CCAMLR

The Fourth Meeting of the Scientific Committee (SC4) of the Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement (SIOFA) was held at the National Institute of Fisheries Science, in Yokohama, Japan from 25 – 29 March 2019. 

Takehiro Okuda (Japan) was the nominated CCAMLR Observer at the SC4 meeting and the CCAMLR Secretariat’s Science Manager attended  at the invitation of the Executive Secretary of SIOFA, Jon Lansley, as part of the ongoing development of collaboration between CCAMLR and SIOFA. The main areas of interest from a CCAMLR perspective were the discussion of SIOFA SC4 on VMEs, Patagonian toothfish catches and incidental mortality of seabirds.

SIOFA SC4 agreed that an increased level of interaction with CCAMLR was timely given the increased interest in fishing for Patagonian toothfish in SIOFA in areas adjacent to CCAMLR fisheries with full assessments.

For this study, Antarctic toothfish samples were collected from CCAMLR Subareas 48.2, 48.4, 48.6, 88.1, 88.2 and 88.3, Divisions 58.4.1, 58.4.2 and 58.5.2, and the SPRFMO area north of Subarea 88.1. Using approximately equal sample numbers spatially across CCAMLR Areas, DNA from 761 toothfish samples were extracted and of these 547 were deemed to contain sufficient quantity and quality to be sequenced by Diversity Arrays to identify variable nucleotide SNPs sites.

The analysis of SNPs indicated that the genetic structuring of Antarctic toothfish across the Southern Ocean is very weak. The sampled toothfish shared over 99.9% of the observed variation between sites. While some genetic differences could be attributed to the longitude the samples were collected from, these differences were not sufficient to assign samples back to their location.

The combination of large-scale egg and larvae dispersal and long-distance fish movement, even at only low levels, would be sufficient to contribute to the dissolution of the genetic stock structure and explain the results found in this study. However, the actual level of genetic stock exchange is difficult to determine.

Establishing MPAs for spatial management in the Convention Area requires the preliminary development of a unified approach and unified criteria supported with adequate scientific information and should be enshrined in CCAMLR conservation measures. Relevant proposals are discussed.

The Ross Sea region MPA Research and Monitoring Plan in its current form requires serious revision, refinement and further discussion by the Scientific Committee and its working groups (WG-SAM, WG-FSA) ahead of its discussion by the Commission. Comments and proposals are presented regarding the revision and improvement of the research and monitoring plan.

With reference to comments from WG-EMM 2019, further explanation is provided of the procedure to derive two-hour catches on Norwegian vessels using the Continuous Trawling System in the krill fishery. The procedure, now used on all vessels, splits the flow scale measured daily catch into two-hour catches using a distribution of the estimated two-hour catches derived from holding tank volumes and weights accumulated during successive two-hour intervals. The method is a combination of two methods referred to in CM 21-03 (Annex 21-03/B), but has elements not described in the CM. The paper offers additional explanation of the procedure and illustrates the daily records kept by the vessels, as of July 2019 also available for study by CCAMLR.  Recognizing that there has been lack of clarity on the procedure previously, it is proposed that the SC considers including reference to the procedure and a text description in CM 21-03.

CCAMLR in 2016 adopted Conservation Measure 91-05, establishing the Ross Sea region Marine Protected Area (RSRMPA). The RSRMPA entered into force on 1 December 2017. But there has been no research and monitoring plan (RMP) adopted by CCAMLR in place, which would have impacts on the delivery of the MPA objectives. There were great deal of discussions in this regard over the last two years, and divergent views expressed. With the intention to make contribution to improve the draft RSRMPA RMP, some observations and comments are made as follows.

China submitted its first paper (CCAMLR-XXXVII/32) in 2018 to CCAMLR on the development of research and monitoring plan for CCAMLR MPAs, which attracted lots of comments and suggestions. In order to further contribute to the discussions on this issue, China revised the paper from the scientific perspective, taking into serious consideration of inputs received last year.

The Intersessional Correspondence Group on Capacity Building for CCAMLR Members (ICG-CB) met by correspondence during 2019 and was Chaired by South Africa. Its primary aim was to coordinate a Capacity Building Workshop which was held in Cape Town, South Africa, in April 2019 and deliver on Terms of Reference agreed at CCAMLR-XXXVII. The ICG developed proposals for the objectives for Capacity Building activities, recommended that the Commission establish a General Capacity Building Fund, and proposed administrative mechanisms for its operation (see CCAMLR-38/BG/19).

Net monitoring during krill trawling is necessary to the industry and beneficial to CCAMLR science. Currently there is no workable alternative to a cabled connection between vessel and trawl sensors. Norwegian krill vessels conducting continuous trawling use a cabled connection where the trawl wire and net cable run in parallel and are closely aligned. This solution has now also been implemented on the FV Saga Sea because extensive trials carried out in 2017/18 with other alternatives were not successful. Extensive monitoring of bird interactions reflected in observer reports suggests that this particular rigging is compatible with the main objectives of CM 25-03, i.e. minimizing the incidental mortality of, or injury to, seabirds and marine mammals during trawl fishing.

As requested in a recommendation from WG-EMM 2019, this paper describes how the current net monitoring is being implemented. It also summarizes earlier experiments on the FV Saga Sea.

Based on the recognized need and utility of net monitoring devices and the continued technical requirement for cabled communication, Norway requests that the SC considers amending Article 1 of CM 25-03 so that uses of net monitoring cables that do not violate the objectives of reducing incidental mortality of, or injury to, seabirds become permitted.

Observers continue to monitor bird interactions on the Norwegian vessels and pertinent data are given in their reports. The proposed amended text of the Article 1 in CM 25-03 is therefore: “The use of net monitoring cables on vessels in the CCAMLR Convention Area is prohibited unless it is documented that the cable connection between trawl and vessel is rigged in such a manner that interactions with seabirds causing mortality or injury are minimized”.