WG-ASAM-2026

The Working Group will review the Terms of Reference and the workplan set out in https://meetings.ccamlr.org/en/p/sc-strategic-workplan.

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.

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.

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.

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'.

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.

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.

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.

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

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'.

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.

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

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).

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

The Working Group will consider the workplan in https://meetings.ccamlr.org/en/p/sc-strategic-workplan and identify any re-prioritisation or revision for discussion by the Scientific Committee.

The Working Group will consider any other business.