Scotia Sea Pygoscelid Penguin Tracking and Habitat Analysis Workshop

During WG-EMM-14, it was noted that characterisation of overlap between land-breeding predators and the krill fishery was desirable throughout the Scotia Sea; it was recognised that such work could be advanced by either tracking animals originating from additional breeding colonies, or by using existing tracking data and developing habitat models that predict foraging habitats as functions of environmental variables. Consequently, in May 2015, an expert meeting was convened to consider the utility of using tracking data to build habitat use and preference models for krill-eating penguins. The meeting considered that such models would be of critical value in the development of feedback management approaches for the krill fishery as well as in marine spatial planning and the identification of candidate marine protected areas. The meeting brought together both penguin ecologists and experts in the analysis of tracking data. Six CCAMLR Members were represented at the meeting as well as scientists from BirdLife International and SCAR. The meeting agreed an outline programme of work that is designed to advance the development of habitat use models over the coming year with a view to check on progress at the forthcoming 10^th International Penguin Conference in Cape Town during September 2016. In considering the need to better understand how penguins utilize their habitat and make use of available resources during critical periods when they overlap with the krill fishery, the workshop highlighted a number of issues of relevance to CCAMLR.