Proposal for a longline survey on toothfish in Statistical Subarea 48.6 in 2017/18

Norway proposes a plan to investigate the toothfish populations in the Statistical Subarea 48.6 in 2017/18 using standardised longline gear, established tagging techniques, and pop-up tags. This initial year will be used for exploration with particular emphasis on tagging efforts and habitat mapping, and the study will adhere to principles and guidance expressed in CM 41-01. In future years the aim is to expand the investigation and involve additional collaborating members. New Zealand has been contacted and discussions have started on collaboration from the 2018/19 fishing season. The expectation is that in 2018 a new Norwegian vessel will be available, equipped with advanced technology for sampling and observation. The proposed research is pertinent to issues raised by the Scientific Committee (SC-CAMLR-XXXV, paragraph 3.3.252-3.265) and will supplement and expand existing efforts to characterise the local toothfish populations in the area to better understand stock structure, movement patterns and improve estimation of population characteristics and thereby contribute to the development of spatial population models. Additional outcomes of the research relate to mapping the bathymetry of the fishable area, documenting relative abundance of Patagonian and Antarctic toothfish, tagging toothfish for biomass estimation and for stock linkage studies, and collecting information on distribution, relative abundance, and life history of bycatch species.