A proposal to revise the limitation of Macrourus by-catch in new and exploratory fisheries

A new move-on rule was introduced in Conservation Measure 33-03 at CCAMLR-XXIV regarding the by-catch limit of new and exploratory fisheries. This move-on rule requires fishing to cease when the catch of Macrourus spp. by a single vessel exceeds 16% of its Dissostichus spp. catch in any two 10-day periods in a single SSRU (CM 33-03 paragraph 5). The interval of the “10-day period” was defined arbitrarily and sometimes does not fit the practical fisheries operations in the harsh Antarctic environment. Japan therefore proposes three options to modify the Conservation Measure in order to solve the problem.