Conservation Measure 22-06 was adopted to ensure that significant adverse impacts of bottom fishing gear on Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs) are avoided. In order to satisfy the requirements of CM 22-06 a method is proposed to notify CCAMLR of the presence of VMEs and their location using a simple pro-forma. Two VMEs identified during the Australian CEAMARC-CASO cruise are notified using this form from Statistical Area 58.4.1, SSRU H. The use of 5 nm buffer zones around the location of the observations is proposed to mitigate the risk of spatial uncertainty in the notified position and the deployment of bottom-fishing gear.

At CCAMLR-XXVI the Working Group on Fish Stock Assessment (WG-FSA) noted a lack of specific reference material for the identification of benthic invertebrates in areas specific to which observers carry out their activities (SC-CAMLR-XXVI: Annex 5, paragraph 6.32). To improve the standard of observer identifications and also to assist in the identification of vulnerable areas, the Scientific Committee requested that guides be prepared for the identification of benthic organisms (SC-CAMLR-XXVI: paragraph 4.190). In response to this recommendation Australia has developed the ‘Field identification guide to Heard Island and McDonald Islands (HIMI) benthic invertebrates: a guide for scientific observers aboard fishing vessels’. This Fisheries Research and Development Commission (FRDC), Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) and industry funded production is the first of its kind for the region. It is intended for use as both a training tool, and at-sea by trained observers, to make accurate identifications of invertebrate by-catch when operating in the HIMI region. The Australian Antarctic Division has now published the first edition of the guide for distribution to the HIMI observer network, enabling them to gather invertebrate by-catch data at higher taxonomic resolutions. To encourage the development of similar guides for training purposes and at-sea use by observers in other CCAMLR designated fisheries, a copy of the guide will be distributed to each CCAMLR delegate and will be available electronically on the web.

Trends in the krill fishery are currently informed by data on annual catches and by the annual notification procedure. There has been considerable discussion within the Scientific Committee over the utility of these sources of information to detect trends, and of the need to obtain more information from the krill industry. This paper uses publicly available patent databases to examine both the number and type of patents related to krill that are lodged annually. This information matches well with the catch and notification information, showing similar trends. It is suggested that the patent database be taken over by the Secretariat so that they can maintain an annual register of krill related patents which will be of use for indicating future trends in the krill fishery.

Assessment and predictive models need to be developed to provide two assessments of climate change impacts for use by governments, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and other international forums, including CCAMLR and the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting: (i) what are the current climate change impacts on Southern Ocean ecosystems to inform governments of the consequences of climate change on populations, species and ecosystems; and (ii) what are the predicted future impacts on marine ecosystems, using select indicators of Southern Ocean ecosystems as early warning signals, to inform managers of human activities and ecosystem services that could be impacted by climate change?  The manner in which these assessments could be developed, based on field monitoring programs and the development of ecosystem models, was the focus of discussion at an International Workshop on ‘Monitoring climate change impacts: Establishing a Southern Ocean Sentinel program’, which was held at CCAMLR Headquarters in Hobart, Australia, on 20-24 April 2009.  It was hosted by the Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre, Australian Antarctic Division, and WWF-Australia. This paper provides the Executive Summary of the report, which will be released during the final week of the CCAMLR meeting.   

This paper reports on the various activities conducted by or involving SCAR that relate directly to CCAMLR or are of potential interest to CCAMLR. This includes a report on outcomes from SCAR’s biennial business and delegates meetings, and the SCAR/IASC 2008 IPY Open Science Conference, as well as reports on progress with the Evolution and Biodiversity in the Antarctic (EBA) programme, SCAR-MarBIN, the Southern Ocean Continuous Plankton Recorder Survey and the Census of Antarctic Marine Life (CAML) project. The CAML had a highly successful field season with 18 ships contributing to the Census. SCAR-MarBIN data portal continues to gather information on marine biodiversity in the Antarctic and the CPR Survey continues to grow with more countries contributing. The SCAR/SCOR Oceanography Expert Group continues to develop plans for Southern Ocean Observing System (SOOS). A detailed report of SOOS is provided as a supplementary information paper CCAMLR-XXVI/BG/43. SCAR has established new Action Groups on “Cold Seeps and Hydrothermal Vents”, “Antarctic Fuel Spills” and “Prediction on Changes in the Physical and Biological Environment of the Antarctic”. The 10th SCAR International Biology Symposium will be held in Sapporo from 26 to 31 July, 2009, with the theme "Antarctic Biology in the 21st Century --Advances in and beyond IPY--". The report includes a message from the new SCAR President Prof. Mahlon “Chuck” Kennicutt II (USA).

This paper reports on the Southern Ocean Observing System (SOOS) planning meeting held by the SCAR/SCOR Oceanography Expert Group, 5-7th of July in St Petersburg. The main aim of the meeting was to present some specific plans for different aspects of the SOOS and to agree on key recommendations and actions to move the process forward. The object of a SOOS is to develop the means to observe key changes in oceanography and marine meteorology through time, to relate these to the biota and to underlying processes, and to use that knowledge and understanding as the basis for forecasting future change. SOOS is interested in working with CCAMLR, especially in determining mutual benefits to be realized between SOOS and C-EMP.

This paper reports on the various activities conducted by or involving SCAR that relate directly to CCAMLR or are of potential interest to CCAMLR. This includes a report on the SCAR XXIX Delegates Meeting and Open Science Conference held in Hobart in July 2006, progress with the new Evolution and Biodiversity in the Antarctic (EBA) and the Census of Antarctic Marine Life (CAML) projects. CAML has been developing links with the CCAMLR 2008 IPY Survey. The new SCAR-MarBIN data portal continues to gather information on marine biodiversity in Antarctic and SCAR has established a new Action Group on Continuous Plankton Recorder research CPRAG. Both SCAR-MarBIN and CPRAG can provide useful data for CCAMLR. The activities of the Expert Groupss of Birds and Seals are summarised, as well as new research on Ocean-Ice-Atmosphere Systems and interactions. SCAR conducted its third international workshop on marine acoustic studies at the University of Cadiz, Spain in January 2006. A summary is provided in this report. A complete report of the Cadiz workshop is provided in the supplementary SCAR information paper CCAMLR-XXV/BG/23 “Report on the activities of the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) 2005/06.”

This paper reports on the various activities conducted by or involving SCAR that relate directly to CCAMLR or are of potential interest to CCAMLR. This includes a report on progress with the new Evolution and Biodiversity in the Antarctic (EBA), SCAR-MarBIN, the Action Group on Continuous Plankton Recorder research and the Census of Antarctic Marine Life (CAML) projects. CAML has been developing links with the CCAMLR-IPY Survey. The new SCAR-MarBIN data portal continues to gather information on marine biodiversity in Antarctic and both SCAR-MarBIN and CPRAG have been involved with CCAMLR’s Bioregionalisation Workshop with the provision of data and expertise. The SCAR/SCOR Oceanography Expert Group convened a meeting to develop the Southern Ocean Observing System. SCAR commissioned a report of the State of the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Climate Systems. SCAR is also a co-sponsor of both Southern Ocean GLOBEC and a new body ICED (Integrating Climate and Ecosystem Dynamics). A detailed summary of this report is provided as a supplementary information paper CCAMLR-XXVI/BG/37.