracy of VHF data has never been appropriately evaluated. Our study compares VHF data collected on 16 lactating Antarctic fur seals to assess onshore attendance, with concurrently-collected Time-and-Depth Recorder (TDR) data used as the ‘true’ measurement of time spent onshore. Within the retrieved datasets, 25% of the VHF data could not be interpreted with any reliability. Additionally, there were significant differences in the number and duration of attendance bouts between the two instrument types, with VHF data overestimating attendance bout duration by approximately 8.9h on average.  Importantly, the magnitude and direction of errors between VHF and TDR measurements were not systematic, suggesting that VHF data is an inappropriate method for collecting attendance data. Modelling the raw VHF data in a state-space framework elicited mean attendance durations that were indistinguishable from TDR-derived measurements, suggesting this approach may provide a means to re-examine historic VHF data. However, given the evolution of electronic tags in terms of sophistication, miniaturization, longevity and decreasing cost over the last thirty years, TDRs are a more appropriate means to collect attendance data on centrally-foraging marine mammals such as otariids.  

The United States has substantive interests within the boundaries of Planning Domain 1, and, in March 2015, scientists from the U.S. Antarctic Marine Living Resources Program hosted a domestic workshop to develop background information relevant to the establishment of one or more marine protected areas (MPAs) therein.  Key products from the workshop include a list of the types of specific objectives that U.S. stakeholders have for MPAs in Domain 1, a map of the areas that U.S. stakeholders consider to be priorities for spatial protection, and estimates of “conservation targets” that can be inferred from these priorities.  The list of specific objectives included “protect krill spawning and larval development,” “study climate impacts separate from fishing,” “preserve the integrity of existing studies,” and ten other candidates.  Participants at the workshop prioritized protection of the continental shelf and inshore waters along the western coast of the Antarctic Peninsula, from around Alexander Island and the Marguerite Bay northeast to the tip of the peninsula and Joinville Island and including various islands and archipelagos such as the South Shetland Islands.  Consistent with these protection priorities, conservation targets were generally highest for objects that occur inshore or over the continental shelf (e.g., the summer foraging habitats of Pygoscelid penguins) and lowest for objects that occur farther offshore (e.g., the marginal ice zone during winter, the winter foraging habitats of chinstrap penguins, and many seamounts).

We present a candidate, Stage-2 feedback management strategy for consideration by WG-EMM. The strategy uses existing CEMP data and three simple decision rules for adjusting catch prior to and during the fishing season.  The strategy does not necessarily require the use of no-fishing areas and implements a negative feedback whose magnitude varies according to an observed status of two independent indicators.

Australia, New Zealand, Norway, the United Kingdom and the United States jointly submitted a Working Paper (WP) and an Information Paper (IP) on Important Bird Areas to the Committee for Environmental Protection (CEP XVIII) at its June 1-5 meeting in Sofia, Bulgaria (WP 40, Important Bird Areas (IBAs) in Antarctica and IP 27 Important Bird Areas (IBAs) in Antarctica). These papers reported on the recently completed analysis on IBAs based on the consistent application of global criteria for bird population assessment worldwide. The CEP recognised the value of the IBA report to those interested in bird population biology and ecology, biodiversity, and conservation. The Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting Resolution D (2015) welcomed the report and recommended that Parties take into account the information in the report and undertake appropriate monitoring of bird population to inform future management actions. The United States, on behalf of the original sponsors of the papers, presents this short paper to inform WG-EMM and the SC-CAMLR of this valuable scientific resource.