Discussion Summaryof Discussionand Recommendations from the Conference

Discussion Summaryof Discussionand Recommendations from the Conference EleanorM. Dorseyand Judith Pederson n an effort to fosterexchange among partici- perspectivesfrom a post-conferencemeeting of pantsand developa setof recommendations the conferencesteering committee, The conference on future actions, a discussionperiod was discussionsession was not tapedand a numberof held at the end of the conference, Effects of participantscould not attend,We havemade every FishingGear on theSea Floor of NewEngland effort to capturethe diverseviewpoints expressed on May 30, 1997.The discussionwas structured duringthe dayand to reflectthe concerns and aroundtwo questions: thoughtfulnessof the attendees,A full list of com- ' What studiesare needed in New Englandto mentsand recommendationsas recorded in writing improveour understandingof fishinggear effects and at the conferencediscussion session is providedin other disturbances on the sea floor? Appendix2. ~ What insightshave we gainedfrom the con- ferencepresentations and discussionsabout research GENERAL OBSERVATIONS on and experiencewith fishinggear effects on the sea The provisionson essentialfish habitatin the floor? Magnuson-StevensFishery Conservation and Man- Approximately60 of 150participants attended agementAct of 1996place new emphasis on fish the discussion session and shared information and habitatsand will influencemanagement decisions observationsof habitatsand the relationshipof habi- in the both the short andlong term Kurland,this tatsto fisheryproductivity. Although the intentof volume!.Participants at the discussionsession noted thissession was specifically to identifyresearch activities that inforination on what constitutes essential fish that would further understandingof seafloor habitats habitatis limited, that scientistsmust help identify andfisheries, the exchangeof informationcovered a and describe habitats, and that decisions will have to broadspectrum of topicsand reflectedthe experience be madebased on incompleteinformation. One of of the scientists, fishermen, environmentalists, and the key recommendationswas for fishermen'sknowl- fisherymanagers in attendance.The discussionranged edgeto be incorporatedinto the definition and iden- beyondthe initial questionsand fell into threecate- tification of essential fish habitat and for fishermen to gories: I! generalobservations and assumptions, participatein designingresearch to betterunderstand ! recommendationsfor research,and ! recornmen- habitatsand fish productivity. dationsfor fisherymanagement A collaborativeefFort between scientists, managers Time constraintsprecluded in-depth discussion and fishermencould translateflishermen's knowledge on any one issueand there was no attempt to resolve gainedthrough years of observationsinto scientifi- contradictoryobservations. This summaryfocuses on callyuseful information. Some of the habitatfeatures themesthat wereidentified as high prioritiesor were highlightedby fishermenin this volumeare edges part of severalrecommendations. It alsoincludes or transitionsbetween different bottom types, rapid 140 Effects of Fishing Gear on the Sea Floor of New Eng and changesin topography,beds of benthicinvertebrates disturbanceaffect primary productivity may ultimately suchas mussels and stalkedascidians!, and special helpincrease food for harvestedfish. Another produc- bottomstructures such as pipe clayand gravel pave- tivity-relatedquestion is to evaluatethe role of'trawl- ment!, These featuresoccur on scalesmuch smaller ing and dredgingin reducingpredators of' targeted than the 10-minutelatitude and longitudesquares speciesthrough bycatch mortalityor increased used for fish stock assessments. To use fishermen's exposure to scavengers. knowledgeof habitateffectively, habitat maps should Throughoutthe discussion,many people remark- depictsmall-scale features, such as substrate transitions, ed thatwe do not know what limits fish production. musselbeds, sea floor peaks,and claypipe areas. Without this understanding,it is difficult to evaluate Severalparticipants observed that differentgoals the effectof naturaldisturbance, gear disturbance, wereexpressed by variousspeakers at theconference, predation,competition, weather, cliinate, and over- Somepresentations focused on fisheryproductivity fishingon fishproductivity and habitat function. asthe principalpurpose for humanuse of marine Another observation was that declines in fish stocks ecosystems,whereas others stressed the preservation and alterations to sea floor habitats result from a of biologicaldiversity. Although thesegoals may not singleproblem: too much fishing, Reduced fishing be mutuallyexclusive, they differ in einphasisand effort canbe expectedto resultin increasedfish expectation. stocksand