CCAMLR

Current Antarctic krill fishing practices have been deviating from historical fishing patterns, with catches concentrated recently in certain areas such as Subarea 48.1. Based on sea-ice reduction projections, concentrated catches in Subarea 48.1 during winter are expected to occur more frequently. The reproduction and survival of krill are significantly affected by sea ice cover. This is of concern since key spawning, recruitment and nursery areas of krill are located in the Southwest Atlantic sector, an area that has been warming rapidly, resulting in a reduction in the extent and duration of winter sea ice. CCAMLR needs to maintain a precautionary approach to krill fisheries management. The establishment of CM 51-07 – distributing the trigger limit among statistical subareas – was a step in the right direction. CCAMLR should retain CM 51-07 to avoid concentrating the catch in one sub-area as the trigger level is approached, reducing the risk of localized depletion of krill near predator colonies. Although the two-year experimental design of scientific observation produced positive results, it seems that sufficient observer data will not be obtained to allow the CCAMLR Scientific Committee to provide advice to the Commission. Thus, CCAMLR should persist in its efforts to work toward 100% observer coverage across all vessels in the krill fishery as the best way to achieve systematic observer coverage. The review of CEMP has become a high priority for the Working Group on Ecosystem Management and Monitoring. An expanded and reformulated CEMP will require new sources of funding and thus, CCAMLR will need to develop funding mechanisms, such as a dedicated CEMP Fund, to ensure the necessary resources are available. Uncertainties over green weight, krill escape mortality and the impacts of krill fishing on fish larvae continue to be a reason for concern.

Given Resolution 22/XXV, paragraph 3 concerning the mortality of Convention Area Seabirds to the north of the Convention Area and the request by IMAF, SC-CAMLR XXVII/15 (Para 4.3) to report these, this document provides an overview of the South African fishing sectors most likely to impact on these seabirds. A summary is provided of the recorded number of mortalities for each fishery where these data are available. All South African licenced vessels are regulated and permit conditions include regulations to minimise interaction with seabirds. There are five sectors of the South African fisheries that have the greatest potential to impact on seabirds that breed within the CCAMLR Convention Area. The demersal trawl and pelagic longline fisheries are responsible for the highest recorded mortalities of seabirds.  Independent research and measures imposed in the permit conditions for these sectors have appeared to effectively reduce catch rates from the high numbers recorded from 2004.  
The most vulnerable species to interaction in the demersal trawl fishery are Cape (Pintado) petrels, Daption capense. In the pelagic longline fishery, the highest mortality figures were recorded for White-chinned Petrel Procellaria aequinoctialis, followed by Shy Albatross Diomedea cauta.

France presented at CCAMLR XXVII an action plan aimed at reducing incidental avian mortality by 50% in the French EEZ included in the statistic division and subarea 58.5.1 and 58.6 for the period 2008/2009 to 2010/2011. The aim of this document is to present the various measures implemented and results achieved. The assessment also reports the actions taken since 2002 to reduce the incidental catch of sea birds in the area. In addition to the sharp decrease in incidental catch of seabirds in the French EEZ (see statistical report), this document presents new proposals that France would like to implement in order to pursue its efforts to minimize incidental captures.

Following the successful earlier start of the Dissostichus eleginoides fishing season in Subarea 48.3 (26th April in 2009/10 and 21st April in 2010/11) this paper summarises the results of the past two seasons and proposes moving the beginning of the fishing season to the 21st April with a further two five day extensions over the next two years to the 16th and then the 11th April.

Daylight setting is allowed in Subarea 48.4 and stringent mitigation measures have meant to date no bird mortalities have been recorded. Due to frequent storms vessels have been requesting the option to be able to set during daylight in Subarea 48.3 for safety reasons.  Recurrent cetacean presence also hampers fishing activities and the opportunity to daylight set would be beneficial as an avoidance technique. This paper proposes a 10 day trial (per vessel) of daylight setting between 1st July and 15th August (when there is the least bird activity).