A proposal from Spain to join the current research proposal coordinated between JAP and ZAF is presented.
In the SC-2017 report, the Scientific Committee noted that the future inclusion of an ice strengthened vessel, in an expanded research plan for this area, would address the capacity issues that the research conducted by Japan and South Africa were experiencing (parag 3.109) and recommended that research in this subarea should continue, focussing on D. mawsoni in research blocks 486_2 to 486_5 (parag 3.112).
Taking into account the above recommendations made by CCAMLR WGs and SC and in order to speed up the acquisition and data analysis, Spain proposes their collaboration with ZAF and JAP so that the united research effort will help to achieve a fully integrated assessments of the D.mawsoni stock in the Subarea 48.6. The proposed Spanish vessel “TRONIO”, with extensive experience in fisheries in CCAMLR area, is an ice strengthened vessel that could contribute to achieve the catch limit by research blocks, especially those with more difficult access due to difficult ice condition, and therefore increase the acquisition of data necessary to achieve a fully stock assessment in the subarea in the scheduled time.