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ARK played a key role during the 2019 large-scale krill survey, which estimated krill biomass for the whole of Area 48. The overall biomass estimated was 62.6 million tonnes, a result very similar to the CCAMLR 2000 Survey.

The Norwegian Institute for Marine Research (IMR) and Aker BioMarine have been monitoring the marine ecosystem around the South Orkney Islands since 2011, to provide a baseline on krill…

ARK has committed to conducting annual transects at selected areas, following the advice from CCAMLR’s Scientific Committee (SC-CAMLR) to understand changes in krill density.

The Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute of China and the Liaoning Pelagic Fisheries Co. have been conducting a krill survey around the South Shetland Islands since 2013, to provide a baseline on krill...

ARK implemented Voluntary Restricted Zones (VRZs) to protect sensitive areas for penguins during the critical breeding season. A new year-round protection zone was adopted during its second annual Review Process.

2019 Large-scale Krill Survey

2019 Large-Scale Krill Survey

The Antarctic krill fishery is probably the most conservative in the world: catches represent only ~1% of the total estimated biomass. CCAMLR has agreed on a precautionary catch limit of 620,000 tonnes annually until effects on the ecosystem can be adequately evaluated.

Despite the above, a regular review of the health of the krill population is required. Accordingly, members of CCAMLR planned and executed a large-scale krill survey of Area 48 (where most fishing occurs) during the austral summer of 2019. ARK members actively participated in this survey.

The 2019 International Synoptic Krill Survey of Area 48 was a collective effort involving 5 nations, 6 vessels, 108 days and over 10,500 nautical miles of transects (enough to go from Pole to Pole!). The survey involved scientific research vessels from the United Kingdom (RRS Discovery) and Norway (RV Kronprins Haakon), krill fishing vessels from China (FV Fu Rong Hai), South Korea (FV Kwang Ja Ho), Ukraine (FV More Sodruzhestva), and a dedicated fishing vessel (FV Cabo de Hornos) provided by ARK. Most of the transects were conducted by RV Konprins Haakon and FV Cabo de Hornos.

ARK’s contribution to the survey involved the hiring and facilitation of a modified fishing vessel, the FV Cabo de Hornos, for use by the Institute of Marine Research (Norway). It was financed by all of ARK’s active members at the time: Aker BioMarine, Deris S.A (Pesca Chile), Jeong-Il, Dongwon, CNFC and Liaoning. The survey conducted by FV Cabo de Hornos lasted 55 days and covered 7,677 nautical miles (read press note).

The survey indicated that during the austral summer of 2019, the overall krill biomass in Area 48 was 62.6 million tonnes. In 2019 CCAMLR’s Scientific Committee (SC-CAMLR) endorsed the results of the survey.

This result is similar to the precedent benchmark, 60.3 million tonnes in 2000, supporting conservative management of the fishery.

Annual Acoustic Transects

Annual Acoustic Transects

A key aspect of ARK's approach to the krill fishery is contributing data for management, particularly in areas and periods not frequented by scientific vessels.

ARK implemented an Annual Acoustic Transect data collection plan during its meeting in March 2018, following advice from CCAMLR ’s Subgroup on Acoustic Survey and Analysis Methods (SG-ASAM). Since then, ARK members agreed that every season a chosen vessel(s) would conduct acoustic sampling of pre-selected transects. This initiative has been backed up with the acquisition of an acoustic calibration kit for use by ARK members.

The collection of acoustic data from these transects would allow CCAMLR scientists to estimate temporal patterns in krill density between years and determine an index of abundance.

In practice, this commitment has resulted in the collection of acoustic data in transects T16 and T17 in Subarea 48.1 from the 2017/18 fishing season onwards.

Data collected during the past two seasons has now been submitted to the CCAMLR Secretariat.

ARK Voluntary Measures

*** ARK’s Voluntary Restricted Zones selected among 100+ Biodiversity Positive Practices and Actions around the World ***

In July 2018, ARK members agreed on a set of voluntary measures to aid in the protection of the ecosystem at large. Now known as the ARK Commitment, these measures established a comprehensive arrangement of industry-led initiatives for best fishing practices:

1.  STEPWISE IMPLEMENTATION OF VOLUNTARY RESTRICTED ZONES (VRZ)

2.  ANNUAL REVIEW OF VOLUNTARY RESTRICTED ZONES

3.  IMPLEMENTATION OF FULL YEAR VOLUNTARY RESTRICTED ZONES

4.  TRANSSHIPMENT

5.  VESSEL SAFETY

The most significant of these initiatives is the voluntary restriction of fishing in buffer zones around key penguin colonies in the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands during their breeding season. The commitment also includes developing best practices on transshipment, vessel safety and an annual review process.

