At CCAMLR-XXXIII the Commission noted the discussion in the Scientific Committee on activities concerning toothfish in SSRUs 882A–B, where a clearer association of these SSRUs with the Ross Sea stock was considered, and recalled the discussion of the Commission in 2013 regarding the rationale for the revision of the boundary between Subareas 88.1 and 88.2. The Commission also reviewed last year's advice from the Scientific Committee on the matter (SC-CAMLR-XXXII, paragraph 3.160). The Commission was unable to make a decision based on this advice in  2013 (CCAMLR-XXXII, paragraphs 5.34–5.36), nor at the 2014 meeting. The commission encouraged Members to continue working on this issue intersessionally so that the Scientific Committee and its working groups can review it in 2015. The Scientific Committee asked the Commission to consider the matter again next year (SC-CAMLR-XXXIII, paragraph 3.228).

Biodiversity in candidate areas to be afforded protection based on historical observer data and data from research cruises in the Weddell Sea.

One condition for designating candidate sites to be afforded protection in the Weddell Sea is the subsequent yearly monitoring of these sites from research and fishing vessels, therefore knowledge about changes in interannual and seasonal ice dynamics is a fundamental factor for the successful completion of assigned research tasks in these designated waters. This also requires analysis of the navigation component.

This report provides an update on implementation of the Treaty of 24 November 2003 between France and Australia on Cooperation in the Maritime Areas Adjacent to the French Southern and Antarctic Territories (TAAF) at Heard and McDonald Islands, as well as the Agreement of 2007 on the Treaty's implementation. It summarises observations made by France with regard to illegal fishing from 15 July 2014 to 15 July 2015 in Statistical Subarea 58.6 and Divisions 58.5.1 and 58.5.2 which include the Crozet, Kerguelen and Heard and McDonald EEZs, and in international waters in Statistical Divisions 58.4.3 and 58.4.4, which include BANZARE, Elan, Lena and Ob Banks. 

In the French EEZs, where the surveillance system was in operation for the whole period, no observations of IUU fishing activity were noted or reported, although fishing gear not belonging to licensed vessels was found. Furthermore, no IUU fishing activity was directly observed by France in the above-mentioned international areas. 

Further to COMM CIRC 15/31 regarding the sighting of two unknown vessels on 20 February 2015 in Division 58.4.1 by the South Korean vessel Kingstar, France informed CCAMLR Members (COMM CIRC 15/55 of 28 May 2015) that there was every indication that one of the vessels was the Japanese whaling vessel Yushin Maru.

During CCAMLR's Annual Meeting in 2014, following a proposal by SCIC, France and the Secretariat decided to develop, in 2015, a six-month pilot initiative to use satellite surveillance. Under this partnership to strengthen the fight against IUU fishing, France’s in-kind contribution to the initiative consists in making a number of resources available to the Secretariat at no charge, notably use of the Kerguelen transmission station to receive and transmit satellite data relating to Elan Bank. 

During first half of 2015, joint patrols with Australia recommenced, with the Australian patrol vessel Ocean Shield carrying out its patrols with two French fishery inspectors on board. The implementation of the Treaty and the Agreement between France and Australia will continue in 2017 with the commissioning of two new vessels.

WG-EMM recently requested that SC-CAMLR consider developing a communications strategy.  With the advent of the web-based technology for rapporteurs and Members to jointly develop reports of meetings, the Secretariat has indicated that it would be possible to use a similar approach for developing and adopting reports on specific topics, such as fishery reports, and making them rapidly available.  It is proposed that the Scientific Committee develop an expanded set of reference documents as part of its strategy for communicating the history and status of its science to the Commission, the wider scientific community and the public. It is also proposed that the Secretariat’s web-based approach for developing meeting reports be used as the basis for developing these reference documents.  This proposal does not aim to have a number of documents developed quickly but more to identify documents that might be useful and then provide mechanisms for interested Members and the Secretariat to develop these as time and resources permit.  Fishery Reports and CCAMLR’s Approach to Management could be the first documents to be edited and updated using this approach.

In recent years, there has been an increase in the number and complexity of issues that the Commission (and Scientific Committee) has been compelled to address. Without planned and targeted approaches to give adequate attention to issues, CCAMLR has found it a challenge to progress many of these issues concurrently. Australia recommends that, given discussions held during the CCAMLR Symposium, and more broadly in the Commission and Scientific Committee, it is timely for the Commission to consider ways to more effectively plan and organise the work of the Commission. Australia proposes that the Commission initiate discussions on this topic, including by considering options for undertaking a priority-setting exercise. As such, Australia recommends that the Commission: agree that an improved approach to planning and organising the work of the Commission would be useful; and encourage Members to consider options, including proposals for a priority-setting exercise, with a view to the Commission agreeing on a process at CCAMLR XXXV.