CCAMLR

This report summarises fishing catch and effort in the Ross Sea region (Subarea 88.1 and SSRUs 88.2AB) together with biological characteristics of the catch of Antarctic toothfish through the 2019 season. The implementation of the Ross Sea Region Marine Protected area in December of 2017, concentrated fishing on the slope south of 70° S on the traditional fishing grounds, with some expansion of effort extending into SSRUs 88.2A and 88.2B, which are now open to fishing. Data are now summarized with respect to the current management areas.

The median and 90^th percentile of the scaled length distributions showed no trends in the different management areas; interannual variability is likely driven by spatial patterns in fishing. The strongest time trend in the data is the change in the sex ratio over time in the north, becoming gradually more male. The number of fish recaptured in 2019 was greater than in previous years; some fish were recaptured after 16 years at liberty. Recaptures were higher in 2019, likely a result of more tagged fish in the population and greater concentration of fishing effort on traditional fishing grounds.

This paper contains the report on outcomes of the work carried out by France and, in part by the CCAMLR Secretariat, proposed by France at CCAMLR-XXXVII, as endorsed by the Commission. The satellite overwatch project involved the receipt of images from target surveillance areas within the Convention Area, which were provided from the European Space Agency to the French Fisheries Maritime Control Center (FMCC). Part A of the paper reports on images analysed by the French FMCC containing a geographical position which were provided to the CCAMLR Secretariat for comparison with CCAMLR VMS data. The Secretariat was provided with 44 operable images, which corresponded with two CCAMLR authorised vessels. Part B of the paper reports on the analysis of AIS data carried out by the French agency CEREMA.

This paper provides analysis on the data collated by GLOBEFISH from publicly released sources for the trade of toothfish products for the 2018 calendar year. The analysis has identified that in 2018 toothfish was most commonly traded as an unprocessed frozen product which could be in various forms with mean unit values of 24.03 US$/kg for imports and 23.40 US$/kg for exports. The data identified the largest importer was the United States of America (USA), accounting for 36.50% of the global import market. The largest exporter was Chile accounting for 17.90% of the global export market. Application of the Max Partner Pair (MPP) estimation methodology identified the USA again as the largest importer, with 28.33% of global imports. France was estimated to be the largest exporter, with 18.61% of global exports. A comparison of the total quantity of toothfish products traded for imports and exports between global trade data and the CDS found that they are similar for imports with a 4.43%, but vastly different for exports with a 32.34% difference.

Gear loss as reported by longline vessels from the 2018 and 2019 fishing seasons, including differences in line loss by gear type, is reviewed following recommendations made at WG-FSA-18. Vessels reported 1 632 km of line lost in the Convention Area, of which 27% were complete lines. There was no difference in the relative reporting of lost hooks by gear type, with rates of loss recorded at 0.3% for each gear type for the past two seasons. There was a significant difference in the frequency of complete line loss between gear types, with a higher rate of complete line loss for trotline than for Spanish or autoline. It is important to improve reporting in order to accurately quantify rates of gear loss, and the associated environmental impact. It is also important to identify differences in gear design and fishing techniques that might influence rates of gear loss in longline fisheries.

The Republic of Korea would like to provide CCAMLR Members with further information, following-up to SCIC's request made in 2018 (SCIC-2018 Report, paragraph 81).

This paper reports on the development of the CCAMLR MPA Information Repository (CMIR), which has been divided into two phases for development. Phase 1 is a proof of concept targeted for completion in October 2019, with outcomes including the deployment of the CMIR host server, a project submission portal, and developed workflow. The principal aim of Phase 1 is to have infrastructure in place that will support submission and hosting of MPA project data. The Secretariat will provide support to Members to begin submitting projects following completion. Phase 2 will further develop the CMIR with a focus on user interaction, exploration of RMP projects, and server design. Phase 2 outcomes include an established CMIR host server, and development of a search portal as well as tools to support MPA reporting. Updates and recommendations related to Phase 2 will be presented at WG-EMM-2020.

CCAMLR hosts a list of taxa based on the  Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Information System (ASFIS) List of Species for Fishery Statistics Purposes published by the FAO.The species names used in CCAMLR need to be up to date with current classification and phylogenies. The World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS - www.marinespecies.org) is managed by taxonomic and thematic experts to provide an authoritative and comprehensive taxonomic classification for all taxa. Inconsistencies between  the CCAMLR taxon list with the most recent ASFIS list and WoRMS were identified.  The Secretariat proposes the use  of WoRMS as a taxonomic reference within the CCAMLR taxon list to address taxonomic inconsistencies within the CCAMLR Master Data Programme.

SOOS has been recognised by the Scientific Committee as having an important role to play in CCAMLR ecosystem monitoring and observation, spatial management of impacts on ecosystems, climate change, and data delivery and management. Reciprocally, CCAMLR is important to SOOS as an international, scientific body that advocates for and collects observational Southern Ocean data.

In recognition of this, this Background Paper provides an update on SOOS activities of the last year, that are relevant to the CCAMLR community

Minimising seabird interactions with longline operations is a key objective of the management of fisheries in CCAMLR (see e.g. Conservation Measure CM 25-02 and 41-08). Longline fishing in the fishery for Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides) in Statistical Division 58.5.2 started as a winter fishery (1 May - 14 September) to minimise seabird interactions, and has employed a wide range of seabird mitigation measures since the initial fishing season in 2003. Over the years, CCAMLR has agreed to add season extensions from 15-30 April and 15 September - 31 October to the core season. In 2015, CCAMLR XXXIV (para. 5.68) endorsed new pre-season (1-14 April) and post-season (15-30 November) season extension trials, in addition to an existing post-season (1-14 November) extension trial.

We recommend that the three season extension trial periods be added to the existing season extensions for the fishery, as the risk in the period of the three season extension trials is comparable to that in the existing season extension period. The risk of seabird mortality during these trial extensions has been analysed relative to that in the core season and existing season extensions. The rate of seabird mortality in the core fishing season and the existing post season extension from 15 September - 31 October, was less than 0.0001 birds per 1000 hooks (or less than 0.1 birds per million hooks). The rates of seabird mortality for the pre-season and two post season extension trials were comparable to that during the existing pre-season extension from 15-30 April.

Given the specification and application of effective seabird bycatch mitigation by fishing vessels in this fishery, we also recommend that the requirement for any vessel to demonstrate full compliance with Conservation Measure 25-02 in the previous season be removed in CM 41-08 (para. 3).