In 2016 the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) adopted Conservation Measure (CM) 91-05, establishing the Ross Sea region Marine Protected Area (RSrMPA). This paper summarises the research and monitoring activities for New Zealand that are relevant to the RSrMPA, as required by CM 91-05 paragraph 16(i)–(ii).
Over the last 5 years, New Zealand has carried out research in the Ross Sea region (RSr) on subjects directly relevant to the specific objectives of the RSrMPA and in areas including the Ross Sea continental shelf, Ross Sea slope (open areas, General Protection Zone, Special Research Zone), and in the northern region (including seamounts on the Pacific Antarctic fracture zone, Scott Seamount). New Zealand research has included new work on the following topics: (1) Physical, chemical and cryogenic oceanographic conditions; (2) Bioregions; (3) Carrying capacity (phytoplankton, primary production and microbial energy flow); (4) “Keystone” organisms (including krill, zooplankton and salps); (5) Krill predators (Adélie and emperor penguins, Antarctic minke whales); (6) Toothfish predators (especially sperm whales); Toothfish prey (macrourids, icefish, eel cods, morid cods, squid); (8) Antarctic toothfish (biology, ecology, diet, movement, spawning/early life-history); (9) Bycatch species (especially skates and macrourids); (10) Vulnerable benthic ecosystems (structure-forming benthic invertebrates).
Recent New Zealand research of direct relevance to evaluating the effectiveness and conservation value of the RSrMPA in 2022-23 has included: multidisciplinary research voyage to the RSr from the research vessel Tangaroa; multispecies spatial population of toothfish and prey; bi-annual monitoring of zooplankton communities between New Zealand and the Ross Sea; sea-ice structure and change; evaluation of Earth-system model projections for future change in the RSr; development of acoustic mark identification approaches; bycatch characterisation. Throughout, this work has been presented to CCAMLR working groups, published in the primary literature or is in the process of being so disseminated. In addition, New Zealand has been developing scientific and strategic plans for research over the next five years to contribute to the 10 years RSrMPA review in 2027.