Acoura Marine 4th Surveillance Report West Greenland Coldwater Prawn Fishery
MSC SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES CERTIFICATION
On-Site Surveillance Visit - Report for West Greenland Coldwater prawn fishery
4th Surveillance stage
March 2017
Certificate Code F-ACO-0027 Prepared For: Sustainable Fisheries Greenland Prepared By: Acoura Marine Authors: Rod Cappell, Beth Mouat, John Hambrey
Acoura Version V2.2 04/01/17 Acoura Marine 4th Surveillance Report West Greenland Coldwater Prawn Fishery
Assessment Data Sheet
Fishery name West Greenland Coldwater Prawn
Species and Stock Coldwater prawn (Pandalus borealis)
CAB name Acoura Marine
CAB contact details Address 6 Redheughs Rigg Edinburgh EH12 9DQ
Phone/Fax 0131 335 6662
Email [email protected]
Contact name(s) Billy Hynes
Client contact details Address Sustainable Fisheries Greenland Jens Kreutzmannip Aqqutaa 3, Post Office Box 73, 3900 Nuuk, Greenland.
Phone/Fax +45 98 29 44 22
Email [email protected]
Contact name(s) Peder Munk Pederson
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Contents
1 Introduction ...... 5 1.1 Scope of Surveillance ...... 5 1.2 Aims of the Surveillance ...... 5 1.3 Certificate Holder Details ...... 5 2 Surveillance Process ...... 6 2.1 Findings of the original assessment ...... 6 2.2 Surveillance Activity ...... 6 2.2.1 Surveillance team details ...... 6 2.2.2 Date & Location of surveillance audit ...... 6 2.2.3 Stakeholder consultation & meetings ...... 6 2.2.4 What was inspected ...... 6 2.2.5 Stakeholder Consultation ...... 6 2.3 Surveillance Standards ...... 6 2.3.1 MSC Standards, Requirements and Guidance used ...... 6 2.3.2 Confirmation that destructive fishing practices or controversial unilateral exemptions have not been introduced ...... 7 3 Updated Fishery Background ...... 8 3.1 Changes in the management system ...... 8 3.2 Changes in relevant regulations...... 8 3.3 Changes to personnel involved in science, management or industry...... 8 3.4 Changes to scientific base of information including stock assessments ...... 9 3.4.1 Stock Assessment & status ...... 9 3.4.2 Other scientific information ...... 11 3.5 Changes and updates on Ecosystem issues ...... 14 3.6 Any developments or changes within the fishery which impact traceability or the ability to segregate between fish from the Unit of Certification (UoC) and fish from outside the UoC (non- certified fish) ...... 15 3.7 TAC and catch data ...... 15 3.8 Summary of Assessment Conditions ...... 16 4 Results ...... 17 4.1 Condition 1 ...... 17 4.2 Condition 3 ...... 19 4.3 Condition 4 ...... 26 4.4 Condition 6 ...... 27 4.5 Condition 7 ...... 27 4.6 Recommendation 1 ...... 28 5 Conclusion ...... 30 5.1 Summary of findings ...... 30 6 References ...... 31
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Appendix 1 – Re-scoring evaluation tables ...... 32 Appendix 2 - Stakeholder submissions ...... 49 Appendix 3 - Surveillance audit information (if necessary) ...... 50 Appendix 4 - Additional detail on conditions/ actions/ results (if necessary) ...... 51
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1 Introduction
1.1 Scope of Surveillance This report outlines the findings of the 4th Annual Surveillance of the West Greenland coldwater prawn fishery. The scope of the certified fishery and therefore of this surveillance is specified in the Unit of Certification set out below: UoC 1
Species This species has a number of common names: Greenland Prawn / Cold Water Prawn / Northern Prawn / Northern Shrimp (Pandalus borealis)
Geographical area West Greenland (Greenland Waters within NAFO Divisions 1A- F)
Method of capture Shrimp trawl using otter boards
Stock West Greenland Shrimp (NAFO Division 0A (east of 60°30' W) and Divisions 1A-F)
Management Greenland Government, Department for Fishery, Hunting and Agriculture.
Client Group All Greenland fishers and fishing companies holding a licence for prawn fishery in West Greenland.
