A review of ecosystem monitoring in Subarea 48.1 to identify gaps and inform future enhanced monitoring programmes in support of CCAMLRs conservation objectives

The commercial fishery for krill Euphausia superba operates in the Atlantic sector (Area 48) of the Southern Ocean. Fishing is concentrated close to the Antarctic Peninsula (Subarea 48.1) during the late summer to winter. With the expiration of CM 51-07 and the potential for an increase in catch in Subarea 48.1 there is an urgent need to develop an enhanced krill-predator monitoring strategy for this region. An enhanced CEMP is required to ensure that any impacts from fisheries are able to be detected, and any planned increase in the catch limit will not impact dependent predator populations. This paper reviews data available from current ecosystem monitoring programs in Subarea 48.1 to provide an overview of baseline information and to identify gaps in monitoring efforts to inform future enhanced monitoring programmes.