SC-CAMLR-38

Currently, there are no standardised guidelines set by CCAMLR to calculate conversion factors for toothfish caught in New or Exploratory toothfish fisheries. As a consequence, it is likely that different methodologies for calculating conversion factors are used by SISO observers, vessels, companies and Members that operate in these fisheries. These differences could potentially introduce Read More
Submitted By:
Mr Matthew Baird (New Zealand)

Approved By:
Mr Luke Gaskin (New Zealand)

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This paper contains the revised version of the proposed draft Conservation Measure establishing a Marine Protected Area in Domain 1 (Western Antarctic Peninsula and South Scotia Arc) as presented in last year’s paper CC-CCAMLR-XXXVII/31.

The revised version of the D1MPA proposal addresses outstanding issues as raised by Members during the 37th Scientific Committee Meeting (Hobart, 2018 Read More
Submitted By:
Mr Máximo Gowland (Argentina)

Approved By:
Mr Máximo Gowland (Argentina)

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Fishing for Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides) has been carried out around South Georgia continually for more than 40 years, including more than 25 years under CCAMLR management.

This paper reviews the long-term decline in the size structure of Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides) observed in longline catches taken in the South Georgia Area (FAO Read More
Submitted By:
Dr Svetlana Kasatkina (Russian Federation)

Approved By:
Mr Dmitry Kremenyuk (Russian Federation)

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The reconciliation of CDS data with monthly fine-scale catch and effort data has demonstrated the effectiveness of the CDS to trace the catch of toothfish caught in the CCAMLR Convention Area. Whilst some variability has been observed amongst vessels, members have been contacted and dialogue is ongoing.

This document provides summary advice to the Commission on the Secretariat’s interpretation and application of procedures to monitor and forecast closures in CCAMLR fisheries in the 2018/19 season. Key issues in applying the procedures, and specific instances which resulted in catch over-runs and under-runs in certain circumstances are examined.

In response to a request from the Commission and Scientific Committee, the Secretariat worked intersessionally and communicated with Members to develop draft technical guidelines to assist vessels which encounter unidentified fishing gear in the Convention Area. The work is summarised, and the draft guidelines, which were published to the CCAMLR e-group in 2019.

The International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) advocates and promotes the practice of safe, environmentally responsible private-sector travel to the Antarctic. This paper provides an overview of Antarctic tourism trends and a summary of 2018-2019 IAATO activities it believes are most relevant to CCAMLR. IAATO is firmly committed to supporting the work of the Antarctic Read More
Submitted By:
Ms Amanda Lynnes

Approved By:
Ms Amanda Lynnes

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ASOC has submitted 7 background papers to this CCAMLR meeting, all containing policy recommendations on a variety of issues relevant to the work of the Commission, including on marine protected areas, krill fisheries management, climate change, vessel safety, transhipment and toothfish fisheries. Throughout the intersessional period, ASOC and its member groups have conducted a variety of Read More
Submitted By:
Ms Claire Christian

Approved By:
Ms Claire Christian

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The world is in a global climate and biodiversity crisis. Multiple international targets call for a global network of MPAs to curb biodiversity loss, and both the first and second CCAMLR Performance Review Panels (2008 and 2017, respectively) made recommendations for CCAMLR to advance its MPA work. Nearly two decades since MPA discussions began, there are significant gaps in the system of Read More
Submitted By:
Ms Claire Christian

Approved By:
Ms Claire Christian

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CCAMLR and the Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement (SIOFA) signed an Arrangement last year that included several areas for cooperation between the two organizations. Before this process was completed, however, significant fishing took place in SIOFA waters on toothfish stocks that straddle between the two areas. ASOC believes such fishing was not in the spirit of the Arrangement or the Read More
Submitted By:
Ms Claire Christian

Approved By:
Ms Claire Christian

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Given the large scale and hostile condition of the Southern Ocean, which accounts for almost 10% of the world ocean, the collection of scientific data and information in support of effective decision-making process is particularly challenging. To fulfill its obligation to provide scientific recommendations and advice for management, the SC-CAMLR is mandated to encourage and promote cooperation Read More
Submitted By:
Mr Lei Yang (China)

