CCAMLR

The Prince Edward Islands support the largest breeding population of the vulnerable Wandering Albatross Diomedea exulans. The number of birds breeding in this population has fluctuated over the past three decades and appears to be the result of both real changes in the size of the population and changes in the proportion of the population that attempts to breed in a given year. We describe changes in several demographic parameters that appear to be influenced by both environmental and anthropogenic effects. The proportion of first-time breeders in the population was positively correlated with the maximum ENSO index, while the annual survival rates of breeding adults was negatively correlated with Japanese pelagic longline fishing effort in the Southern Indian Ocean. Adult survival rates were significantly correlated with those recorded on neighbouring Possesion Island (Crozet Islands) but differed from those at South Georgia, suggesting common factors operating at ocean-basin scale. The average survival rate of adult females was lower than that of males. Males who lost partners took 40% longer than females to find a new mate, suggesting a male-biased population. Survival rates of juvenile males and females did not differ. The age distribution of first-time breeders has shifted progressively towards younger birds during the 1990s. Higher than expected survival rates of breeding adults during the late 1990s may be linked to large amounts of supplementary food being made available by the initiation of a longline fishery for Patagonian Toothfish Dissostichus eleginoides close to the islands during this time. Overall, breeding success was better than recorded at other localities, indicating that breeding conditions at Marion Island were favorable. The implementation of international conservation initiatives to reduce the impact of longline fishing on this species and improve its conservation status, is recommended.

The diet of Antarctic toothfish Dissostichus mawsoni captured by bottom longline in the Ross Sea was studied during the 2001 (3937 stomachs examined) and 2002 (5426 stomachs examined) summer fishing seasons. Fish sampled in 2001 were caught in 317-2154 m depths and ranged in length from 58–190 cm total length (TL) while fish sampled in 2002 were caught in 815-1623 m depths and ranged in length from 62–197 cm TL. A high proportion of stomachs sampled were empty (34% in 2001 and 49% in 2002) and the remaining stomachs often contained prey in advanced stages of digestion, making prey identification difficult. Fish were the most important prey category (86% of stomachs in 2001 and 78% in 2002), in particular icefish (family Channichthyidae) and Whitson’s rattail Macrourus whitsoni. Squid, bait, and prawns were also important prey items.

Considerable progress was made on the survey database in early 2002. However, this work had to be postponed because of a higher priority need for developing a web-based data system for the Catch Documentation Scheme. Work on the survey database in 2002 included:
• revision of the database model;
• documentation of the database specifications;
• development of data uploading routines;
• revision of data extraction routine for CMIX and trawlCI; and
• processing of historical data.
The survey database consists of some 50 tables and 50+ stored procedures and triggers. A detailed description of the database specifications is given in ‘Technical Specifications for the Survey Database (see document in ‘\FSA 2002\Survey Database’ on the server). The primary tables are: Survey; SurveyEvent; CatchSummary; CatchLWSM; and Specimen. Data from sixteen surveys have now been uploaded to the survey database.
Substantial further work is required to complete key elements of the database, as well as tidy up and transfer existing CCAMLR data to the new survey database. Future work may also include the development of a stand-alone database for at-sea entry of survey data.