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Surveillance, Control and Monitoring

The need for stronger regulations of the Antarctic krill fishery

 

Although krill is recognized as a key resource in the Southern Ocean, the Antarctic krill fishery still constitutes an exception in regards to most of the basic regulatory requirements applicable to other Southern Ocean fisheries. This applies to several aspects of the fishery, such as reporting requirements, notification of fishing plans, and monitoring and surveillance measures.

 

Management of the krill fishery need to take full account of potential impacts on krill-dependent species such as the Macaroni Penguin (Eudyptes chrysolophus) - Photo: C. Suter

Prior to 2002, the krill fishery was the only CCAMLR fishery that did not require mandatory submission of detailed catch and effort data. In 2002, CCAMLR adopted rules that established a data reporting system for krill fisheries, according to which, krill catches are to be reported to the Commission on a monthly basis (CCAMLR 2002).  Despite these new reporting requirements, more detailed information on the krill fishery is still needed. CCAMLR scientific bodies have repeatedly highlighted the need to receive haul-by-haul data from the fishery in order to examine trends in krill distribution abundance, and to estimate the degree of overlap between the fishing fleets and the foraging ranges of krill predators, which are essential for adequately managing the fishery (CCAMLR 1992; 1998). Currently, submission of fine-scale data on a haul-by-haul basis is required for most of CCAMLR fisheries but not for krill.

 

There are CCAMLR rules in place that require the notification of intended entrance into a number of Southern Ocean fisheries, but these do not apply to krill (Croxall & Nicol 2004). The absence of complete and reliable information on future krill fishing plans is precluding CCAMLR bodies from predicting trends in the krill fishery, which would be key for management decisions (SC-CCAMLR WG-EMM 2003).

 

Perhaps the most important regulatory gaps with respect to the Antarctic krill fishery are the absence of required vessel monitoring devices and scientific observers on board. In relation to vessel monitoring, CCAMLR requires states to monitor the position of all of its fishing vessels licensed to fish in the Convention Area through an automated satellite-linked Vessel Monitoring System (VMS). This requirement is applicable to all CCAMLR fishing vessels except for krill.

 

VMS is a basic regulatory tool that allows states to verify that fishing operations comply with the conditions of the fishing licence and that fishing in non-authorised areas does not occur. VMS is also important for an accurate evaluation of the operation of the fishery. At its 2004 meeting, CCAMLR strengthened the system by establishing a centralised VMS, by which flag states are to transmit the position of the vessels to the CCAMLR Secretariat, to allow for independent verification of vessel positioning data. The fact that krill vessels are not subject to VMS makes this fishery poorly regulated and difficult to monitor.

 

Similar comments can be made in relation to the requirement of observers on board. It is widely acknowledged that the presence of scientific observers on board of all fishing vessels is necessary for the gathering of relevant data on different aspects of the fishery, which are key for adequate management.  Surprisingly, CCAMLR does not currently require the presence of scientific observers on vessels fishing for krill in the Convention Area. Although CCAMLR has designed a “Scheme of International Scientific Observation”, there is no conservation measure making it compulsory for krill fishing. CCAMLR conservation measures require the presence of scientific observers on board of vessels participating in other fisheries, but the krill fishery constitutes an exception to this rule.

 

 

 

Literatur:

  • CCAMLR. 2005. Schedule of conservation measures in force 2004/05. Hobart, Australia.
  • CCAMLR. 1992. Report of the Eleventh Meeting of the Commission, Hobart, Australia, 26 October - 6 November 1992.
  • CCAMLR. 1998. Report of the Seventeenth Meeting of the Commission, Hobart, Australia, 26 October - 6 November 1998.
  • CCAMLR. 2002. Report of the Twenty-First Meeting of the Commission, Hobart, Australia, 21 October - 1 November 2002.
  • Croxall, J.P. and Nicol, S. 2004. Management of Southern Ocean Fisheries: global forces and future sustainability. Antarctic Science 16 (4): 569-584.
  • SC- CCAMLR WG-EMM. 2003. Report of the Meeting of the Working Group on Ecosystem Monitoring and Management, Cambridge, UK, 18-29 August 2003.

 

 

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