WG-FSA-15

The meeting will be convened by Dr M. Belchier (UK). The Secretariat will outline local arrangements for the meeting. The agenda of the meeting will be discussed and adopted. The following provisional agenda covers items to be considered in plenary session by WG-FSA.

The Working Group on Fish Stock Assessment (WG-FSA) will undertake assessments for the fisheries for Dissostichus eleginoides in Subareas 48.3 and 48.4 and Division 58.5.2, for D. mawsoni in Subarea 48.4, for Dissostichus spp. in Subareas 88.1 and 88.2 and for Champsocephalus gunnari in Subarea 48.3 and Division 58.5.2. WG-FSA will also review information available on other stocks and areas, in order to provide the Scientific Committee with advice on precautionary catch limits and other issues relevant to management of CCAMLR fisheries.

The Working Group will undertake areas of the work identified in the adopted agenda in subgroups. Progress reports will be given from each subgroup to plenary sessions, with the opportunity for additional discussion and consideration. The prioritisation and scheduling of subgroups will be directed by the Convener.

Subject to the views of the Working Group, the following Subgroups will be established:

• Subgroup on assessments – review preliminary assessments and further develop stock assessments and estimation of precautionary catch limits of target species. It is anticipated that assessments will be completed and reviewed by the end of the first week and assessment results will be used to provide advice on precautionary catch limits (Agenda Item 4).
• Subgroup on research to inform current or future assessments – review information from research fishing in 2014/15 and review and evaluate submitted research plans for research fishing under Conservation Measures 21-02 and 24-01, including the relevant advice of WG-SAM-15 (Agenda Item 5).

All other agenda items will be considered in plenary.

The Working Group will consider any new information on direct and indirect interactions between bottom fisheries and VMEs.

The Working Group will review information provided from, and priorities for sampling requirements for, scientific observation on board fishing vessels (including during research fishing) in the Convention Area.

The Working Group will review available information on catches and potential mitigation measures related to fish and non-VME invertebrates taken as by-catch in longline and trawl fisheries (including the krill fishery).

The Working Group will review incidental catches and mortality of marine mammals and seabirds in trawl and longline fisheries.

The Working Group will review fish-based ecological and ecosystem information relevant to the management of CCAMLR fisheries.

The Working Group will be invited to provide input for both a mid- and long-term work plan.

The Working Group will consider reports from Members of upcoming research in the CCAMLR area (including research under Conservation Measure 24-01 not considered in Agenda Item 5), particularly where there may be potential for collaboration between Members in that research, and advise the Scientific Committee as needed.

The Working Group may wish to consider and provide advice on matters which are not included elsewhere in the agenda, including reports from other meetings and research activities.

The Working Group will collate, summarise and organise advice, items of interest and concern, requests for information and guidance, etc. that were previously reported under other relevant agenda items.

All text for adoption should be available for final review on the afternoon of the day prior to report adoption. The entire report will be adopted in plenary.