improvedbottom habitats Somepresenters Focused on the importanceof Severalcontradictory observations emerged biologicaldiversity and stated that maintainingdiversity at the conference.Some studies have shown fishing at the seafloor benefitsfisheries by increasedstruc- disturbance to reduce abundance, biomass, and tural heterogeneityand food availability. The protection diversityof somebenthic invertebrates, while other of uprightbiota suchas sponges, algae, and bryozoans! studiesand observationsreport increasesin theabun- not only providesrefuge for earlylife history stages dance and biomassof other bottom species,notably of harvestedfish species,but alsoenhances prey For scavengers,due to fishing.In thisvolume, sea scallop larval,juvenile and adult fish,Thus, scientistsand fishermenreport both positiveand negativeeffects fishermenwith an interestin biologicaldiversity and of scallopdredging on the targetspecies. Careful ecologicalfunctions of inarinesystems contended studiescan help resolvethese observed differences, that maintaininga heterogeneousenvironment will andparticipants recommended further research on improvefish populations,In addition,protecting fundamentaland appliedquestions. benthicbiodiversity might providea bufferfor fish populationsif fishingregulations do not adequately RECOMMENDATIOIVS FOR RESEARCH control fishinginortality. This approachwould sug- Therewas general agreement at the discussionsession gesta changein emphasisfor managerswho curremly that a high priority for future studiesshould be to usestock assessinents asthe principal consideration improveunderstanding of the relationshipbetween for managementdecisions. Another value expressed carryingcapacity of habitatsand fishing productivity for biologicaldiversity, apart from its contribution to andto quantifythat relationship. Another recommen- robustfisheries, is thepart that eachspecies represents dationwas to quantifythe relationships benveen habi- in the recordof the evolutionof life on this planet. tatsand fish and to providea scientificand technical Thosewho emphasizedmarine productivity basisFor inanagement decisions, In addition,a coor- wantedresearch and management to focuson inaxi- dinatedprogram to researchthe effectsof fishinggear mizingthe yield of targetedspecies. An analogyto on habitatsis needed,Such a programshould, among farmingwas used to Framethe discussion.In agricul- otherthings, designate areas For research, develop ture,cultivation of thesoil is usedto increaseyields of inethodologies,and study the importanceof bottom specificcrops. Proponents of a focuson productivity structure.It wasrecommended that priorities be set wereinterested in processesand ecosystem components for monitoring and researchby focusingon the im- that enhancefishery productivity, For example, portantareas and placing less effort on areasthat are understandinghow nutrient releasesfrom sediment not important to fisheries.Studies should look at the Discussion 141 effectsin the short,middle, and long term and men'sobservations as well ashypothesis testing, and shouldintegrate over the regionfor all populations. both shouldbe reflectedin agencies'funding priorities, Furthermore, studies should focus at scalesappropri- Another recommendation was for research to ate for individual fish, scales that are smaller than developfishmg gear that minimizesdamage to sea currentmanagement divisions. floor habitatsand to untargetedbiota. Optimism A recurringtheme throughout the discussionwas wasexpressed that considerableimprovements in the recommendation for fishermen and scientists to this directionare possible. collaboratein identifyingpriority areasof research and developingresearch projects. Conducting fish- RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MANAGEMENT eries-directedresearch is challenging becauseagencies The conferencedid not attemptto addressthe man- that fund research,such as the National Science Foun- agementimplications of fishinggear impacts to the dation and the Office of NavalResearch, encourage seafloor, but somesuggestions for managementwere hypothesis-drivenresearch rather than descriptive madeat the discussionsession. A high priority was studies.Improved understanding of fisheryhabitats givento classifyingthe seafloor accordingto vulner- requiresdescriptive studies that may includefisher- ability to fishinggear, with input from both scientists and fishermen,Managers were urged to solicit in- creasedinput from fishermenand academicscientists, Recommendations for Research to establishprotected areas, to re-examineappropri- atescales for definingfish habitat,and to focuson 1. Investigate the relationship between sea productiveand sensitive areas first. Severalpartici- floor habitats and fish productivity. pantsrecommended the establishmentof marine ~ Develop a consistent assessment

Load more