Approved By:
Ms Doro Forck (CCAMLR Secretariat)

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The latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report is a Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate (SROCC). The report compiles scientific evidence to make clear the devastating impacts that climate change are having on the oceans and polar regions. In this paper, ASOC provides a short overview of some of the report’s key findings and recommends that Read More
Submitted By:
Ms Claire Christian

Approved By:
Ms Claire Christian

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Information is presented on a Workshop for Training Russian Scientific Observers and Inspectors to work in fisheries in the CAMLR Convention Area held at the AtlantNIRO Institute in Kaliningrad (19-23 August 2019).

Fishery results in the 2018/19 season show that using current procedures for operational fisheries monitoring and forecasting did not ensure management of the Olympic fishery in the Ross Sea in accordance with regulation under CM 41-09, including the untimely notification of fishery closures while there was significant undercatch and the spatial redistribution of allowable catch. Russia would Read More
Submitted By:
Dr Svetlana Kasatkina (Russian Federation)

Approved By:
Dr Svetlana Kasatkina (Russian Federation)

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This paper summarises a review of the CCAMLR Marine Debris monitoring program and considers ways in which the current program could be modernised. It recommends that the Scientific Committee establish an Intersessional Correspondence Group on Marine Debris to review and revise the program, which would include defining its objectives, developing program materials, and developing an analytical Read More
Submitted By:
Ms Emily Grilly

Approved By:
Dr David Agnew (CCAMLR Secretariat)

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This paper presents proposals on the requirements and principals of creating a unified approach to developing a scientifically based Research and monitoring plan (RMP) for Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) by adopting procedural and implementational measures aimed at ensuring the effective operation of the RMP. These proposals reflect the Russia Federation's position regarding the establishment of Read More
Submitted By:
Dr Svetlana Kasatkina (Russian Federation)

Approved By:
Dr Svetlana Kasatkina (Russian Federation)

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Although the Ross Sea Region MPA (RSRMPA) has existed for three years, it is still unclear how research catch limits in the MPA should be allocated. The Scientific Committee's current recommendations on the allocation of allowable catch for surveys in MPAs from the TAC set for the exploratory Olympic fishery outside MPAs in the Ross Sea Region have no scientific justification and do not meet Read More
Submitted By:
Dr Svetlana Kasatkina (Russian Federation)

Approved By:
Dr Svetlana Kasatkina (Russian Federation)

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The Working Group stressed the urgency of standardising ageing method for krill. Information on krill age is fundamental to establishing an accurate growth curve and to calculate a recruitment index, the parameters for a GYM to estimate a sustainable yield (γ) (WG-EMM-19 Report Para 4.27). The WG-EMM 2019 recommended that the Scientific Committee identify resources to support a workshop to Read More
Submitted By:
Dr So Kawaguchi (Australia)

Approved By:
Dr Dirk Welsford (Australia)

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China, Italy and Republic of Korea submitted to the next coming CEP XXII - ATCM XLII a proposal for the designation of a new Antarctic Specially Protected Area (ASPA) at Inexpressible Island and Seaview Bay, Ross Sea. The co-proponents have prepared the draft ASPA Management Plan annexed to this paper, in accordance with the requirements of Annex V to the Protocol on Environmental Protection Read More
Submitted By:
Dr Marino Vacchi (Italy)

Approved By:
Dr Marino Vacchi (Italy)

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Scientific Committee has recognised that in order to maintain its leadership in ecosystem-based fisheries management, the implications of climate change should be considered by its working groups.

