SC-CAMLR-41

The Chair of the Scientific Committee will open the meeting and welcome delegations of CCAMLR Members and observers. International organisations invited to the meeting are listed in Agenda Item 10.2. The organisation of the meeting, chairing and local arrangements will be discussed.

The Preliminary Agenda for the Forty-first meeting of the Scientific Committee was prepared and distributed in accordance with Rule 5 of the Scientific Committee’s Rules of Procedure.

The Chair will report on intersessional activities undertaken since the Fortieth Meeting.

The Co-conveners of WG-SAM (Dr T. Okuda, Japan and Dr C. Péron, France) will present the 2022 WG-SAM report, noting that the outcomes of the deliberations of advice from WG-SAM will be further considered at the appropriate points in the agenda.

The Scientific Committee will advise the Commission on matters of relevance to the development of statistics, assessments and modelling.

The Co-conveners of WG-ASAM (Dr S. Fielding, UK, and Dr X. Wang, China) will present the 2022 WG-ASAM report, noting progress with further consideration of the use of fishing vessels to collect acoustic data for use in estimating krill biomass and in developing local area and subarea biomass estimates for krill. The outcomes of the deliberations of WG-ASAM will be further considered at the appropriate points in the agenda.

The Scientific Committee will advise the Commission on matters of relevance to acoustic data collection and survey methods.

The Scientific Committee will consider advice from the working groups and papers on the development of acoustic biomass estimates of krill.

The Scientific Committee will consider advice from the working groups and papers on progress toward developing a stock assessment for krill.

The Scientific Committee will consider advice from the working groups and papers on the development the spatial overlap analysis in support of the krill management approach for krill.

The Scientific Committee will consider advice from working groups and papers relevant to the ecosystem effects including incidental mortality associated with the harvesting of krill resources. Additional aspects of ecosystem effects and data collection needs will be discussed under Agenda Item 5.2.

The Scientific Committee will provide scientific advice to the Commission in respect of krill resources.

Data and related information for the current season will be presented, including relevant advice from WG-FSA. Members will be invited to inform the Scientific Committee of recent developments and trends in finfish fisheries in the Convention Area.

The Convener of WG-FSA (Mr S. Somhlaba, South Africa) will present the sections of the 2022 WG-FSA report dealing with the assessment of fish resources.

The Scientific Committee will provide scientific advice to the Commission on catch limits in the 2022/23 season for assessed fisheries.

Fishing activities in exploratory fisheries in the 2021/22 season and notifications for new and exploratory fisheries in the 2022/23 season will be reviewed, taking into account the advice of the working groups.

The Scientific Committee will review advice from working groups on the progress towards assessments in exploratory fisheries and research in other areas (including research conducted under Conservation Measure (CM) 24-01) designed to provide future assessments of Dissostichus spp.

The Scientific Committee will provide scientific advice in relation to research in new, exploratory and other research fisheries.

The Scientific Committee will consider the advice of WG-FSA and WG-SAM on scientific research conducted in the 2021/22 season under CM 24-01 (noting that such research related to Dissostichus spp. will be covered under Agenda Item 3.2.3.1).

The Scientific Committee will consider proposals submitted under CM 24-01 to ensure all research proposed for the 2022/23 season is consistent with the intended purpose of the measure and is consistent with the requirements of CM 24-05.

The Scientific Committee will provide scientific advice to the Commission on research conducted under CM 24-01 and reported under CM 24-05.

By-catch data and related information for the current season will be presented. Members will be invited to inform the Scientific Committee of recent developments and trends in by-catch from fisheries in the Convention Area. The Scientific Committee will consider the recommendations of the working groups on developments in fishing methods, mitigation options, education and other matters relevant to by-catch in CCAMLR fisheries.

The Co-conveners of WG-IMAF (Dr M. Favero, Argentina and Mr N. Walker, New Zealand) and will present the relevant sections of the 2022 WG-IMAF report on incidental mortality of seabirds and marine mammals and related information, noting the issues detailed in the WG-IMAF terms of reference.

The Scientific Committee will consider advice on the implementation of CMs 22-05, 22-06, 22-07, 22-08 and 22-09 and other matters pertaining to CCAMLR’s actions in respect of bottom fishing and vulnerable marine ecosystems.

The Scientific Committee will consider the occurrence and impact of marine debris, including any advice from WG-FSA in respect of reports of lost fishing gear in the Convention Area.

The Scientific Committee will provide scientific advice to the Commission related to the impacts, mitigation measures and limits in place relating to non-target catch in CCAMLR fisheries.

The Scientific Committee will consider scientific analysis relevant to the implementation of a representative system of marine protected areas (MPAs) in the CAMLR Convention Area, including the:

The Scientific Committee will consider other issues of spatial management (e.g. Antarctic Specially Protected Areas (ASPAs)).

The Scientific Committee will provide scientific advice to the Commission on scientific analysis relevant to the implementation of a representative system of MPAs in the CAMLR Convention Area.

The Scientific Committee will consider advice from the working groups on the science required to inform management responses to climate change (SC-CAMLR-XXVII, paragraphs 7.12 to 7.15).

The Scientific Committee will provide relevant scientific advice to the Commission on the impacts of climate change.

