Fish nest area in the southern Weddell Sea. Discussions and recommendations from WG-EMM-2023

The main aim of this paper is to update WG-FSA on the work of WG-EMM this year on a potential protection mechanism for notothenioid fish nest areas in the Convention Area and for the case of the fish nest area of N. ionah in the southern Weddell Sea. We would like to inform WG-FSA that a draft CM 32-XX "Establishing closed areas for notothenioid fish nest areas in the Convention Area" has been submitted to CCAMLR-42. We recommend that WG-FSA once again emphasise the importance of protecting the fish nest area of N. ionah in the southern Weddell Sea in a timely manner within the framework of a CM for notothenioid fish nest areas in the Convention Area. If significant changes to the CM become necessary as a result of WG-FSA discussions, these will be submitted to the Commission via a Rev.1 paper.