When the CAMLR Convention came into force it established the Scientific Committee (SC-CAMLR) and all Members of the Commission are also Members of the Scientific Committee.

The Scientific Committee provides the best available scientific information on harvesting levels and other management issues to the Commission. In turn, the Commission is obligated by the Convention to take full account of the recommendations and advice of the Scientific Committee in making its decisions.

The CCAMLR Scheme of International Scientific Observation was adopted in 1992 under Article XXIV of the Convention. It is one of the most important sources of scientific information that is essential for assessing the impact of fishing on the ecosystem, including the status of target populations, as well as those of related and dependent species. The scheme also plays a crucial role in developing approaches to reducing the impact of fishing on the ecosystem by collecting data on the effectiveness of mitigation measures.

The CCAMLR Marine Debris program was established in 1989 to monitor debris levels in the Convention Area, with specific regard to fishing debris items. Members annually submit data using a standardised set of forms and instructions covering marine debris from beach surveys, debris associated with seabird colonies, entanglements of marine mammals, and hydrocarbon soiling of mammals and seabirds. The CCAMLR Marine Debris Database contains data from 15 sites, predominantly in the Antarctic Peninsula and on Sub-Antarctic islands.

In order to manage the commercial harvesting of Antarctic marine living resources in accordance with the ‘ecosystem approach’ that is embodied in Article II of the CAMLR Convention, the effects of fishing on harvested species (target species) as well dependent species and associated species need to be taken into account.