CCAMLR

This report describes and quantifies occurrences of fishing gear, marine debris and oil associated with seabirds at Bird Island, South Georgia from 1 April 2002 to 31 March 2003. It is the tenth such annual report. As in most previous years, more items of fishing gear (mostly longlining gear) and debris (mostly plastics) were found in association with wandering albatrosses than with any other species, though numbers of both decreased slightly since last year. The quantity of fishing gear associated with giant petrels (northern and southern) was the second highest on record, and included five cases of entanglements with longline hooks and line. Eleven cases of contamination with oil were recorded, in wandering, black-browed and grey-headed albatrosses. In all cases, no more than about 1-2 % of the birds’ plumage was oiled, and breeding success was apparently not affected.
Continued evidence of the discarding of longline hooks in offal and bycatch is of concern. Based on items found in regurgitates, an estimated 630 longline hooks and/or snoods were ingested by wandering albatross chicks at South Georgia this year. Hooks were typical of those used in the demersal longlinefishery around South Georgia and the Falklands.

Two recent changes have impacted on the compilation of CCAMLR’s Statistical Bulletin: (1) publication of data by CCAMLR season rather than by split-year (agreed at SC-CAMLR-XXI); and (2) a revision of the boundaries in Division 58.4.3 and adjacent areas (agreed at CCAMLR-XX). The Statistical Bulletins are based on STATLANT data submitted annually by Members. Therefore these changes have necessitated some re-interpretation of existing STATLANT data. In most cases, change (1) was easily implemented as complete STATLANT data records include a reference to the split-year and month when fishing occurred. However, in a small number of historic datasets, the months are not defined and change (1) was problematic. Ancillary fine-scale data were used, where available, to define the months fished in the incomplete STATLANT data The spatial resolution of STATLANT data is the statistical subarea or division. Therefore, ancillary fine-scale data were needed to define the fishing grounds in areas where boundaries were revised. This information was then used to implement change (2) in the STATLANT data. This paper documents the changes made to STATLANT data and seeks further information from Members.