The robustness of CCAMLR’s tothfish management protocol, based on the Decision Rule, is evaluated by considering hypothetical, future changes in the fishery - stock interactions and the stock Read More
Submitted By:
Dr Chris Darby

Approved By:
Dr Chris Darby

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We briefly report on a workshop held from 10-14 June, 2019 at the Pôle Nautique and Museum of Natural History in Concarneau, France (immediately prior to the annual meetings of WG-SAM and WG-EMM). The Workshop was attended by representatives from ARK, ASOC, Pew, and WWF plus scientists from Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, Germany, Korea, Norway, Ukraine, the UK, and the USA. Funding for Read More
Submitted By:
Dr George Watters (United States of America)

Approved By:
Dr George Watters (United States of America)

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WG-EMM-2019 mapped out a revised management strategy which provides the highest likelihood that CCAMLR will be able to update its management of the krill fishery in subareas 48.1-4 by the time CM 51-07 expires. A key element of this procedure is the extension of the Risk Assessment to enable catches to be distributed across the area taking account of estimated predator demand. We request that Read More
Submitted By:
Professor Philip Trathan

Approved By:
Dr Chris Darby

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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 Read More
Submitted By:
Dr Odd Aksel Bergstad (Norway)

Approved By:
Dr Odd Aksel Bergstad (Norway)

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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 Read More
Submitted By:
Dr Odd Aksel Bergstad (Norway)

Approved By:
Dr Odd Aksel Bergstad (Norway)

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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.

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 Read More
Submitted By:
Mr Lei Yang (China)

Approved By:
Dr Xianyong Zhao (China)

Request Meeting Document

The WG-EMM noted that it’s urgent to develop the sampling protocol which can be used by the observer consistently. The WG-EMM 2019 stressed the priorities for data collection, information sharing and overall tasking for observers in the krill fishery and recommended the timeliness of holding a focused workshop. The delegation of China seek Scientific Committee’s endorsement of the draft terms Read More
Submitted By:
Professor Guoping Zhu (China)

Approved By:
Dr Xianyong Zhao (China)

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This paper presents catches of target species from directed fishing on toothfish, icefish and krill in the Convention Area in 2017/18 and 2018/19, and catches taken during research activities pursuant to CM 24-01, paragraph 3. Monthly catch totals for 2018/19, based on data reported to 13 September 2019, are presented with dates of closures of fisheries implemented by the Secretariat.

This document reflects the changes incorporated into the D1MPA proposal, based on new publications, WG-EMM discussions and documents regarding krill fishery management workplan, and suggestions made during the intersessional discussions after the D1MPA proposal was formally introduced by Chile and Argentina at CCAMLR XXXVII. It also addresses the outstanding issues raised by Members during the Read More
Submitted By:
Mr Máximo Gowland (Argentina)

Approved By:
Dr Enrique Marschoff (Argentina)

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This paper reports on the development of the CCAMLR MPA Information Repository (CMIR), which has been divided into two phases for development. Phase 1 is a proof of concept targeted for completion in October 2019, with outcomes including the deployment of the CMIR host server, a project submission portal, and developed workflow. The principal aim of Phase 1 is to have infrastructure in place Read More
Submitted By:
Ms Emily Grilly

Approved By:
Dr David Agnew (CCAMLR Secretariat)

Request Meeting Document

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.

The first annual meeting of the SCAR Krill Action Group (SKAG) met in Concarneau France on June 15th and 16th, 2019. The meeting  focused on several topics including  the  identification of  important  knowledge  gaps  in  krill  research  that  could  provide  data  in  support  of  the management needs of CCAMLR.

Cooperation between the Scientific Committee of CCAMLR (SC-CAMLR) and the Committee for Environmental Protection (CEP) has been steadily increasing over the last few years to the mutual benefit of both. In order to avoid duplicate reporting between the two committees and following discussions between the Chairs of the CEP and SC-CAMLR, the report of the CEP meeting is presented to SC-CAMLR by Read More
Submitted By:
Dr Polly A. Penhale (United States of America)

Approved By:
Mr Evan T. Bloom (United States of America)

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At SC-CAMLR 37, Germany informed the Scientific Committee about the marine scientific research expeditions in the wider Weddell Sea area south of 60° S with RV Polarstern, which were planned for the 2018/2019 Antarctic season (SC-CAMLR-XXXVII/BG/02). This present document provides some feedback and first results of these expeditions.

