Finfish research proposals for Subarea 48.6 and Divisions 58.5.2; 58.4.3a by Koryo Maru 11 for 2012/13

South Africa has played an active part in CCAMLR since its establishment in 1982 and has contributed to the scientific rationale for ecosystem management in a large area of the Southern oceans. Recently South Africa also initiated a new research plan within its EEZ around the Prince Edward Islands that acknowledges the objectives of the Commission for the responsible management of Antarctic Marine Living Resources.  The Koryo Maru 11 started with exploratory fishing in the CCAMLR Convention Area in 1996 and has completed a total of 47 trips to date.  Regions fished include Statistical Subarea 48.3 and 58.6 and 58.7 within the South African EEZ around the Prince Edward Islands and, more recently, research fishing in Subarea 48.6 and Division 58.4.2   The objectives for the 2012/13 season would be to start with the research in Subarea 48.6 and Divisions 58.5.2 and extend this into 58.4.3a later in 2013.  Research in this period will continue with specific focus on tagging within prescribed fine scale rectangles in these regions and on collecting detailed catch and effort and biological information on the target Dissostichus spp. and bycatch species.