CCAMLR

A summary of progress made regarding the ageing and growth studies for Dissostichus mawsoni from Division 58.4.1 is presented. It is included the methodology used in the otolith preparation and the interpretation criteria applied on age estimation, as well as the age-length key and growth parameters estimates by sex. Growth parameters obtained using length-age pair values are: L_∞: 154.4, k: 0.1399 and t₀: 1.321 for males; L_∞: 166.6, k: 0.1322 and t₀: 1.571 for females; and L_∞: 168.2, k: 0.1141 and t₀: 0.8488 all combined.  

At the 2014/15 season the Spanish FV TRONIO had to return to Montevideo due to a collision with an ice block which caused a problem in a propeller, so it couldn’t perform the proposed research fishing in the 58.4.1 Division. A request to consider how to maximize the likelihood to undertake its research commitments was made by the WG-SAM-15. A minimum of 30 days within the 58.4.1 Division is established, except force majeure, fulfilling Spain's commitment to return to the same fishing areas where the depletion experience has been accomplished. The methodology of the proposal described below is the same as presented in the document WG-SAM-15/02. 

In response to a request from the Scientific Committee the Secretariat has initiated a process to utilise VMS data for data-quality assurance in relation to catch data. This represents a change in focus on the use of VMS data by CCAMLR and requires a contingent change in emphasis on data quality assurance processes in order to ensure that the VMS can be used with an appropriate degree of confidence for compliance analysis and improving the quality of other georeferenced data.

In response to a request from New Zealand (COMM CIRC 15/15) the Secretariat undertook an analysis of the information provided by New Zealand in previous years (COMM CIRC 13/09), along with VMS records, CCAMLR Observer Reports and other information the Secretariat has available to facilitate further investigation. In 2013 reports of offal were tightly clustered in a small area on the border of SSRUs 88.H and J, whereas in 2015 the reports were received from a broader area. For each location where offal was reported VMS data was used to identify all vessels that had been recorded within 10 kilometres of the reported location during the 5 days preceding the date of the report. Identifying the provenance of offal found in the stomachs of toothfish is inconclusive in many cases, however, ancillary information on the specific nature of the offal and on the particular vessels identified may be helpful to refine the outcomes of the analysis in some instances.

Cooperation between the Scientific Committee of CCAMLR (SC-CAMLR) and the Committee for Environmental Protection (CEP) has been steadily increasing over the last few years to the mutual benefit of both. In order to avoid duplicate reporting between the two committees, and following discussions between the Chairs of the CEP and SC-CAMLR,  the report of the CEP meeting is presented to SC-CAMLR by the CEP Observer to SC-CAMLR and the report of the meeting of  SC-CAMLR  is presented to the CEP by the SC-CAMLR observer to the CEP.  An agreed standard reporting template, to be routinely followed by both committees, has also clarified and simplified the reciprocal reporting.  Accordingly, this report provides the CEP’s annual report to SC-CAMLR-XXXIV. A highlight of the 2015 CEP meeting was further development of the second joint CEP-SC-CAMLR workshop.

La délégation allemande a soumis le contexte et la justification scientifiques de la création d'une aire marine protégée dans la zone de planification de la mer de Weddell. Conformément aux recommandations du WG-EMM-14 (SC-CAMLR-XXXIII, annexe 6), ces informations ont été présentées en trois documents séparés (SC-CAMLR-XXXIV/BG/15, /BG/16 et /BG/17).

Le Comité scientifique est invité à noter que :

• les parties A et B sur le contexte scientifique ont été mises au point, sous réserve des dernières corrections et modifications rédactionnelles ;
• la partie C sera encore améliorée et complétée, compte tenu entre autres des recommandations formulées à WG-EMM 15 (rapport, version préliminaire 2015). Le document sera encore développé et présenté au WG-EMM en 2016 pour que le Comité scientifique envisage d'approuver la partie C à sa réunion de 2016.

Le Comité scientifique est invité à examiner et à évaluer les documents (SC-CAMLR-XXXIV/BG/15, /BG/16 et /BG/17) et à confirmer que les informations figurant aux parties A et B représentent les meilleures informations scientifiques disponibles.