An international group of scientists, from the United Kingdom, Australia, Finland, France, Germany, Monaco, the United States and SCAR, including the majority of those holding long-term data and having experience of working with emperor penguins have formed an international collaboration to review the dependence and vulnerability of emperor penguins to ongoing and projected climate change. The Read More
Submitted By:
Professor Philip Trathan

Approved By:
Dr Chris Darby

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This report summarizes activities of Oceanites since CCAMLR-XXXVII and SC-CAMLR-XXXVII, including: 

• Results from the latest, 25th consecutive field season of the Antarctic Site Inventory 

• Update on the Mapping Application for Penguin Populations and Projected Dynamics (MAPPPD); and its use within the Antarctic Treaty system and in CCAMLR

• Working Group on Ecosystem Read More
  Submitted By:
  Mr Ron Naveen
  
  Approved By:
  Mr Ron Naveen
  
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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 Read More
Submitted By:
Dr Takehiro Okuda (Japan)

Approved By:
Ms Doro Forck (CCAMLR Secretariat)

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Gentoo (Pygoscelis papua) penguin colony population behavior/dynamics have been studied during 2018-19 season. The detailed observation of bird arrival, nesting, hatch and crèche has been provided in two colonies at GAI CEMP site at Galindez Island nearby the Vernadsky station. We inform on the results of visual survey of penguin population and penguin count. During the 2018/19 season Read More
Submitted By:
Dr Kostiantyn Demianenko (Ukraine)

Approved By:
Dr Kostiantyn Demianenko (Ukraine)

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In recent years, CCAMLR Member States have undertaken substantial efforts to designate marine protected areas (MPAs) within the CCAMLR Convention Area in order to conserve marine living resources and marine biodiversity. During the Commission meeting of 2018, a proposal was made by Norway on an approach to facilitate progress on the further development of the Weddell Sea MPA (WSMPA) proposal ( Read More
Submitted By:
Dr Odd Aksel Bergstad (Norway)

Approved By:
Dr Odd Aksel Bergstad (Norway)

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The scientific background in support of the Weddell Sea Marine Protected Area (WSMPA) has been discussed in the SC-CAMLR for 3 years. Some agreements has been reached in the SC-CAMLR, while substantial issues remain outstanding. China has actively engaged in those discussions and have provided serious and constructive suggestions on the issue.

SCAR is an interdisciplinary body of the International Science Council (ISC), comprising 44 member countries, nine ISC unions and many individual scientists. SCAR is charged with initiating, developing and coordinating high quality international scientific research in, from and about the Antarctic and the Southern Ocean, and providing objective, independent scientific advice.

SCAR’s Read More
Submitted By:
Rosemary Nash

Approved By:
Rosemary Nash

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This update by SCAR on recent advances in our understanding of climate change across the Antarctica and the Southern Ocean, and the impacts on the terrestrial and marine biota and ecosystems, builds on the material included in the Antarctic Climate Change and the Environment (ACCE) report, published by SCAR in 2009 (Turner et al. 2009), with an update of the key points in 2013 (Turner et al. Read More
Submitted By:
Rosemary Nash

Approved By:
Rosemary Nash

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The aim of the Workshop (see SC-CAMLR-XXXVII/24) was to explore how management strategies for the krill fishery can be integrated and harmonized. Such strategies include, but are not limited to, feedback management and the use of research zones including those within the proposed D1MPA and advice developed from risk assessments and ecosystem models.

We invite Members to collaborate with the U.S. AMLR Program to conduct a multi-national, empirical study of krill flux through the Bransfield Strait and across the continental shelf surrounding Astrolabe Island. We propose to conduct this study with 20+ acoustically instrumented moorings. Collaboration could include refining study design, deploying and recovering moorings, conducting separate Read More
Submitted By:
Dr George Watters (United States of America)

Approved By:
Dr George Watters (United States of America)

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An observation on the interaction between marine mammal and krill midwater trawl was carried out onboard the Chinese krill fishing vessel Fu Rong Hai during the 2018/19 fishing season. The underwater and on sea surface observations were both deployed. Although large numbers of Antarctic fur seal Arctocephalus gazella were observed around the vessel during the vessel fishing Read More
Submitted By:
Dr Yi-Ping Ying (China)

