CCAMLR

In January 2009 the UK undertook a bottom trawl survey of CCAMLR Sub-area 48.3 on the FV Sil. A total of 71 random and representative 30 min tows were made giving good geographic coverage. The estimated mean biomass of Mackerel icefish (Champsocephalus gunnari) calculated using 10 strata, updated sea-floor areas and adjusting for the low headline height of the trawl (see CCAMLR WG-FSA (2003)) was 31,753 t with a lower 1-sided CI at 18,904 t. Catches of icefish across the region were dominated by a single length class whose mean length varied between South Georgia and Shag Rocks and were assumed to be 3+. Very few juvenile fish were observed except in the south eastern sector of the South Georgia shelf. Icefish diet was dominated by the amphipod, Themisto gaudichaudii with very low levels of krill, Euphausia superba found. This was likely to have been a result of the anomalous environmental conditions experienced at South Georgia during 2009. Biomass estimates and length frequencies are reported for other non-target species. There was evidence that the large cohort of juvenile Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides) observed an all surveys since 2003 had moved into deepwater and was no longer present at depths <300m. The estimate of biomass of the marbled rockcod, Notothenia rossii was considerably higher than estimated from the 2008 survey data.

For the first time in the history of deepwater longline fishing on Antarctic toothfish Dissostichus mawsoni (Norman, 1937) the experimental settings of deepwater vertical longlines was made from the Russian longliner Yantar in March, 2008 in the Amundsen Sea (subarea 88.2,D of the Pacific sector). The experiments proved that this species, one of the most valuable large commercial species of the South Ocean resided in bathypelagial as well as near the bottom.

Three aspects of current management of the “exploratory” Antarctic toothfish (Dissostichus mawsoni) fishery in Area 88 indicates that less-than-full precaution is being exercised in the face of climate-related environmental changes currently underway. These aspects are: 1) lack of knowledge about how environmental variability affects this species’ recruitment; 2) an inherent sensitivity of this species to climate-related factors; and 3) an increase in that sensitivity owing to the targeted removal of the oldest, most successful and most fecund toothfish. The current strategy is to deplete the pre-fished biomass slowly but ultimately by 50% by about 2025 (Pinkerton et al. 2007), i.e. not all at once. Based on information in the literature not available when the current CCAMLR Area 88 Antarctic toothfish management was formulated, we discuss why such a strategy is unlikely to result in a sustainable fishery, and we propose solutions to the problem.

Conservation Measure (CM) 22-06 requires the Secretariat to maintain an inventory of vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs) in the Convention Area for circulation to Contracting Parties and other relevant bodies. In addition, CM 22-07 requires the Secretariat to notify fishing vessels in the relevant fishery and their Flag States of the location of VME risk areas and fine-scale rectangles. The Secretariat has established an interim VME registry for archiving notifications of encounters with VMEs during the course of research surveys (CM 22-06) and VME-indicator notifications from fishing vessels (CM 22-07). The registry operates within the existing CCAMLR database infrastructure, with data being stored in the Secretariat’s secure Data Centre. Information on new VME risk areas or fine-scale rectangles is emailed to fishing vessels and their Flag States within one working day of receipt. An up-to-date list of risk areas and fine-scale rectangles for each fishery is distributed in the fishery summary reports which the Secretariat emails regularly to Flag States and their vessels participating in exploratory bottom fisheries. Further development of the registry is required to meet all of the requirements of CM 22-06, and some options may include the development web-based components, user-defined maps, public access sections and links with other, related regional and global programs. In the longer term, some components of the registry may be extended to further support CCAMLR’s scientific and management work on VMEs. WG-FSA, the Scientific Committee and the Commission may wish to advise on a suitable work plan for the development of the VME registry, including consideration of data confidentiality issues and budget implication.

The paper presents an estimate of IUU catches of toothfish during the 2008/09 fishing season, using the standard methodology.

Compendium of information on fisheries of relevance to the work of WG-FSA including availability of data, data-related developments, catches in assessed and exploratory fisheries, notifications for fisheries and research and estimates of IUU fishing. Where applicable, WG-FSA’s 2009 fishery reports have been updated with this information.