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    Towards a risk assessment for Subareas 48.2 and 48.3

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    Document Number:
    WG-EMM-2021/29
    Author(s):
    V. Warwick-Evans, F. Perry, S. Fielding and P.N. Trathan
    Submitted By:
    Professor Philip Trathan
    Approved By:
    Dr Chris Darby
    Abstract

    CCAMLR has now endorsed a new strategy for the management of Antarctic krill Euphausia superba. This combines outputs from a (i) Generalised Yield Model, (ii) updated krill biomass estimate, and (iii) a risk assessment, to identify catch limits and their spatial distribution for the krill fishery so that harvesting remains precautionary. The risk assessment can be used to identify how to spread the catch in order to minimise risks to krill dependent predators and to juvenile krill. The framework combines three components: localised risk to predators, localised risk to krill and desirability to the fishery. Localised risk to predators relates to the potential for interference by the fishery on predator foraging performance. Predation pressure (consumption of krill as a proportion of biomass of krill) is used as an index of predator risk. Localised risk to krill includes areas dominated by juvenile krill. The desirability to the fishery is a measure of the relative importance of each area to the fishery.

    In this paper we report on the ongoing development of the data layers necessary to implement the risk assessment in Subareas 48.2 and 48.3.