WG-EMM-09

This paper presents a time series of relevant data reported from scientific observations in the CCAMLR krill fishery: 1999/2000 to 2007/08.

The CCAMLR Ecosystem Monitoring Program (CEMP) uses indices derived from data on indicator species collected by standard methods in the three Integrated Study Regions of the Convention Area. Each year the Secretariat updates the standardised index values and provides a summary of trends and anomalies in these data. This report covers biological indices only. Six Members submitted data for 11 Read More
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Five Members (6 vessels) are fishing for krill in Area 48 in 2008/09, and have taken 82849 t of krill to date (Norway 33482 t, Korea 23522 t, Japan 13515 t, Russia 9654 t, Poland 2676 t). Most of this catch was taken in Subarea 48.2 (51316 t) with the remainder in Subarea 48.1 (31533 t). The forecast total catch of krill for the current season falls in the range 109000-147000 t. This compares Read More
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Seven Members submitted notifications for a total 13 vessels for krill fisheries in Subareas 48.1, 48.2, 48.3 and 48.4 and Divisions 58.4.1 and 58.4.2 in 2009/10. In addition, Norway notified for an exploratory fishery for krill in Subarea 48.6.

So far in 2008/09, the Secretariat has received 30 VME-indicator notifications from exploratory bottom fisheries (Conservation Measure 22-07). These notifications were from Subarea 48.6 (1 notification, 5.5 VME-indicator units per line segment, seafloor depth 880-980 m), Subarea 88.1 (18 notifications, 5.0-68.6 VME-indicator units per segment, depth 585-1528 m) and Subarea 88.2 (11 Read More
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This paper is based on a presentation given at the Joint CEP/SC-CAMLR Workshop (3-4 April 2009). It provides information on the different objectives and types of marine spatial protection and management that can be implemented in Antarctic waters, including details on the tools currently available under CCAMLR and the Antarctic Treaty. The paper aims to bring together the relevant information Read More
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This study documents methods and data collection during commercial Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) fishery with the vessel “Saga Sea” in the South Orkney Islands area. We present preliminary results regarding krill demography from the sampling period in January-March, 2009. Total body length was measured from 7520 individuals and ranged from 16-58mm (average: 47 ± 4.5mm Read More
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Analysis of the Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) commercial and research fishery in 1970-ies and 1980-ies showed that different modifications of midwater trawls applied had comparatively low catchability, as a rule, 10-20%. The experiments showed that while percolated through large meshes 40-50% of the «percolated» individuals were injured, at the same time while «punched» through Read More
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After the Scientific Committee did not reach consensus and advise the Commission on the risks associated with three options for a Stage-1 allocation of the precautionary krill catch limit among SSMUs in Subareas 48.1-48.3, it was suggested that a comprehensive assessment of the risks that might be incurred by not deciding on such an allocation (i.e., a risk assessment of status quo management Read More
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The case is made that the Ross Sea is an evolutionary site on par with those of the Galápagos, Hawaii, Madagascar, the African Rift Valley lakes, and Lake Baikal, all recognized as World Heritage Sites. The focus herein will be on notothenioid fishes because their taxonomy and phylogeny are reasonably well known, and have been more thoroughly studied from an evolutionary perspective than many Read More
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Waters overlying the Ross Sea continental shelf and slope comprise slightly more than 3% of the Southern Ocean, which is inconsequential, yet its attributes, as identified in this workshop, coincide closely with the criteria agreed to by the UN Convention for Biological Diversity to identify Ecologically and Biologically Significant Areas. Information revealed at the workshop indicated that Read More
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On the basis of circumstantial evidence, an elevated likelihood exists that Antarctic toothfish and the most-caught by-catch species, macrourids, in the Area 88 fishery are important components in the diet of the Arnoux’s beaked whale (Berardius arnouxii), which is a component of the Ross Sea top predator guild.

