At its 2000 meeting, the Commission requested that the Scientific Committee review the definition of the statistical divisions in the region of BANZARE and Elan Banks. Proposals are put forward on how the boundaries of Division 58.4.3 and neighbouring divisions can be amended to make separate divisions encompassing each individual bank. Further options are suggested for modifications to division boundaries in the region so that they more closely follow bathymetric features.

In this paper the boundaries of the CCAMLR statistical areas are examined for their relevance to the management of the krill fishery. A rationale for developing some new areas is developed based on data on krill distributions. The overall aim of the exercise was to reduce the large size of many of the existing statistical areas to the point where all areas where krill occur could be surveyed by a single vessel. Areas where krill appeared to be generally absent were separated from those areas where krill appeared to be abundant. Areas where there were identified concentrations or “stocks” were kept intact wherever possible. The resultant map of suggested management areas results in a series of subdivisions of far more regular size than the existing map of Statistical Areas.

A proposal is submitted to suggest modifications to the boundaries of Division 58.5.2 and the creation of a new Division 58.5.3. The modified or new Divisions reflect more accurately the distribution of management units for toothfish in the region within and adjacent to the Convention Area.

The work of the Scientific Committee is expanding with a duplication of many functions in the two working groups and subgroups. There is also a need to give time to emerging issues for which there is insufficient time at present in the existing working groups, such as consideration of marine protected areas in a CCAMLR context and the development and evaluation of management strategies for CCAMLR fisheries. It is proposed that the working groups of the Scientific Committee be revised to streamline the work, help reduce the number of groups and time needing to be attended by our experts and to develop a work program that does not require all issues to be addressed every year. The Working Groups are proposed to be (i) Biology, Ecology and Conservation, (ii) Statistics, Assessment Methods and Modelling, and (iii) Assessments and Fisheries. It is also proposed to have workshops coordinated by the Scientific Committee on the development of management procedures for krill, toothfish and icefish and other topical issues. The aim of these workshops would be to bring together experts in biology, ecology, conservation, statistics, assessments and modelling.

This paper presents a revised analysis of krill biomass for Division 58.4.2 using data from the 2006 Australian survey and based on the most recent advice from WG-EMM.

Publicly available bathymetry and geophysical data can be used to map geomorphic features of the Antarctic continental margin and adjoining ocean basins at scales of 1:1-5 million. The geomorphic features identified and their properties can be related to major habitat characteristics such as sea floor type (hard versus soft), ice keel scouring, sediment deposition or erosion and current regimes. Where more detailed data are available, shelf geomorphology provides a guide to the distribution of the shelf benthic communities recognised by a number of authors. For areas off the shelf, the relationships between physical environmental parameters and the benthic biota are more poorly known however geomorphic mapping provides insights into major processes that are likely to influence benthic habitats. The geomorphic mapping method presented here rapidly provides a layer to add to benthic bioregionalisation using readily available data and provides useful insights into seabed and oceanographic conditions that influence benthic communities, even in the absence direct measurements. The conclusion from this preliminary study of sea floor geomorphology from the Antarctic is that there is enough data to available already to produce a meaningful benthic bioregionalisation for an area as poorly known as the Antarctic continental margin and surrounding oceans. Studies of shelf biota that have tried to link the physical environment with benthic communities have found links strong enough to suggest that geomorphology is a useful first-pass tool for mapping the distribution of communities. The link between biology and geomorphology is the degree to which sea floor geometry influences oceanographic, biogeochemical and substrate processes to shape the conditions for benthic communities. Additional layers of bed shear stress and sediment characteristics will further refine benthic bioregionalisation when data become available however the results produced by mapping from bathymetry alone are sufficient to justify its use in the first stage of benthic bioregionalisation for CCAMLR waters