CCAMLR

The intersessional meeting focused on the organisation and future of the IWC. The meeting identified a range of options for streamlining the working methods and practices of the Commission which were subsequently discussed in the intersessional period prior to the 60th Annual Meeting. As a result of these discussions, the Commission was able to develop consensus documents on both improved practices and a path towards resolution of substantive issues affecting the IWC. The intersessional meeting was therefore of limited direct relevance to the substance of the work done by CCAMLR but the proposed streamlining of the IWC administrative arrangements may be of interest to some CCAMLR members.

Bottom fisheries are now to ‘avoid significant adverse impacts on vulnerable marine ecosystems’ in order to maintain the ecological structure and function of, particularly, deep sea benthic habitats.  Noting the paucity of data on the ecology of these habitats, this paper provides a practical approach to develop and evaluate fishing strategies aimed at achieving this objective i.e. what is the most cost‐effective way that fishers might be able to collectively enact this resolution? The UNGA requirement can be translated into a simple operational objective:  Maintain the quality of habitats above the level that can naturally restore the original structure and function within 20 years.  It does not require habitats to be categorised as “vulnerable marine ecosystems” or “invulnerable marine ecosystems”, a categorisation fraught with difficulty.  Instead, it means that habitats for which this would not easily be met would be more vulnerable than those for which the objective might be met most often.  This paper develops a simulation model for this task, representing key properties of the benthic system such as mosaics of a number of habitats along with their rates of decay, recovery and connectedness between areas. The model has been developed for use by CCAMLR to evaluate, using computer simulations, proposed within‐season and post‐season assessment and management approaches.  Most importantly, the model enables uncertainties to be captured in a straight‐forward manner to assist CCAMLR in maintaining its precautionary approach in managing Antarctic fisheries. The functions developed in this paper provide placeholders in the simulation framework and can be replaced when better functions are developed.  

In recent years there has been an increased focus on reducing ‘residual’ seabird captures that occur during hauling in CCAMLR longline fisheries. Haul captures were first recognised by CCAMLR as a problem as early as 1994/95 when steps were taken to reduce the attraction of birds to vessels during the hauling process.  Since 2003 increased efforts have been made to improve the design and performance of bird exclusion devices (BED) placed around the hauling bay. Observer data collected since 2003 suggests that there are two key aspects of effective BED, firstly that they provide a deterrent to birds landing near to the line as it is being hauled and secondly that birds are deterred from swimming or “jumping” into the area around the hauling bay. Data collected since 2003 are used to classify BEDs into three types and recommendations are made on a Type III BED that was developed in Division 58.5.2 and incorporates the two key functional characteristics required to reduce seabird captures during the haul. 

The current CCAMLR assessment method for the mackerel icefish (Champsocephalus gunnari) in sub‐area 48.3 employs the CMIX and GYM packages, which derives population numbers‐at‐age and projects these numbers forward under the given harvest control rule to set a two‐year TAC. One issue is the accurate identification of age cohorts from the survey data. In this paper we describe a length‐based approach that removes the problem of cohort determination. A stratified bootstrap technique (consistent with the current CCAMLR approach) is used to estimate the length distribution of the population from the survey data which, in conjunction with the bootstrapped survey biomass data, yields an estimate of the population numbers‐at‐length.

A comparison of this method and the existing age‐based CMIX/GYM methodology showed very good agreement in calculated yields for 2006, 2007 and 2009, and some differences for 2008 which were explained by an unusual length distribution from which it was difficult to reliably estimate age composition in CMIX. Using the 2009 survey data and the new methodology, we calculated a TAC according to the CCAMLR decision rules of 1577t and 933t for the 2009/10 and 2010/11 fishing seasons respectively. The respective estimates using the existing CMIX/GYM methodology were 1590t and 968t respectively

Le présent document synthétise les observations françaises en matière de pêche illicite pour l'année écoulée. Il propose une analyse des évolutions du phénomène et des axes d'amélioration de la lutte.

Le dispositif de surveillance des zones économiques exclusives (ZEE) françaises déployé par la France a été maintenu tout au long de l’année. Il s’est révélé efficace, et la pêche INN ne se manifeste plus dans les ZEE. Les relevages d’engins de pêche INN sont en diminution constante depuis 2004. La ressource durement éprouvée par la pêche INN dans les ZEE de Kerguelen et de Crozet est aujourd’hui sauvegardée. S’il existe une faible possibilité d’incursions passagères, elle demeure trop incertaine pour permettre d’affirmer que des prélèvements INN ont eu lieu dans les ZEE de Crozet et de Kerguelen.

La pêche INN continue de se manifester en zone CCAMLR dans les eaux internationales, avec cependant moins de vigueur que les années précédentes. Le schéma annuel de travail de la flottille INN semble aussi s’être modifié, avec une relative désaffection des bancs Banzare et Elan cette saison et une réorientation des activités illicites vers des haut fonds de moindre importance (Marion Dufresne seamont), plus disséminés (Bruce bank, Ob et Lena seamont), mais parfois en limite de ZEE de Kerguelen (Lameyde Ridge).