This brief review documents the species composition of prey consumed by the Antarctic toothfish, Dissostichus mawsoni, in the Ross Sea. The diet for a sample from McMurdo Sound in the southwestern Ross Sea indicates that fishes, especially Pleuragramma antarcticum, and mysids dominate the diet by both frequency of occurrence and dry weight. P. antarcticum is 71% by Read More
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Sea ice plays a critical role in structuring ecosystem dynamics throughout the Scotia Sea (SS) region, and variations in ice extent are hypothesized to affect predator populations in this area directly. A paradigm guiding recent research in the Western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP) region of the SS, the “sea-ice hypothesis”, suggests that declines in the seasonal extent and duration of sea ice, Read More
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Krill fishery dynamics was analysed by using Fine-scale haul-by-haul data. Between-haul-distances were well described by a Levy Flight type random walk model. The inferred distribution pattern of fishable target concentrations showed differences between Subareas with targets in Subarea 48.1 being most sparsely distributed compared to Subareas 48.2 and 48.3. Commercially viable CPUE was Read More
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This document introduces the recent activities and outcome of Japanese scientific observers onboard the commercial krill fishing vessel from 2003/04 to 2007/08 fishing seasons. Main fishing grounds of the Japanese fishery were the Subareas 48.1, 48.2, and 48.3. Recent observation effort was concentrated to the Subarea 48.3. The observer coverage was 32.2 – 51.4 %, and exceeded 50 % in 2007/08 Read More
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This work describes a parametric bootstrap model (Davison and Hinkley 1997) for standardising animal count data to a common reference point of breeding chronological for species showing temporal availability to sampling methodology. ICESCAPE (Integrating Count Effort by Seasonally Correcting Animal Population Estimates) is suite of routines that implements a general abundance estimator Read More
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We report annual Antarctic krill consumption estimates for crabeater seals in the Antarctic Peninsula and western Weddell Sea region (90° to 30° W and 60° to 80° S), with special reference to the CCAMLR SSMUs of FAO management Area 48.1. The estimates are based on updated abundance estimates of crabeater seals from the UK-APIS survey conducted in 1999, and were produced with a bioenergetic Read More
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The region surrounding the South Orkney Islands has been identified by CCAMLR as one of 11 priority areas in which work to establish spatial protection should be focused (CCAMLR-XXVII Report, para 7.2). In 2008, a pilot study undertaken for this region demonstrated that a systematic conservation planning methodology could be effectively used with currently available datasets to provide Read More
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The marine pelagic system around South Georgia is characterised by considerable inter-annual variability which is linked to large-scale climate variability, indicated and probably mediated by local oceanographic and atmospheric conditions. Much of the observed variability in various fitness metrics for birds, seals and fish seems to be connected with the availability of Antarctic krill, Read More
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This paper discusses some of the implications of climate change and how these concerns necessitate that CEP and CCAMLR address a number of key issues if both organisations are to fulfil their international obligations. We suggest that in order for CEP and CCAMLR to undertake their respective schedules of work, it will be essential for them to try to determine the relative risks (uncertainty), Read More
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1. CCAMLR International Scientific Observer data collected from conventional trawl vessels fishing for krill in Subarea 48.3 were analysed using Variance Components Analysis. Krill mean and median length and larval fish bycatch were analysed.
2. In Subarea 48.3, a partial coverage sampling programme has been implemented since 2002. Observers have been placed on approximately 50 Read More
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The CCAMLR ecosystem monitoring programme (CEMP) primarily indicates the short term response of air breathing predators to localised environmental conditions. CEMP data do not directly indicate population size, which is the parameter that many conservation objectives attempt to control. Furthermore, CEMP data cannot be used in a standard environmental impact assessment framework as they lack Read More
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The diet of mackerel icefish was investigated from stomachs of 828 fish caught on the South Georgia and Shag Rocks shelves in January 2009. The results show that the diet of this normally krill-dependent species was dominated by the hyperiid amphipod Themisto gaudichaudii (92 % IRI) and was low in Antarctic krill (7 % IRI) compared with similar data for the same month in 2004-2006. Read More
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The establishment of a new higher predator monitoring location on the north coast of South Georgia is described. Preliminary results obtained from the 2008/09 season are presented. Although this is the first year of monitoring, breeding success of predators monitored in the Cumberland Bay area in 2008/09 was low, consistent with monitoring at Bird Island and coinciding with low krill abundance Read More
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In 2008 fishing season the Russian flagged vessel 'Maxim Starostin' started fishing operations for krill in the Convention area. The vessel used both conventional and continuous trawl technology. Two Russian national scientific observers were present during all fishing operations of the 'Maxim Starostin'. Their observation plan targeted at monitoring the amount and size/sex Read More
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The research project to digitize former Soviet krill fishing research, exploratory and commercial expedition’s data has been started in Ukraine at the Southern Research Institute of Marine Fisheries and Oceanography. This valuable set of krill data was collected during Soviet Union krill-fishing expeditions in Southern Ocean between the years of 1972-1992. The main purpose of these expeditions Read More
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In 2008, the Ukraine submitted a paper to the Scientific Committee highlighting the magnitude of the scientific uncertainties and data gaps affecting the subdivision of precautionary catch limits among SSMUs in Area 48 (CCAMLR- XXVII/43). The Ukraine suggested that a research plan was necessary for CCAMLR to fill those gaps, together with developing in future a funding mechanism to support the Read More
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High densities of vulnerable marine ecosystem (VME) indicator taxa were encountered in 17 areas off the northern Antarctic Peninsula and 11 areas off the South Orkney Islands (CCAMLR Subareas 48.1 and 48.2). These areas, which have been proposed for inclusion in the CCAMLR VME registry, were detected during the 2006 and 2009 U.S. Antarctic Marine Living Resources Program surveys. The VMEs were Read More
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Using data collected by U.S. Antarctic Marine Living Resources (AMLR) Program during January surveys 2003 to 2007, we examine the spatial relationships between baleen whale distributions and Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) abundance and demography near the South Shetland Islands (Antarctic Peninsula) and test whether whales exhibit interspecific differences in their exploitation Read More
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Climate change in the Antarctic is having major impacts on physical and biological systems. For the Adélie penguin, which breeds around Antarctica, different populations have been subject to different environmental conditions over space and time. To assess the ability of the Adélie penguin to cope with recent rapid climate change, survivorship, fecundity, age at first breeding, and breeding Read More
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Assessing the impacts of fishing on Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs) in the Southern Ocean is hampered by the paucity of information on the resistance and resilience of these ecosystems to disturbance. Both resistance and resilience of individual VME-forming taxa are related to their life-history characteristics. A global database of life-history characteristics, including growth rate, age Read More
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Besides the climate change impact on krill based ecosystem uncertainties the factors of the ozone distribution asymmetry influence over South Ocean is discussed. The existence of the considerable zonal asymmetry in total ozone distribution over Antarctica due to the planetary waves in a polar stratosphere is observed last decades. As was shown by authors earlier in the latitudinal interval of Read More
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The first international workshop on implementing a Southern Ocean Sentinel program was held at the CCAMLR Headquarters in Hobart in April 2009. The conclusions of that workshop are provided to WG-EMM for consideration along with an overview, the program and abstracts of the keynote presentations. A report of the workshop will be submitted to the Scientific Committee for its considerations in Read More
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It is widely recognised that the interpretation of counts of penguin populations at their breeding sites during the breeding period are strongly dependent on the timing within a breeding season at which they are undertaken. While the need to adjust raw penguin count data obtained at varying times within a breeding season to minimise bias in estimates of the breeding population has long been Read More
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This paper provides a brief summary of progress of inter-sessional by the Sub-group on Status and Trend Assessment of Predator Populations (WG-EMM-STAPP) as a follow-up to the Predator Survey Workshop.