1.2 Aims of the Surveillance The purpose of the annual Surveillance Report is fourfold: 1. to establish and report on whether or not there have been any material changes to the circumstances and practices affecting the original complying assessment of the fishery; 2. to monitor the progress made to improve those practices that have been scored as below “good practice” (a score of 80 or above) but above “minimum acceptable practice” (a score of 60 or above) – as captured in any “conditions” raised and described in the Public Report and in the corresponding Action Plan drawn up by the client; 3. to monitor any actions taken in response to any (non-binding) “recommendations” made in the Public Report; 4. to re-score any Performance Indicators (PIs) where practice or circumstances have materially changed during the intervening year, focusing on those PIs that form the basis of any “conditions” raised. Please note: The primary focus of this surveillance audit is assess changes made in the previous year. For a complete picture, this report should be read in conjunction with the Public Certification Report for this fishery assessment which can be found here: https://fisheries.msc.org/en/fisheries/west-greenland-coldwater-prawn/@@assessments
1.3 Certificate Holder Details Sustainable Fisheries Greenland continue to be the certificate holder for this fishery, which is targeted by vessels from the two member companies, Polar Seafoods and Royal Greenland.
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2 Surveillance Process
2.1 Findings of the original assessment As a result of the assessment, a number of conditions of certification were raised by the assessment team, and maintenance of the MSC certificate is contingent on the Fishery Name fishery moving to comply with these conditions within the time-scales set at the time the certificate was issued. In addition, one recommendation was made which, whilst not obligatory, the client is encouraged to act upon within the spirit of the certification.
2.2 Surveillance Activity
2.2.1 Surveillance team details Rod Cappell was team leader for this SA, who has led three previous surveillance audits on this fishery. With the retirement of original assessment team members, Beth Mouat (P1) and John Hambrey (P2) were the other assessment team members. This on-site surveillance visit was carried out by Rod Cappell, Beth Mouat and John Hambrey . The Team Leader was Rod Cappell
2.2.2 Date & Location of surveillance audit An on-site surveillance audit was conducted in Vodskov, Denmark 6th-8th March as part of re- assessment site visit.
2.2.3 Stakeholder consultation & meetings Meetings were held with the client, Sustainable Fisheries Greenland, scientists from Institute of Zoology, London, Helle Jorgensby (conducting a PhD study on VMEs in West Greenland). There were also teleconferences with Ministry of Fishing, Hunting and Agriculture (MFHA), Greenland Institute of Natural Resources (GINR) and the control authority Greenland Fisheries Licence Control (GFLK). The team also met with staff responsible for traceability within Polar Seafoods and Royal Greenland to discuss any developments relevant to chain of custody.
2.2.4 What was inspected Presentations were made to the assessment team based on documents referenced in chapter 6 of this report.
2.2.5 Stakeholder Consultation A total of 21 stakeholder organisations and individuals having relevant interest in the assessment were identified and consulted during this surveillance audit. The interest of others not appearing on this list was solicited through the postings on the MSC website. Documents referred to See Appendix 4.
2.3 Surveillance Standards
2.3.1 MSC Standards, Requirements and Guidance used This surveillance audit was carried out according to the MSC Fisheries Certification Requirements FAM V1.3 using process V2.0.
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2.3.2 Confirmation that destructive fishing practices or controversial unilateral exemptions have not been introduced No indication was given or suggested during the surveillance audit to suggest that either of these practices is in evidence for this fishery
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3 Updated Fishery Background
3.1 Changes in the management system There are no significant changes to the management system since the previous surveillance. Developments can be summarized as follows: • Further discussions with Canada regarding allocations in the shrimp fishery are planned for April. The team noted the condition set under the re-certified Canadian shrimp fishery requiring progress on this matter. • Guides for the identification of VMEs and ETPs have been produced for fishermen. A VME report and move-on rule has been implemented since 2011. However, they have still not had a report. This may relate in part to the rarity of VMEs in the waters fished by the fleet, but there may also be issues related the enthusiasm for full implementation. It seems that observers have to be paid to take a sample. • The e-logbook, which has more space for recording observations and encounters was not fully implemented in 2016, due in part to differences between requirements under the EU and NAFO management regimes. Full roll-out of e-logbooks is scheduled for 2017. • Improvements in camera technology are leading to a more targeted fishery and higher CPUE. Sensors and cameras will be the norm within 5-10 years allowing for far smarter fishing. With this technology vessels may catch 110 tonnes of prawn/day using big double trawls with 3300 meshes. • The new fishing area to the North in Melville Bay continues to be explored. Ice and weather constrain operations within a three month season. Information is provided by fisheries observers required on each vessel operation in the northern experimental fishery. The research vessel has limited ability to work further north to extend the survey area.
