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    WG-ASAM-2026

    Working Group on Acoustic Survey and Analysis Methods
    Location:
    Shanghai, People's Republic of China
    Meeting Start Date/Time:
    Meeting End Date/Time:

    Preliminary Agenda

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    1     Introduction
    1.1     Opening of meeting
    1.2     Adoption of the Agenda
    1.3     Review terms of reference and workplan
    2     Standardised procedures and protocols for the collection of acoustic data for krill fishery management in Area 48

    The Working Group will review the consolidated 'Acoustic Data Collection Instruction Guide' (SC-CCAMLR-44, paragraph 2.73) and develop further recommendations for the design and implementation of acoustic surveys for biomass estimation as part of the Krill Fishery Management Approach (KFMA). The Working Group will also consider the skills and equipment needed by those collecting the data on board fishing vessels.

    2.1     Methods for calibrating echosounders on vessels

    The Working Group will review the protocol for echosounder calibration (WG-ASAM-2024, Appendix D). The Working Group will also consider progress on alternative methods for evaluating the performance of echosounders.

    2.2     Acoustic transect design in Area 48

    The Working Group will continue discussion from the discussion group 'Acoustic_Survey_Design' and recommend transect structures in Subareas 48.1, 48.2 and 48.3.

    2.3     Krill biological data collection during acoustic surveys

    The Working Group will review the protocol for trawl sampling during acoustic surveys (WG-ASAM-2024, Appendix E), taking into account information from the 'krill sampling survey form'.

    2.4     Oceanographic data collection during acoustic surveys

    The Working Group will review protocols for the collection of CTD data (WG-ASAM-2024, Appendix F), including the attachment of CTDs to the sampling net.

    2.5     Data and metadata reporting

    The Working Group will continue discussion from the discussion group 'Acoustic_Survey_Design' and finalise the acoustic survey metadata form and acoustic data submission guidelines and formats.

    3     Coordination of surveys

    The Working Group will consider the timing (i.e. summer vs winter), intra- and inter-annual repetition (i.e. degree of transects repeated) requirements and coordination and scheduling of acoustic surveys. The Working Group will also consider the interannual repetition frequency for different management units.

    4     Standardised procedures for analysis and development of krill biomass estimates

    The Working Group will review processing and analytical procedures to periodically update krill biomass estimates.

    4.1     Survey stratification and spatial estimators

    The Working Group will consider different methods for the development of stratified biomass estimates including progress from the discussion group on 'Model-based-acoustic-biomass-spatial-estimators'.

    4.2     Standardised analysis and reporting of acoustic biomass estimates

    The Working Group will review standardised analytical methods and quality assurance protocols for the analysis of acoustic surveys conducted by both research and fishing vessels to deliver krill biomass estimates for CCAMLR management, including the use of benchmarked datasets.

    5     Krill biomass estimates

    The Working Group will review any survey results for biomass estimates.

    6     Acoustic methods for measuring krill biomass, flux, seasonality, and behaviour from alternative platforms

    The Working Group will consider design and analysis methods to examine temporal and spatial variability of krill distribution using observations from various platforms (e.g., gliders, moorings, and acoustic data collected during routine fishing activities).

    7     Acoustic survey protocols for finfish

    The working group will consider acoustic survey protocols for finfish in accordance with the recommendations of SC-CAMLR-44 (paragraphs 3.24-3.27).

    8     Future work
    9     Other business

    The Working Group will consider any other business.

    10     Advice to the Scientific Committee including the effects of climate change
    11     Adoption of the report and close of the meeting