Introduction

This COMM CIRC outlines the notification procedures for the 2021/22 fishing season.  Additional information and guidance can be found on the Notifications Support Forum on the CCAMLR website.

Table 1 below presents the key information, deadlines, and fees from the CCAMLR Notification Fees Procedure relevant to 2021/22. 

Table 1: Schedule of notification requirements and fees for 2021/22.

1. Research fishery notifications CM 24-01, paragraph 3

Member(s) intending to conduct research in accordance with Conservation Measure (CM) CM 24-01, paragraph 3, will be subject to a research notification fee in accordance with the CCAMLR Notification Fees Procedure. 

All new and continuing research plans under CM 24-01, paragraph 3, must be submitted by 1 June 2021 as a WG-SAM meeting paper. The plans should contain the following information on the cover page of the paper:

• the words “Research Plan under CM 24-01, paragraph 3”
• the list of Members submitting the plan.
• contact names and emails for each Member.
• the words “New Research” or “Continuing Research”.

The research proposal should additionally contain the following:

• research plans are required in the format provided in Annex 24-01/A, Format 2
• research plans must include a self-assessment following the format of WG-SAM-19, Table 2, as an annex to the plan (CCAMLR-38, paragraph 5.32)
• research plans for toothfish should include the tagging questionnaire as an annex to the plan (CCAMLR-38, paragraph 5.28).

2. New fishery notifications

The procedures for new fishery notifications are described in CM 21-01. Notifications for new fisheries are required to submit the information listed in CM 21-01, paragraphs 3(i–iii).  

Members considering initiating a new fishery for the 2021/22 season are required to submit a notification to the Commission by 1 June 2021 and are requested to contact the Secretariat for further information on the process for doing so.

3. Exploratory fishery notifications

Members proposing to participate in an exploratory fishery for the 2021/22 season are required to submit a notification to the Commission by 1 June 2021 (CM 21-02, paragraph 6). A notification is required for each subarea/division in which a vessel intends to fish in the 2021/22 fishing season given in the following list:

All exploratory fishery notifications for Dissostichus spp. in Subareas 48.6, 88.1, 88.2 or Divisions 58.4.1, 58.4.2, 58.4.3a, 58.4.3b must include information in Section A below. For exploratory fisheries for Dissostichus spp. in Subarea 48.6 or Divisions 58.4.1, 58.4.2, 58.4.3a the information in Section B should also be submitted (CM 21-02, paragraph 6iii). These requirements are summarised below.  

Section A

All notifications for exploratory fisheries under CM 21-02 should submit the following supporting information online via the website (https://www.ccamlr.org/fishery-notifications):

• CM 21-02, paragraph 6(i) – Information prescribed in CM 10-02, paragraph 3, in respect of vessels nominated to participate in the exploratory fishery. Members must ensure that this information is provided in full by updating the vessel information on the website. The website has been modified to ensure that Members are directed to update and confirm this information, including information on the vessels fishing gear.

• CM 21-02, paragraph 6(ii) – Fisheries Operations Plan (FOP). The FOP template is selected from the required notification documentation available through the website.

• CM 21-02, paragraph 6(ii) – where required by CM 22-06, paragraph 7(i), for Members notifying for exploratory fisheries involving bottom fishing activities, a preliminary vulnerable marine ecosystem (VME) assessment in the form required by Annex 22-06/A must be submitted. This template form is available through the website under optional vessel documentation.

Section B

All new and continuing research plans under CM 21-02, paragraph 6(iii), must be submitted by 1 June 2021 as a WG-SAM meeting paper.  The proposals should contain the following information on the cover page of the paper:

• the words “Research Plan under CM 21-02, paragraph 6 (iii)”
• the list of Members submitting the plan
• the words “New Research” or “Continuing Research”.

The research proposal should additionally contain the following:

• research plans are required in the format provided in Annex 24-01/A, Format 2
• research plans must include a self-assessment following the format of WG-SAM-19, Table 2, as an annex to the plan (CCAMLR-38, paragraph 5.32)
• research plans for toothfish should include the tagging questionnaire as an annex to the plan (CCAMLR-38, paragraph 5.28). The tagging questionnaire is provided as Attachment 1 to this circular.

Research plans submitted by multiple Members need only be submitted as a single WG-SAM paper, although the information in Section A must still be submitted for each vessel and each subarea/division, through the website.

The Secretariat will check that each notification is accompanied by the relevant information in Sections A and B and will liaise with the conveners of relevant working groups to ensure that the research plans submitted by the due date to WG-SAM are directed to the relevant working group for review.

Notifications submitted after 1 June 2021, or not including the required information will not be considered by the Commission (CM 21-02, paragraph 8).

Krill fishery notifications

Krill fishery notifications must include the information required in Annex 21-03/A and Annex 21-03/B and must be submitted through the website (https://www.ccamlr.org/fishery-notifications). The following will apply:

• Vessels may be notified for fishing in the fisheries described in CM 51-01 (Subareas 48.1, 48.2, 48.3, 48.4), 51-02 (Division 58.4.1) or 51-03 (Division 58.4.2). A single fee of A$8 022 will be due for each notification by a single vessel to fish under any one of these conservation measures. However, when submitting notifications through the website under CM 51-01, notifications should indicate each of the Subareas (48.1, 48.2, 48.3, 48.4) they intend to fish in.

• CM 21-03, paragraph 2 – Members must ensure that the information required by CM 10-02, paragraph 3, is provided in full by updating the vessel information on the website. The website has been modified to ensure that Members are directed to update and confirm this information, including information on the vessel's fishing gear.

Guidance for submitting fishery notifications online (Exploratory fisheries and established krill fisheries)

Fishery notifications for exploratory fisheries and established krill fisheries should be submitted by Members online through the Fishery Notifications section of the CCAMLR website. To enable this, Members should ensure that a Fishery Notification Contact, who can access the online fishery process, is added by the Party Administrator through the CCAMLR website.

Guidelines for adding a Fishery Notification Contact are provided for Party Administrators in the CCAMLR support forum.

Guidelines for the online fishery notification process are provided for Fishery Notification Contacts in the CCAMLR support forum.

Members should note that documentation submitted with notifications submitted in a language other than English will only be translated on request. Members requiring translation are asked to request it 21 days in advance.

Deadline for payments

All fishery notification fees must be paid by 1 July 2021. The Secretariat will contact Members to arrange this.

A fishery notification will not be considered by the Commission where the fishery notification fee has not been paid by the due date (CM 21-02, paragraph 8 and CM 21-03, paragraph 4).

As stated in the CCAMLR Notification Fees Procedure, if a notification does not proceed because of a decision of the Commission, the notifying Member(s) shall receive a refund of the entire fee. In all other circumstances a fee will not be refunded.

Summary

• All fishery and research notifications must be submitted by 23:59 UTC 1 June 2021.
• Exploratory fisheries notifications and krill fishery notifications are to be submitted using the fisheries notifications portion on the CCAMLR website.
• Research plans, where required for research notifications and for exploratory fishery notifications for Dissostichus spp., must be submitted as meeting papers directly to WG-SAM by 1 June 2021.
• All Fishery notification fees must be paid by 1 July 2021.

Secretariat support

We realise that notification can be a complex procedure.  Please refer to the CCAMLR support forum articles above for general guidance on using the online fisheries notification process, and if further support is required please contact the Secretariat.