The ‘Commitment to a stepwise implementation of voluntary restricted zones and implementation of transshipment and vessel standards for the krill fishery in the Antarctic Peninsula’ can be reviewed here.

Implementation of Voluntary Restricted Zones

The Voluntary Restricted Zones (VRZs) represent the main conservation effort from ARK companies to safeguard critical habitat for krill-dependent predators, manly penguins, during the summer season. The principle is to protect key breeding colonies of gentoo, Adélie and chinstrap penguins during their most critical period: incubation and chick-rearing.

This voluntary measure is in line with the development of protected areas promoted by CCAMLR.

The implementation of this voluntary restriction on fishing is as follows:

• Antarctic Peninsula will be closed to krill fishing (40 km buffer) between 1 October and 1 February.

• A 40 km year-round closure to krill fishing around Hope Bay, Sheppard Nunatak and Sheppard Point, at the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula

• Gerlache Strait will be closed to krill fishing (30 km buffer) between 15 October and 15 February.

• South Shetland Islands will be closed to krill fishing (40 km buffer) between 1 November and 1 March.

The current arrangement of VRZs aids in the protection of – 

• almost all Adélie penguin breeding colonies in the Antarctic Peninsula area, including the largest colonies of Adélie penguin in the Antarctic Peninsula region (Heroina, Beagle and Paulet Islands, and Hope Bay), in the Danger IsIands and tip of the Antarctic Peninsula area, which comprise of ~50-55% of the breeding population for the region

• ~75% of the breeding population of chinstrap penguins in the Antarctic Peninsula area, including large (>10 000 pairs) breeding colonies at Deception, Low and King George Islands (South Shetlands)

• Almost all gentoo penguin breeding colonies in the Antarctic Peninsula area, including all colonies greater than 3 000 breeding pairs, ~52% of the population in the region.

The additional year-round protection zone around Hope Bay (63°24’S, 57°00’W) would serve as a reference area for studying impact of climate change on the large Adélie penguin colony under monitoring by the Instituto Antártico Argentino.

The level of compliance and implementation of VRZs is reviewed annually by an Expert Panel, which conducts a technical review and advises on best practices based on science.

See report of the Expert Panel.

South Orkney Krill Monitoring Program

South Orkney krill monitoring program

The Norwegian Institute for Marine Research (IMR)  and Aker BioMarine started the project ‘Antarctic krill and ecosystem monitoring survey off the South Orkney Islands’ in 2011. The main objective is to provide a baseline on krill abundance and demography around the South Orkney Islands for understanding population dynamics, the impact of environmental change, and potential effects on other components of this ecosystem.

Every summer (January—February) since 2011, IMR has conducted an acoustic survey around the South Orkney Islands to estimate krill biomass and distribution, complemented with net samples at specific stations, to assess krill demography.  

Results to date, which have been presented at CCAMLR meetings, have allowed a description of the temporal variation in krill demography and identified krill hotspots around the South Orkney Islands. Most importantly, the research has provided a biomass estimate for the northern section of the surveyed area.

The results suggest that at the South Orkney Islands, there is considerable interannual fluctuation of krill biomass, similar to that observed around the South Shetland Islands.

The study has also provided complementary information on penguin and whale distribution around the South Orkney Islands. Penguins seem to be present all around the islands. By contrast, fin whales are particularly abundant in the north–northwest of the South Orkney Islands, overlapping with the fishery.

Some publications resulting from this research effort are provided below:

South Shetland Krill Monitoring Program

South Shetland krill monitoring program

The Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute of China and the Liaoning Pelagic Fisheries Co. have been conducting a krill survey around the South Shetland Islands since 2013. These surveys are a continuation of the former US-AMLR summer surveys.

The main objective is to provide a baseline for krill abundance and density distribution at the South Shetland and Antarctic Peninsula main fishing grounds for understanding its population dynamics.

Results to date indicate a similar temporal and magnitude pattern in krill biomass fluctuations than previous findings (US-AMLR summer program, 1996—2011).