We inform on the results of the data validation experiment provided for pictures from time-lapse cameras of the CEMP camera monitoring project of CCAMLR at Galindez Island gentoo colonies. During the 2017-2018 season biologists winterers at Vernadsky station, situated at Galindez Island, provided continuous observations every day of gentoo nests in the three sites where automatic time-lapse cameras installed. The results of visual observations have been compared with data from camera pictures, which registered the same nests that were observed. The comparison of the lay, hatch, and crèche dates demonstrates the reasonable correspondence within 0-3 days between visual observations and data, obtained by pictures processed with the standard deviation for each event vary from ±1 to ±3 days for 5 control nests at the each of three test sites.

In 2017 the fishery in the Northern Area of the Ross Sea Area 88.1 was opened for one day, closed for 2 days, and then re-opened, a situation that was criticised by some Members. The Secretariat has taken note of the responses to the consultation released in COMM CIRC 18/21 (CCAMLR Secretariat catch and effort monitoring procedure) and proposes a revised approach for catch and effort monitoring, and the calculation of closure dates, for the 2018/19 season in the Ross Sea:

• The Secretariat will follow a defined and published set of decision rules to calculate closure dates of exploratory fisheries in the Ross Sea. For the first 3 days of the fishery, when little information is available from the current fishing season, calculations will be made on historical catch data for the vessels that have notified their intent to fish. After this time the Secretariat will transition to a projection based on data reported from the current season.

• Because the catch in the Northern area is so small, significant over- or under- runs of the limit may be expected. The Secretariat proposes that the impact of this on the fishery is minimised by allowing both over- or under- runs to be accommodated within the overall catch limit with the following change to the CM 41-09:

(i) all areas outside the Ross Sea region marine protected area, which in Statistical Subarea 88.1 include SSRUs A, B, C, G, H, I, J and K

– 2 054 2 645 tonnes

Of which no more than 591 tonnes may be caught north of 70°S

• Clarification of the definition of when a vessel is operating in exploratory fisheries and the requirement for daily reporting.

This paper presents an update of the metrics of capacity and capacity utilisation presented in WG-SAM-14/19 and WG-FSA-15/09 in order to monitor trends in capacity in exploratory toothfish fisheries in Subareas 88.1 and 88.2. The updated metrics show the same pattern as in previous updates and do not indicate an excess of capacity in the fishery.  Interpretation of data for 2018 should be made in the context of changes in the area of operation and the application of fishery closures in the exploratory fishery in Subarea 88.1.

The Secretariat has prepared a meta-analysis of the target and by-catch reported in CCAMLR exploratory fisheries (as an update to WG-FSA-15/04 Rev. 1). The number of fish belonging to target species divided by the total number of fish caught (the target catch ratio) is used as simple metric of the relative level of target and by-catch reported for each haul. This index showed little variation between gear type and area. However, it appears that the differences in reporting between Members that were identified in 2015 remain apparent in the data. Measures to improve the quality of bycatch data reported in CCAMLR fisheries may include the development of a detailed manual on by-catch sampling as well as bycatch profiles for individual fisheries and gear types.

Local biomass of toothfish in research blocks in Subareas 48.6 and 58.4 have been estimated using a CPUE-by-seabed-area analogy method and Chapman tag-recapture methods following the advice of WG-SAM. The trend analysis decision rules developed by WG-FSA 17 were applied to provide catch limits for 2018/19. The only research blocks in which there were adequate recaptures were 486_2, 486_3 and 486_4. However, as the trend in all three of these research blocks was declining the revised catch limit is determined as 0.8 times the existing catch limit. The revised catch limits for all but one of the research blocks was determined by the requirement that the absolute change in the existing catch limit should not exceed 20%.

Data on fish bycatch in the krill fishery from commercial catch data (120 949 hauls) and CCAMLR SISO data (17 455 hauls) up to 20 Sept 2018 was used to examine the frequency of occurrence, length-frequency distribution and geographic provenance of the key fish taxa reported. There is an increase in the data quality from the observer scheme and an increase in the frequency of fish bycatch in the commercial krill fishery catch data. As in previous years there was a high degree of overlap in the most frequently reported taxa in the C1 data and SISO data, with Lepidonothen larseni the most frequently reported in both datasets. The length-frequency distribution of all taxa for which >200 fish were measured had modal size class of <10 cm.

The Secretariat received fishery notifications for exploratory fisheries for toothfish and established fisheries for krill for 2018/19. No notifications were received for new fisheries. The details of all fishery notifications, including related documents, can be viewed on the CCAMLR website.

Detailed responses to the consultation feedback are presented. The Secretariat proposes to make a number of changes to its existing practices, particularly around providing information to Members and providing transparency on data acquisition systems and the algorithms it uses for data validation and preparation. The Secretariat also proposes to strengthen its staffing support for Data Management issues. Finally, two projects are proposed for development in 2019, one to trial electronic reporting of catch data and one to develop a stable, documented warehouse of CCAMLR data.