HMS Protector, the UK Royal Navy’s ice patrol vessel, undertook a circumnavigation of Antarctica during the 2015-16 season. Whilst in the Ross Sea region, CCAMLR inspectors from Australia and New Zealand joined HMS Protector on a fisheries patrol. Four CCAMLR licensed toothfish fishing vessels were inspected in the Ross Sea during December 2015 – February 2016.
During April – May 2016, in the Antarctic Peninsula region (with only UK CCAMLR inspectors on board), HMS Protector also made radio contact with four CCAMLR licensed krill fishing vessels.
This paper provides some further information about the inspections undertaken by HMS Protector this season and proposes that the Commission discuss a number of policy issues that arose during this inspection programme, in order to consider whether and how the CCAMLR System of Inspection could be strengthened in the future.