Catch Documentation Scheme (CDS)

CCAMLR is concerned with illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing for toothfish (Dissostichus spp.) in the Convention Area. IUU fishing depletes toothfish stocks, undermining CCAMLR’s conservation objectives and compromising the science that supports the rational use of Antarctic marine living resources. 

To combat IUU fishing, CCAMLR has implemented several measures including a Catch Documentation Scheme (CDS) for Dissostichus spp. (toothfish).

There are two species of toothfish, both of which are covered by the CCAMLR CDS:

• Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides), which is also called bacalao, bar du Chili, butterfish, Chilean sea bass, loup de mer chilien, merluza negra, mero, ròbalo and snow fish.and
• Antarctic toothfish (Dissostichus mawsoni), which is also called Antarctic blenny, Antarctic cod, bar du Chili, Chilean sea bass, loup de mer chilien, poisson Mawson and Mawson’s toothfish. 

Electronic Catch Documentation System (e-CDS)

The CDS is a fully electronic system supported by a user-friendly, web-based software application referred to as the electronic Catch Documentation Scheme (e-CDS), with finely controlled access rights based on the role of the e-CDS user. The e-CDS is used to create, validate and store: 

• Dissostichus Catch Documents (DCDs),
• Dissostichus Export Documents (DEDs),
• Dissostichus Re-Export Documents (DREDs) and
• Specially Validated Dissostichus Catch Documents (SVDCDs).

The CCAMLR CDS tracks toothfish from the point of landing throughout the trade cycle and encompasses all toothfish caught (regardless of location of harvest) and traded by participating States. In this way, the CDS aims to distinguish between legal and IUU toothfish products and to prevent the import of illegally harvested toothfish into major global markets.

The CDS specifically seeks to:

- identify the origins of Dissostichus spp. entering the markets of Contracting Parties and cooperating non-Contracting Parties (NCPs);

- track the harvest, transhipment, landings, export and re-export of Dissostichus spp;

- verify that Dissostichus spp. harvested in the Convention Area were caught in a manner consistent with CCAMLR conservation measures;

- promote cooperation between CCAMLR and NCPs by encouraging the voluntary implementation of the CDS; and

- reduce and eliminate IUU fishing through limiting the market availability for toothfish that have not been caught legally or in compliance with conservation measures.

Additionally, the CDS enables CCAMLR to track toothfish imported by countries that are not Contracting Parties to CCAMLR. These non-Contracting Parties are invited to cooperate with CCAMLR through the voluntary implementation of the CDS.

The CDS is implemented in accordance with Conservation Measure (CM) 10-05.