3.2 Changes in relevant regulations The revised West Greenland Shrimp management plan is still in the process of formal approval by MFHA as the appointment of a new minister has delayed legislative changes. A dispute resolution proposal was submitted by the Fisheries Council to the MFHA in November 2016 and a decision is awaited. MFHA is discussing threshold levels for corals and sponges with NEAFC and NAFO (covering waters of East Greenland and West Greenland respectively) as want consistent levels within national legislation. Following the Fisheries Council May 2014 an area of seabed is likely to be closed to bottom-contact fishing within the coming two years to protect a Lophelia coral reef. The area is in 670-1050 m depth off the southwest coast of Greenland. Although this will constrain the Greenland halibut fishery, it is very unlikely to affect the operation of the prawn fishery (too deep and rocky). It demonstrates the will of the government to protect VME. However there is as yet no plan for a comprehensive network of representative marine areas to be protected.
3.3 Changes to personnel involved in science, management or industry It was with great sadness that the team learned of the passing of Michael Kingsley who made such a considerable contribution to the assessments of shrimp stocks in the region. The team consulted with the GINR scientists, Nanette Hammeken and AnnDorte Burmeister, who participate in the NAFO ICES Pandalus assessment group (NIPAG) reporting to the NAFO Scientific Council.
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3.4 Changes to scientific base of information including stock assessments
3.4.1 Stock Assessment & status Changes to Assessment Methods There have been no fundamental changes to the stock assessment methodology. Only one difference was noted between the model used in the previous year and the current assessment, which was the removal of an error term from the coding relating to cod predation, as detailed in Kingsley (2015). There have been no substantial impacts reported on the assessment outputs following the implementation of this change. Stock Status The most recent stock assessment was produced at the NAFO/ICES Pandalus working group meeting in September 2016 (NAFO, 2016). This reported that at the end of 2016 the stock was considered to be 11% above Bmsy and the risk of being below Blim (30% of Bmsy) is very low (<1%), there was a predicted risk of 63% that the total mortality would exceed Zmsy. The modelled biomass remains relatively stable (Figure 1), showing only a slight decrease from on the previous year, with the CPUE relative biomass showing a similar trend. The survey index shows a more marked decrease, however, remains above levels seen in 2012 and 2014. Relative total mortality remains below the MSY level, as it has done for most of the modelled period, and continues to decline (Figure 2). A high proportion of pre-recruits to the fishery were reported in the 2015 stock assessment (NAFO, 2015), however, these were not observed entering the fishery. Reported discussions between scientists and fishers appear to indicate that this cohort had been removed from the population by fishing, but there was no data to support this. The most recent assessment information (NAFO, 2016) stated that the number of large pre-recruits expected to enter the fishery in 2017 was close to its 11 minimum and predicted short term recruitment was poor for both the offshore fisheries and the Disko Bay area. Age 2 prawns, which will recruit to the fishery in subsequent years, were reported to be close to the 20 year median, showing a decrease from that reported in the previous assessment. The assessment report (NAFO, 2016) reiterated an earlier recommendation that the relationship between estimated numbers of small prawns and later estimates of fishable biomass should be investigated. Documentation of a collaborative project between Royal Greenland, Polar Seafood and the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources was presented, detailing data collection planned for 2016/17. The project is aiming to gather quantitative data on the distribution and abundance of small prawns observed in catches in order to provide more effective assessment of recruitment and a basis for assessing generational strength.
Management Advice Advice from the NAFO Scientific Council in 2016 indicates that, based on a maintained mortality risk of 35% being low enough to keep stocks safely at or above Bmsy, that catches in 2017 should not exceed 90 000t. At this level of catch it is estimated that the risk of total mortality exceeding Zmsy would be below 35%. This represents no change in the recommended catch from the advice produced in the previous year, though the enacted TAC for 2016 exceeded this value (Table 1).
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Figure 1. Trajectory of the median model estimate of stock biomass relative to Bmsy median commercial CPUE and survey indices. (NAFO, 2016) 3 Survey relative biomass CPU relative biomass 2.5 Modelled (quartile bars)
2
1.5
1 Shrimp Biomass (Bmsy=1) ShrimpBiomass
0.5 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 Year
Figure 2. Trajectory of relative biomass (relative to Bmsy) and relative mortality (relative to Zmsy) 1986 - 2016 (NAFO, 2016).