La tendance à utiliser le filet maillant est confirmée, tous les navires INN observés semblent utiliser cette technique de pêche.

La présence de moyens de surveillance portant les marques de la CCAMLR ne semble pas suffisante pour dissuader totalement les navires INN de poursuivre leurs activités. Cependant les éléments observés ces derniers mois montrent un net ralentissement des activités INN.

Как известно, региональное изменение климата является установленным фактом в Антарктике, особенно в районе Антарктического п-ова. Одним из наиболее явных свидетельств изменения климата является разрушение шельфового ледника; в целом, за последние десятилетия отступило 87% ледников этого полуострова. Разрушение шельфовых ледников приведет к возникновению новых морских местообитаний и к биологической колонизации. Колонизация этих местообитаний может просто включать виды из районов, непосредственно прилегающих к разрушившемуся шельфовому леднику; однако могут иметь место и другие сложные процессы, т. к. более теплые воды могут создать условия для возвращения видов, которые там обитали во время последнего межледникового периода, более теплого, чем настоящее время. Кроме того, изменившаяся динамика экосистемы может также позволить вторжение новых чужеродных видов, т. к. потепление океана потенциально устраняет физиологические барьеры, которые ранее привели к изоляции антарктического бентоса. Учитывая сложный характер возможных взаимодействий и необходимость их изучения в отсутствие любых других антропогенных пертурбаций, мы рекомендуем, чтобы участки, находящиеся под существующими шельфовыми ледниками (по состоянию на 2010 г.) в подрайонах 48.1, 48.5 и 88.3, были сделаны неэксплуатируемыми морскими охраняемыми районами и чтобы границы этих районов отныне оставались постоянными, даже если шельфовые ледники отступят или разрушатся в будущем.

Data on the main population of black petrel (Procellaria parkinsoni), which breeds on Great Barrier Island, were analysed. Three types of data were available. The most useful was abundance data, from which it was possible to infer that the population was probably increasing at a rate between 1.2% and 3.1% per year. Mark-recapture data were useful in estimating demographic parameters, like survival and breeding success, but contained little information on population growth rates. Fishery bycatch data from observers were too sparse and imprecise to be useful. The fact that the population is probably increasing shows that there is no evidence that fisheries currently pose a risk to this population. However, this does not imply that there is clear evidence that fisheries do not pose a risk to this population. The mean age of first breeding for black petrel is estimated to be 6.7 y. Before this, new adults spend an average of 1.2 y in the colony as pre-breeders, with only 3% skipping the pre-breeder phase. Of birds that appear in the study area as pre-breeders and survive to breed, only 68% do so in the study area. Once birds start breeding, their annual survival rate is 0.89, 80% breed each year, and of those, 77% are successful (i.e., produce a fledgling). Survival rates before the pre-breeder stage are not well determined because we can’t distinguish mortality from emigration (birds that breed in an area away from where they were hatched). Two recommendations for further monitoring of this population are: periodic repeats of the transect based abundance estimation last done in 2005 (to determine whether the population is increasing or declining); and the use of data loggers to improve our knowledge of the birds’ foraging range and thus help to identify fisheries that might be affecting this population. (New Zealand Aquatic Environment and Biodiversity Report, 51 (2010), ISSN 1176-9440)

Software is presented for the automated production of standardised image plots of spatially referenced data. While developed to satisfy the specific requirements of WG-FSA, the routines have been developed to be as generic as possible and may be useful for displaying a wide range of data. This software is submitted to be appraised by WG-SAM in the hope it may prove a useful tool within CCAMLR Working Groups for the display of spatially referenced data.

We report on progress towards developing a Minimum Realistic Model for investigating trophic relationships between Antarctic toothfish (Dissostichus mawsoni) and four groups of demersal fish in the Ross Sea, Antarctica. These demersal fish are known to form a part (in some cases a substantial part) of the diet of Antarctic toothfish of a size commonly taken by the Ross Sea fishery and are also taken as bycatch by the fishery: (1) macrourids (especially Whitson’s grenadier, Macrourus whitsoni); (2) icefish (especially Chionobathyscus dewitti); (3) deep sea cods (especially violet cod, Antimora rostrata); and (4) eel (moray) cods (Muraenolepsis spp.). Changes to the abundance of Antarctic toothfish due to fishing could affect these prey groups and the trophic relationship between these groups and toothfish. A Minimum Realistic Model is the most appropriate modeling approach to investigate what changes in the abundances of these four demersal fish prey/bycatch groups in the Ross Sea are possible, and what changes in the trophic relationships between Antarctic toothfish and these prey groups may occur. Feedback on the model is sought. Work on this model will continue through 2010 and 2011 and will be presented to CCAMLR in due course.