This report is a synthesis of mostly existing information which has been compiled for the purposes of addressing items on the FEMA 2 agenda. It summarises the management of the fishery, catch and effort, size distribution, and tagging data collected from the Antarctic toothfish fishery up to the 2007/08 fishing year. It focuses in particular on Antarctic toothfish catches taken from the Read More
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The circulation in the Ross Sea sector of the Southern Ocean is examined in three numberical models of intermediate to high resolution. Despite the model differences (including physics, forcing) the circulation representation is relatively consistent, both in terms of the mean and some aspects of monthly variability. This could point to strong bathymetric constraints on the circulation. In Read More
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We present a quantitative food web of the Ross Sea as a step towards investigating ecosystem effects of the fishery for Antarctic toothfish (Dissostichus mawsoni). The model consolidates quantitative information on trophic links across all the major biota of the Ross Sea and tests for data consistency. The model has 38 trophic groups and is balanced in terms of annual flows of organic carbon Read More
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Generalized linear and additive models suggest that large proportions of inter-annual variability in the reproductive success of Adélie, gentoo, and chinstrap penguins can be explained by simple linear predictors based on local weather conditions and winter sea ice extent. Local weather variables selected by step-wise model fitting procedures corresponded to the incubation periods for each Read More
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of mean krill density in Subarea 48.4 there are premises for formation of the zones with increased density. These zones are located within the near-shore shelf-based SSMU and associated with meanders and eddy favorable for krill concentration. Here, in the cold water of the Weddell Sea, the main part of biomass of Subarea 48.4, are concentrated. In January-February, 2000, almost 60% of total Read More
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A multidisciplinary survey was conducted with the RV ‘G.O. Sars’ as part of the Antarctic Krill and Ecosystem Studies (AKES) from January to March 2008. Acoustical data were sampled continuously on six frequencies along one west-east and two south-north transects between latitudes 50 and 66.4 S in the sparsely studied CCAMLR subarea 48.6. The mean density of Antarctic krill, integrated to 270 Read More
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Conservation Measure 91/02 (2004) affords protection of the Cape Shirreff CCAMLR Ecosystem Monitoring Program (CEMP) site. Cape Shirreff is also protected as ASPA 149 through the Antarctic Treaty. The management plans for Cape Shirreff are due for review by CCAMLR in 2009 and by the ATCM in 2010. Both plans recognize the importance of the CEMP site and associated scientific research and afford Read More
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This presentation addresses the need to incorporate recent studies aimed to identify different climate oceanographic regimes and its influence on krill biomass into the discussion of krill fishery management issues. Krill catch data in Subareas 48.1, 48.2 and 48.3 are compared to the AMLR Programme findings as described by Loeb et al. (2009). It is shown that krill fisheries statistics may be Read More
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Killer whales (Orcinus orca), both ecotype-B and -C, are important to the Ross Sea, Antarctic ecosystem; the type-C is referred to as “Ross Sea [RS] killer whale”. Herein, we review data on occurrence patterns and diet of RS killer whales, and present new information on numbers observed in the southwestern Ross Sea, 2002 - 2008. These “resident” whales appear to feed principally on fish, Read More
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(Aquat. Mamm., in press)