Approved By:
Dr Xianyong Zhao (China)

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Ukraine is planned to establish the Antarctic Specially Protected Area (ASPA) at the region of Argentine Islands Archipelago, adjacent islands of the Wilhelm Archipelago and costal oases of nearby Graham Coast Antarctic Peninsula (short abbreviation – AIGC ASPA). This ASPA will include the terrestrial area with marine component, which consists of inter-island water areas within the central Read More
Submitted By:
Dr Kostiantyn Demianenko (Ukraine)

Approved By:
Dr Kostiantyn Demianenko (Ukraine)

Request Meeting Document

To move towards ecosystem-based management of the Antarctic krill fishery and meet the requirements of Article II of the Convention, ASOC recommends that:

• SC-CAMLR endorses the work plan proposed by WG-EMM and prioritizes implementation of the work plan to enable revision of Conservation Measure (CM) 51-07.
• SC-CAMLR agrees on the need to conduct subarea or finer scale Read More
  Submitted By:
  Ms Claire Christian
  
  Approved By:
  Ms Claire Christian
  
  Request Meeting Document

A list of events attended by the Scholarship holder for 2019 with the support of the CCAMLR Scientific Scholarship is presented. The types of work that have been completed and the knowledge that is planned to be acquired during the visit to the Mentor are presented.

The second CCAMLR Performance Review Panel in 2017 recommended that the “relationship between krill and whales may need greater attention” (CCAMLR-XXXVI/01). There have recently been significant advancements in the understanding of the status of whales, much of scientific and management relevance to CCAMLR. As CCAMLR works to progress management of the krill fishery and develops a network of Read More
Submitted By:
Ms Claire Christian

Approved By:
Ms Claire Christian

Request Meeting Document

In 2016 the Commission adopted Conservation Measure (CM) 91-05, establishing the Ross Sea region Marine Protected Area (RSRMPA). Annex B of this CM specifies the RSRMPA specific objectives and the Management Plan. In addition, Annex C specifies the Priority elements for Scientific Research and Monitoring, including research and monitoring priorities, and research and monitoring questions that Read More
Submitted By:
Mr Nathan Walker (New Zealand)

Approved By:
Mr Nathan Walker (New Zealand)

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SOOS has been recognised by the Scientific Committee as having an important role to play in CCAMLR ecosystem monitoring and observation, spatial management of impacts on ecosystems, climate change, and data delivery and management. Reciprocally, CCAMLR is important to SOOS as an international, scientific body that advocates for and collects observational Southern Ocean data.

In Read More
Submitted By:
Dr Louise Newman (SCOR)

Approved By:
Dr Ed Urban

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Marine debris data were collected at Bird Island and King Edward Point, South Georgia, at Signy Island, South Orkneys and at Goudier Island, Antarctic Peninsula for the period April 2018 to March 2019. Surveys of beached marine debris at Bird Island recorded a total of 141 items during austral winter (April to September 2018) and 404 items during summer (October 2018 to March 2019). Twelve Read More
Submitted By:
Professor Philip Trathan

Approved By:
Dr Chris Darby

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The “Expert Workshop on Pelagic Spatial Planning for the eastern subantarctic region (Domains 4, 5 and 6)” was held in Cape Town ( South Africa) between 26th and 30th August 2019. The workshop developed a scientific work program that will result in both pelagic abiotic and biotic classifications of the Planning Domains using geographic, biological and oceanographic features. Distributions of Read More
Submitted By:
Dr Azwianewi Makhado (South Africa)

Approved By:
Mr Johan de Goede (South Africa)

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The objective of the MESOPP project ‘Mesopelagic Southern Ocean Prey and Predators' is to :

1. Make an inventory of science challenges, stakes and existing policies and develop tools to federate and structure the community;
2. Start to organise the related marine ecosystem community between the EU and Australia through two implementation actions
3. Propose a R&D Read More
   Submitted By:
   Professor Philippe Koubbi (France)
   
   Publication:
   (2019). Report from the EU-H2020 MESOPP project, MESOPP-19-0007: 19 pp.
   
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