Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR)

CCAMLR undertook a first Performance Review in 2008. That Review encouraged CCAMLR to give additional consideration to capacity building. It suggested that cooperative programs could support the information needs of Article II of the CAMLR Convention in regard to the ecosystems approach to fisheries management to strengthen the engagement of all Members in the work of CCAMLR and reduce the reliance on a small number of Members (see www.ccamlr.org/node/76553 ). Since the 2008 Review there have been several positive developments in relation to capacity building supported by the CCAMLR Secretariat. Through voluntary contributions from CCAMLR Members, a General Science Capacity Fund was established in 2012. This Fund supports the CCAMLR Scientific Scholarship Scheme. Eight (8) early career scientists, from six CCAMLR Members, have been awarded scholarships since its establishment. In addition, since 2014, the Secretariat has hosted 28 entirely self-funded interns from 10 CCAMLR Members across a variety of disciplines ranging from language services, science, policy, institutional studies and fishery management (https://www.ccamlr.org/node/83646). Interns have included students completing their tertiary studies and early career professionals who have spent between 4 weeks and one year at the Secretariat. Participation in the Secretariat’s intern program demonstrates that there is a demand for early career capacity building in a broad range of areas of interest to CCAMLR covering science, fisheries compliance, management, institutional and policy. CCAMLR is endeavouring to strengthen these capacity building and outreach initiatives that have been evolving since 2012. In this regard, a capacity building project for five CCAMLR Members was approved by the Global Environment Facility in May 2017. This initiative is currently in the process of detailed design.