CCAMLR

During February and March 2008 New Zealand carried out a major research voyage into the Ross Sea region in support of the International Polar Year Census of Antarctic Marine Life (IPY-CAML). The 50 day voyage on the research vessel Tangaroa involved an extensive survey of marine organisms from viruses to pelagic and demersal fish and cephalopods in depths from the surface down to 3500 m, and from the continental shelf and slope of the Ross Sea to unexplored seamounts and abyssal plains immediately to the north. Multifrequency acoustic data (12, 38, 70, and 120 kHz) were collected throughout the survey. Mark identification was achieved using targeted midwater trawls. Additional midwater and demersal trawls were carried out at randomly selected locations over the shelf as part of the core biodiversity survey. The main target species of the acoustic survey work was Antarctic silverfish (Pleuragramma antarcticum). Silverfish are a key link between plankton and the community of top predators in the shelf waters of the Ross Sea, but little is known of many ecological and biological aspects of this species. Silverfish were widely distributed over the Ross Sea shelf. Adult silverfish tended to form layers at 150–450 m depth and were sometimes present close to the bottom, where they were frequently caught in demersal trawls shallower than 500 m. A weak layer at about 80 m depth was found to be associated with juvenile silverfish of 40–80 mm standard length. The other major source of acoustic backscatter on the Ross Sea shelf was ice krill (Euphausia crystallorophias). Further north, over the slope and abyssal plain, acoustic marks were associated with myctophids (Electrona spp) and Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba). Acoustic backscatter from both silverfish and krill marks increased with increasing frequency (i.e., was highest at 120 kHz), which is characteristic of species without an air-filled swimbladder. Acoustic target strength (TS) estimates for silverfish at 38 kHz were estimated from anatomically detailed scattering models based on CT (computed tomography) scans of thawed specimens. The derived relationship between TS and fish length was unusual, having an extremely high slope for fish less than 11 cm. Preliminary estimates of acoustic biomass of silverfish in the Ross Sea based on this TS-length relationship were probably not credible, suggesting a very high biomass of juveniles (3 809 000 t) and much lower biomass of adults (118 000 t). Biomass estimates were also calculated for krill, with preliminary estimates (based on the krill TS of Greene et al. 1991) of 517 000 t (mainly E. crystallorophias) on the shelf, and 471 000 t (mainly E. superba) further north.

Acoustic target classification protocols recently adopted by utilising the Stochastic Distorted Wave Approximation (SDWBA) krill target strength model, are assessed. Three frequency acoustic data and concurrent net information, from 16 net hauls through krill aggregations, were collected during two cruises to the South Georgia region in 1996. For each net-sampled aggregation the differences between acoustic backscatter at and 38 kHz (SV120-3B) and at 200 and 120 kHz (Sv200-120) were calculated. Using the SDWBA model, dB difference identification ranges based on the length-frequencies of krill in each aggregation were calculated Four acoustic target classification algorithms were assessed: (i) '3 freq model' -using SDWBA-derived ranges for Sv120-38 and Sv200-120, (ii) '2 freq model' using an SDWBA-derived range for Sv120-3 , (iii) '2 freq 2-16' - with an Sv120-38 range of 2-16 dB and (iv) '2 freq 2-12' -with an Sv120-38 range of 2-12 dB The '3 freq model' algorithm parameterised using the standard CCAMLR values for orientation distribution correctly identified only 6 of the 16 krill aggregations sampled the nets. contrast the '2 freq model' and freq 2-16' algorithms correctly identified all the aggregations as krill. However, different krill orientation distributions for the two cruises were estimated with the SDWBA model, with cruise specific orientation distributions applied the performance of the '3 freq model' was comparable with the two frequency techniques. Such results indicate that use of the present SDWBA-derived ranges in the CCAMLR 3 frequency target classification protocol without taking account of krill orientation distribution is likely to substantially underestimate krill biomass

The Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels held the Third Session of its Meeting of the Parties from 27 April – 1 May 2009. Key outcomes of relevance to the Ad Hoc WG-IMAF were the adoption of the Advisory Committee’s Work Programme for 2010-2012 and the granting of approval for the ACAP Secretariat to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with CCAMLR. The proposed MoU has been submitted as a background document for consideration at CCAMLR XXVIII. There were no meetings of ACAP’s Advisory Committee or its Seabird Bycatch Working Group held since the last meeting of the meeting of the Ad-hoc WG IMAF. However, the Agreement was represented at the Second Joint Meeting of Tuna RFMOs and the outcomes of this meeting of relevance to the work of the Ad-hoc WG IMAF are reported on.

This paper documents recent and ongoing developments in New Zealand’s Exclusive Economic Zone that are relevant to the work of the IMAF working group. The bycatch of seabirds by fisheries within New Zealand’s EEZ in recent years that either breed or forage within the CCAMLR convention area (Convention Area seabirds) is detailed. This paper contains description of the recent and ongoing seabird mitigation trials that are underway in New Zealand. We also briefly report on the ongoing revision of the NPOA-Seabirds which will utilise both Level 1 and Level 2 risk assessment methodologies.

Seabird mortality levels caused by net entanglement in the icefish trawl fishery in Subarea 48.3 became a concern in the late 1990s. At this time there was little knowledge on how to mitigate such mortality. As an interim measures a vessel specific 20‐bird mortality threshold was introduced for Subarea 48.3 in 2001. This provided a strong commercial incentive for industry to develop measures to reduce seabird bycatch levels. This resulted in the development and operational trialing of several measures, including net‐binding and net weighting. Net binding has proved to be a highly effective and simply applied mitigation measure and is thought to be largely responsible for the continued reduction in incidental mortality in the icefish trawl fishery in Sub area 48.3 from 0.26 birds/trawl in 2001 to 0.01 birds/trawl in 2008. Evidence suggests that net weighting and good deck practices to minimise the time that the net is on the water’s surface have been the key factors in reducing seabird entanglements during the haul down from 132 birds in 2005 to single figures in 2007 and 2008. 

Three GLS datasets were added to the BirdLife Global Procellariform Tracking Database in 2008. 

Within the Crozet Islands Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), the Patagonian toothfish longline fishery is exposed to high levels of depredation by killer and sperm whales. In this context, this study (i) provides estimations of annual depredation levels on a 5-years period (2003-2008), (ii) proposes operational measures to reduce depredation levels using the current longline fishing technique. From 2003 to 2008, sperm whales alone, killer whales alone, and the two species co-occurring were observed on respectively 32.6%, 18.6% and 23.4% of the 4289 lines hauled out over this period. Over this 5 year period we estimated a total loss of 1200 tons of Patagonian toothfish due to depredation which represents a financial loss of approximately 10 millions €. Killer whales were found to be responsible for the largest part of this loss (70%) while sperm whales had a lower impact (30%). Photo-identification data revealed that among the 97 killer whales interacting with the fishery, however 35 individuals belonging to four different pods were involved in 81.3% of the interaction events. We also estimated that a total of 64 sperm whales interacted with the fishery on the Crozet EEZ in 2008. Significant variations of interaction rates with killer whales were detected between vessels suggesting the influence of operational factors on depredation. When killer whales were absent at the beginning of the line hauling process, short lines (<5000m) provided higher yield and were significantly less impacted by killer whales than longer lines. No differences were found if killer whales were present when hauling started. Based on the analyse of killer whales movements in relation to fishing vessel, when facing depredation we recommend vessels to leave their fishing area and travel on distances greater than 40Nm to prevent killer whales from finding them within few hours. More data are still needed to better understand how killer whales search and detect fishing vessels. In a way to suppress cetacean depredation fish traps will be tested on an experimental campaign which will take place in early 2010.