CCAMLR

The spatial distribution and swarm characteristics of Antarctic krill were studied using the swarm-based method established in SG-ASAM-17. Acoustic data were collected from the FV Fu Rong Hai using Simrad EK60 echosounder (38/70/120 kHz) during four transect surveys conducted in December 2013, March 2015, January 2016 and February 2018 around South Shetland Islands. The swarm characteristics, including Volume Backscattering Strength (Sv), Nautical Area Scattering Coefficient (NASC), depth, thickness and length of swarms were estimated from the 120kHz data. The full spatial distributions of acoustic density were obtained with Kriging space interpolation, which showed that krill usually aggregated as swarms in a patchy fashion and the mean krill densities in December 2013 and February 2018 were markedly higher than the other two years. Meanwhile, much more swarms (1055) were detected in February 2018 than the other three years. The results also indicated that more krill swarms located at deeper water in March 2015 compared with those in December 2013, January 2016 and February 2018, although the majority of swarms were also found in the upper 100 m layer. The swarm-based method provides a promising way not only for biomass estimation but also for the study of swarm characteristics.

We elucidated characteristics of interannual variability in density index, recruitment index and diurnal vertical distribution for Antarctic krill in krill fishing grounds (hotspots) at South Georgia during winter based on Japanese krill fishery data during the period 1990-2012. High density and predictable fishing grounds occurred in the restricted areas throughout the study period. Main results are as follows:

1. Median CPUEs did not show particularly low values in winter even when krill abundance and predator performance were poor in the previous summer.
2. Krill recruitment index at South Georgia suggested the strong influence in recruitment from the Antarctic Peninsula in the 1990s, whereas the influence was speculated to be from the Weddell sea during 2000-2006.
3. Median winter trawling depth (a proxy for krill vertical migration) for each daytime and night-time was significantly positively correlated with average krill body length in winter. This could be the optimal behavior of krill to balance food intake against predation risk by Antarctic fur seals, the most abundance krill-eating predator there.

High densities of pennatulaceans (Phylum Cnidaria: Order Pennatulacea), a vulnerable marine ecosystem (VME) indicator taxa, were encountered at three sites on the northeastern shelf of the South Orkney Islands (Subarea 48.2). The details of these encounters, utilizing occurrence and abundance in bottom trawl catches, are provided.  These three new sites are in close proximity to two other currently registered VMEs, one of which was based solely on high densities pennatulaceans.  Although the three proposed new VMEs are consistent with requirements for designation as VMEs under CM 22-06, it is proposed that consideration be given to creating a larger precautionary region that encompasses the cluster of these VMEs. The physical height of these pennatulaceans should also be taken into consideration when providing advice on midwater trawling activities in this region. This notification is structured according to the guidelines set out in Conservation Measure 22-06 (2009), ANNEX 22-06/B.

Summary

Over the past years, the subject of whether there is a functional overlap between the krill fishery and pelagic krill predators has been discussed throughout the SC-CAMLR Working Groups. Specifically, these discussions centre around two key issues: a) whether there are potential interactions and competition between the krill fishery and krill-dependent predators during fishing operations, and b) how krill acoustic surveys and transects could also be used to provide data for wider ecosystem monitoring. The Scientific Committee noted that consideration is needed on what specific scientific questions required answering, to ensure data collection requirements were robustly designed. This paper, therefore, considers what types of scientific questions can be answered with the two approaches to data collection and analysis, to facilitate the discussion of WG-EMM on developing specific scientific questions and enabling the development of a robustly designed data collection programme.

Australia is adapting the risk assessment framework used in Area 48 to assess the risks involved in any redevelopment of a commercial krill (Euphausia superba) fishery in CCAMLR Divisions 58.4.1 and 58.4.2, off the coast of East Antarctica, and to evaluate whether the current management procedure has a high likelihood of achieving CCAMLR’s objectives in this region. This paper outlines a relatively simple derivation of the risk assessment framework to assess whether the current conservation measures that are relevant to Divisions 58.4.1 and 58.4.2 sufficiently mitigate the risk of a krill fishery disproportionately concentrating catches in areas that are also important to krill predators. In particular, this application of the risk assessment framework explores how estimated predation needs of baleen whales, crabeater seals and Adélie penguins, in parallel with the currently agreed krill biomass estimates across Divisions 58.4.1 and 58.4.2, suggests a distribution of catch across the four subdivisions. This risk assessment found the regional risk of the current conservation measures in Divisions 58.4.1 and 58.4.2 to be higher than the baseline regional risk. That would suggest that, in the event that krill fishing within a CCAMLR season begins to approach the catch/trigger limits, krill predators across Division 58.4.1 could be potentially exposed to disproportionate effects of fishing. This result is driven primarily by the krill biomass/density estimates across Divisions 58.4.1 and 58.4.2, which highlights the need to support future surveys to update these parameters. We also discuss a path towards a future update of this risk assessment using modified methods and new data. 

In 2009, CCAMLR agreed that the establishment of a representative system of marine protected areas (RSMPA) by 2012 was a priority. This assessment shows that the Scientific Committee and Commission can be kept informed of progress towards this goal using a relatively short list of simple criteria that are based on robust ecological and experimental design principles, and the Commission’s objectives. This study indicates that the currently designated marine protected areas provide important contributions towards a RSMPA, however we are not there yet. Establishment of the proposed MPAs in Domain 1, Weddell Sea and East Antarctica would make significant contribution towards a RSMPA under a scientific definition of representation, and enable CCAMLR to focus efforts on the remaining values yet to be included in proposals.

The results of the research aimed at further substantiation and development of the Marine Protected Area in the area of the Ukrainian Antarctic Station Academician Vernadsky are presented. In order to study the structure and biodiversity of benthic communities in the water area of the Argentine Islands, the underwater research and acoustic survey were conducted. During the period of 2014-2016, 35 research SCUBA-dives were done to explore the two proposed MPAs. Later on, during the period of 2016-2018, an underwater and acoustic surveys, chemical analyses of bottom sediments and soils of nearshore areas were conducted to establish new MPAs in the Argentine Islands Archipelago and adjacent water areas.

We inform on the results of data validation experiment provided for pictures from time lapse cameras of the CEMP camera monitoring project of CCAMLR at Galindez Island gentoo colonies. During the 2017-2018 season biologists winterers at Vernadsky station, situated at Galindez Island, provided continuous observations every day of gentoo nests in the three sites where automatic time lapse cameras installed. The results of visual observations have been compared with data from camera pictures, which registered the same nests that were observed. The comparison of the lay, hatch, and crèche dates demonstrates the reasonable correspondence within 1-2 days between visual observations and data, obtained by pictures processed.

We provide an outline of data that can be generated from nest camera images and describe how they relate to the parameters outlined in the CEMP Standard Methods. We discuss where the two are similar, provide comment on nest camera data utility for CEMP, and outline gaps in our assessment of their use for this purpose. We provide suggestions for how CEMP data submission forms could be varied to accommodate nest camera image data for consideration by the EMM Working Group.

We provide a brief update on the software developed for assessing nest camera images through the CEMP Special Fund project ‘Developing an image processing software tool for analysis of camera network monitoring data’. This CEMP Special Fund project was initiated in 2015/16 to refine existing software and develop post-processing code for data download according to specifications developed in consultation with the CCAMLR nest camera community. Here we describe development of the software, the approaches for nest camera image processing available within the software, data downloading considerations, and encourage feedback from nest camera users to assist in finalising the software through this project for completion towards the end of 2018.