The Convener of WG-FSA will report on scientific information relevant to illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing activity in the Convention Area.

The Scientific Committee will provide scientific advice to the Standing Committee on Implementation and Compliance (SCIC) and the Commission.

The Secretariat will summarise data received in accordance with the Scheme of International Scientific Observation in the 2021/22 season. The Conveners of the working groups will present relevant sections of their reports.

The Scientific Committee will review recommendations for the operation of the scheme, including the scientific objectives and priorities for the deployment of CCAMLR international scientific observers during the 2022/23 season.

The Scientific Committee will advise the Commission on matters of relevance to the implementation of the scheme and its objectives.

The Scientific Committee will consider the report of the CEP Observer to SC-CAMLR on the ongoing collaboration on areas of common interest between CEP and SC-CAMLR.

The Scientific Committee will discuss cooperation with SCAR as well as the reports received from the SCAR Observer to CCAMLR.

Reports will be received from representatives of international and non-governmental organisations present as Observers at the Scientific Committee meeting.

Invitations to attend SC-CAMLR-41 (see SC-CIRC 22/58) were extended to the following intergovernmental organisations – ACAP, CCSBT, CEP, CITES, COMNAP, FAO, IATTC, ICCAT, IOC, INTERPOL, IUCN, IWC, RPOA-IUU, SCAR, SCOR, SEAFO, SIOFA, SOOS, SPRFMO, UNEP and WCPFC and the following non-governmental organisations – ARK, ASOC, COLTO, IAATO and Oceanites Inc.

Reports of meetings of other international organisations during the 2021/22 intersessional period will be received.

The Scientific Committee will discuss the further development of cooperation with other international organisations and consider any proposals for cooperation received by the Scientific Committee under Agenda Items 10.1 to 10.3.

The Scientific Committee will review invitations to representatives of international and non-governmental organisations to be present as Observers at the next meeting of the Scientific Committee.

The Scientific Committee will review the report of the Chair of the Scientific Committee on the SC-Symposium and develop its strategic work plan for 2023–2027.

The priorities for the intersessional activities of the Scientific Committee in 2022/23 will be discussed and planned. This will include identifying the dates and venues for meetings of working groups and workshops, the timing of data submission to the Secretariat, and a schedule of agreed actions to be undertaken during the intersessional period by the Chair, conveners of working groups, Members and the Secretariat.

The Scientific Committee will consider its activities in light of the recommendations of the Second Performance Review and advise the Commission accordingly.

The Scientific Committee will receive an update on the progress of the current scholarship recipients and consider the outcomes of the selection process for the next year of the scholarship scheme.

The Scientific Committee will receive an update on the progress of CEMP Special Fund awards and consider the recommendations of the CEMP Special Fund Management Panel regarding evaluation of current research proposals.

The Scientific Committee will consider the CCAMLR publication policy (SC-CAMLR-40, paragraphs 7.9, 8.2 and 8.3).

The Scientific Committee will consider any other relevant administrative issues.

On the basis of advice from working group conveners, and in accordance with Rule 2 of the Rules of Procedure of the Scientific Committee, the Scientific Committee will consider how invitations should be extended to invited experts and to representatives of international and non-governmental organisations to attend intersessional meetings of its working groups.

The Scientific Committee will consider the dates of its next meeting and the invitation of Observers to that meeting.

The Scientific Committee will consider the Secretariat’s report on work in support of the Scientific Committee during the 2021/22 intersessional period (see also Agenda Item 1.2) and will consider priorities for future work and requirements for the 2022/23 intersessional period as well as the Secretariat Strategic Plan and items identified for Secretariat work in the Scientific Committee Strategic Plan.

The financial implications of decisions taken during the meeting will be used to identify issues to be raised with the Standing Committee on Administration and Finance (SCAF) for funding during 2022/23.

This should include the costs of ongoing projects and new proposals, including expenditure from Special Funds and other monies made available to the Scientific Committee as well as from the CCAMLR General Fund. Budgetary items that have implications for longer-term funding will also be reviewed.

In developing its budget advice, the Scientific Committee will need to consider the working groups’ requirements for workshops and invited experts, and review the use of science-related special funds.

In accordance with established practice, the Chair will provide preliminary advice to SCAF and SCIC, and will receive advice on matters of relevance to the Scientific Committee from these standing committees, which will meet concurrently with the meeting of the Scientific Committee. The Scientific Committee will provide the Commission with summaries of its recommendations to SCIC and SCAF.

At the 2022 meeting of the Scientific Committee, Dr Welsford will complete his first meeting of the second two-year term as Scientific Committee Chair.

The Scientific Committee will consider the position of Vice-Chair in accordance with Rule 8 of its Rules of Procedure. Dr A. Makhado (South Africa) was elected Vice-Chair in 2019 for the 2020 and 2021 meetings. This was extended an additional year in 2020 and he is currently the Senior Vice-Chair. Dr F. Schaafsma (Netherlands) was elected Vice-Chair in 2021 for the 2022 and 2023 meetings and is currently the Junior Vice-Chair.

The Scientific Committee will consider any other business.

The Scientific Committee will adopt the report of the Forty-first Meeting.