CCAMLR-IWC WORKSHOP TO REVIEW INPUT DATA FOR ANTARCTIC MARINE ECOSYSTEM MODELS: UPDATE ON PROGRESS 2008

The “CCAMLR-IWC Workshop to review input data for Antarctic marine ecosystem models” will be held at the CCAMLR Headquarters in Hobart Australia on 11-15 August 2008. This paper provides an update on progress towards the holding of this workshop at the CCAMLR Secretariat . A revised budget is presented for consideration primarily to take account of the review materials being produced without expenditure from the budget, the re-costing of hosting the workshop by the CCAMLR Secretariat and the possible cost of publication. This has enabled the funding of more experts to attend the workshop. Coordinators have been appointed for all the data groups with the exception of the flying birds group, the work for which is being discussed with scientists involved in ACAP. An additional expert group has been added early in 2008 to review the state of the datasets on the exploitation of Southern Ocean species, including seals, whales, finfish and krill. A metadatabase has been established. The groups of experts have been assembled and work has been progressing within the individual groups. It is expected that all groups will have papers ready for consideration at the workshop, except for flying birds. The JSG agreed that the synthesis work will occur at the workshop rather than being attempted prior to the workshop. The workshop is open to members of the SC-CAMLR and SC-IWC and their working groups. Many relevant experts have been invited to attend with funding limited to one expert from each group, some experts that cover a number of groups and a group of experts familiar with statistics, assessments and ecosystem modelling. Originally, the outcomes of the Workshop were envisaged to comprise a paper from each of the expert groups, the metadatabase and a short report summarising the workshop and outcomes. When the material is outlined as a complete set the contents reveals itself to be a potentially exciting volume in parts and in total. It is apparent that such a volume could have appeal as book that could be incorporated into library collections by scientists, universities and others interested in the Southern Ocean and the issues faced by the CCAMLR and IWC. The paper describes how such a book might be organised. It also provides commentary on what might be included in the papers and a workshop report. In the case of the latter, it suggests that the workshop report be divided into a number of general categories on the different estimation and modelling tasks. SC-CAMLR (through WG-EMM) and SC-IWC are asked to consider and comment on the progress being made by the expert groups, the issues considered in the paper by the JSG and surrounding publication of the outcomes and whether a book would be a suitable outcome from this work.