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Uncertainty exists over the importance of Antarctic toothfish (Dissostichus mawsoni) as prey of top predators in the Ross Sea. We herein assess relative weight given to direct, observational evidence of prey taken, as opposed to indirect evidence from scat and biochemical analysis, and conclude that toothfish are important to Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii). The seals eat only the Read More
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(Ant. Sci., in press)

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Recent analyses of anthropogenic impacts to marine systems have shown the Ross Sea to be the least affected stretch of ocean on Earth, although historical effects were not included in the study. Herein the literature is reviewed to quantify the extent of extraction of biological resources from the Ross Sea continental shelf and slope beginning at the start of the 20th century; none preceded Read More
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(Polar Rec., in press)

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Here we present three scenarios that demonstrate how cetaceans may influence the structure and dynamics of the Southern Ocean food web. These should be considered in addition to several other examples recently identified, and reviewed herein. Marine trophic cascades resulting from top-predator removal are not a novel concept. While we acknowledge the correlative nature of our examples, we Read More
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(Mar. Mamm. Sci., in press)

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Ten years of recent finescale haul-by-haul krill data were used to characterize the behaviour of the krill fishery. Analysis of distance between hauls in relation to their catch level revealed a distinct pattern. Mean between-haul distances were generally longer when catch levels fell below 10 t per haul, and the travel distance decreased as the catch level increased; this pattern was most Read More
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(CCAMLR Science, Vol. 16 (2009): 131–148)

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Climate change is predicted to affect marine fisheries but these effects are usually thought of as being indirect, for example through distributional changes of fish populations, changes in marine biodiversity or changes in oceanic productivity. We show that in Antarctic waters there is already evidence of direct effects of the changing physical environment – the duration of sea ice cover - on Read More
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(Fisheries Manag. Ecol., in press)

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Goudier Island is located in the Palmer Archipelago, to the west of the Antarctic Peninsula; it is one of the most frequently visited tourist sites in Antarctica. A number of gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua) breeding colonies are located on the island and these have been the focus of one of the longest running experiments to examine the impacts of tourist numbers upon penguin breeding Read More
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(Biol. Cons., 141 (2008): 3019–3028)

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Correctly quantifying the impacts of rare apex marine predators is essential to ecosystem-based approaches to fisheries management, where harvesting must be sustainable for targeted species and their dependent predators. This requires modelling the uncertainty in such processes as predator life history, seasonal abundance and movement, size-based predation, energetic requirements, and prey Read More
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(Ecol. Model., 220 (2009): 1513–1521)

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Penguins are adapted to live in extreme environments, but they can be highly sensitive to climate change, which disrupts penguin life history strategies when it alters the weather, oceanography and critical habitats. For example, in the southwest Atlantic, the distributional range of the ice-obligate emperor and Ade´lie penguins has shifted poleward and contracted, while the ice-intolerant Read More
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(Glob. Change Biol., 15 (2009):1618–1630, doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2486.2009.01909.x)

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The ecosystem approach to fisheries attempts to define objectives for the target species, the wider ecosystem and, critically, the fishery itself. Proposals for implementing this approach often include spatial restrictions on harvesting and it is therefore important to understand how these will affect fishery performance. One metric of potential performance is the probability of encountering Read More
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(ICES J. Mar. Sci., doi:10.1093/icesjms/fsp172)

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