In 2014, the Scientific Committee noted that it needed to develop advice routinely on the potential impacts on dependent and related species for proposed exploratory fisheries and requested working groups consider how to report on these issues, which also form part of the review procedures under Conservation Measure 22-06 and 22-07. It requested Members to submit analyses for consideration.  Here, we present (i) a method for automating these requirements irrespective of the data layers being used, and (ii) examples on how to report rapid assessments of interactions with ecological features, using  bottom fishing on benthic habitats in East Antarctica.  The assessment method has (i) an overall process for reporting on interactions of fishing with ecological features, (ii) an automated process for determining boundaries of independent patches of each class of an ecological feature, (iii) a procedure for assessing interactions of fishing within cells of a patch, (iv) aggregate measures of interactions with classes of ecological features within reporting areas, and (v) a plotting method to support assessment of interactions.  

The investigations in March-April 2015 were conducted in subarea 48.2 by Ukrainian longliner SIMEIZ . 29 sets were completed during the survey. Altogether 157 specimens of Dissostichus mawsoni and 21 specimens of Dissostichus eleginoides were tagged.  124 otolith pairs of Dissostichus mawsoni and 87 - Dissostichus eleginoides were collected. The average sizes of  Dissostichus mawsoni  from the catches made up about 156 cm. Investigated maturity stages and stomach composition of Dissostichus spp.

Exploratory fishing for toothfish (Dissostichus spp.) in East Antarctica (Divisions 58.4.1 and 58.4.2) began in 2003. Robust stock assessment and catch limits according to CCAMLR decision rules remain to be determined for these Divisions. Accordingly, a research plan has been developed under Conservation Measure 41–01 to support a proposal for an Australian vessel to participate in exploratory fishing within Divisions 58.4.1 (SSRUs C, E, G) and 58.4.2 (SSRU E). This document is identical to WG-SAM-15/10 with the exception of responses to Agenda Item No. 3.12 of the Draft Report of the WG-SAM-15 (highlighted in blue). Standardised longline fishing, in conjunction with fish biological measurements, tagging and aging, will be used to develop a stock assessment for these divisions and inform the necessary considerations of spatial structure, biomass and connectivity of toothfish populations. In addition, environmental data from CTD (conductivity, temperature and depth) and video loggers will contribute to models of toothfish habitat use. These models will inform spatial management approaches for toothfish, and the conservation of representative areas of benthic biodiversity. Additional outcomes include mapping of the bathymetry of fishable areas, and improved understanding of the distribution, relative abundance, and life histories of bycatch species.

The annual Random Stratified Trawl Survey was undertaken in Division 58.5.2 in the vicinity of Heard Island during May 2015. This paper provides a preliminary assessment of mackerel icefish population structure, abundance and yield for the area of Division 58.5.2 to the west of 79o 20’ E using standard CCAMLR methods. A large 2+ cohort is dominating the population. These projections indicate that catches of 482 t in the 2015/16 season and 357 t in the 2016/17 season.