2016 with
1.5 87 quartile bars
during msy 92 1.0 year 90 93 12 94 08 14 11 10 97 06 01 04 16
0.5 Median estimate of Z/Z estimate of Median 0.7 0.9 1.1 1.3 1.5 1.7 1.9 Median estimate of B/Bmsy, end of year Table 1. Recent catches, projected catches for 2016, and TAC’s for the West Greenland Northern Shrimp. (NAFO, 2016)
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
TAC Advised 130000 130000 110000 110000 110000 120 000 90000 80000 80000 60000 90000 Enacted1 152380 152417 145717 132987 132987 139583 114425 98596 94140 79561 93426 Catches (NIPAG) SA 1 153188 142245 153707 134940 128104 122523 115931 95286 87358 70650 800002 Div. 0A 4127 1945 0 429 5 882 1330 12 2 0 0 20002 TOTAL 157315 144190 153707 135369 133985 123853 115943 95288 87358 70650 820002 STATLANT 21 SA 1 153188 142245 148550 133561 123973 122061 114958 91800 88834 70091 Div. 0A 3788 1878 0 429 5206 1134 12 2 0 0 1Canada and Greenland set independent autonomous TACs. 2Provisional Total catches for the year as predicted by industry observers.
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Additional Information The initial findings of a genetic analysis of the stock, carried out by staff at the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, indicates that there may be two or perhaps three separate stocks making up the West Greenland Fishery. Although this work is in its early stages, and definitive findings are not expected for several years, this could have implications for the stock assessment process (including data collection and research programmes) and the resultant provision of management advice. Recent survey suggests that 90% of the stock biomass is found N of 66 degrees – i.e. up towards disco. Stock assessments still use the “cosmos” trawl to maintain scientific comparability and generate realistic trend data. However, this does not adequately reflect actual current CPUE with more modern trawls. Genetic research suggests that there may be 2 or possibly 3 different prawn stocks.
3.4.2 Other scientific information Substantial research designed to improve the scientific basis for assessment under principle 2 was carried out between 2012 and 2017 by the Institute of Zoology (IoZ), the Zoological Society of London (Dr. Kirsty Kemp, Dr Chris Yesson), and through funding of PhD research (Helle Jorgensbye) on “vulnerable marine habitats (VME)” at the National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Copenhagen. The greater part of this research was funded by the client. Much of this research is now written up in peer reviewed scientific publications, including a substantial set of peer reviewed scientific publications (Simon (2013), Kemp and Yesson 2014, Yesson et al 2015, 2016; and Gougeon et al 2017). Although most of this research will be coming to an end shortly, the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources has received substantial new funding to continue work on benthic habitats, working in close association with Russian PINRO. The research findings (supported by online data and maps) are highly relevant to the assessment and may be summarized as follows: Epibenthos (Yesson et al 2015) • 29 classes of epibenthic taxa have been identified from benthic camera surveys conducted at 119 sites (64 “soft” and 55 “hard”) spanning 1,400 km of the West Greenland continental shelf at depths from 61–725 m but concentrated mainly between 100–500 m. P borealis was seen at 61 stations. • Polychaeta, Ophiuroidea and Ascidiacea are most commonly encountered (generalist) taxa • More specialist taxa were found at hard bottom sites including sessile, attached fauna such as Porifera, Bryozoa, Hydrozoa and Anthozoa (includes seapens), • Hard-substrate communities are relatively diverse with higher abundances. They are characterized by sessile, attached groups such as Hydrozoa, Anthozoa, Bryozoa and Porifera. Soft-sediment sites are less diverse, dominated by Polychaeta, and are associated with specialist Malacostraca such as the commercially exploited shrimp, Pandalus borealis. Harder substrates tend to be more dominant in the South and softer are more common in the north. • 4 “cluster” communities were detected: o Clusters 1 and 2 are relatively similar and usually associated with deeper and softer bottoms and colder water; o Clusters 3 and 4 are mainly associated with harder bottom shallower communities in areas with stronger currents and warmer water. • In general, species density peaks at 200-300m, on intermediate slopes, and subject to intermediate currents • Cluster 1 is distinguished by the presence of Ascidiacea; cluster 2 by Anthozoa and encrusting Bryozoa; cluster 3 by the relative abundance of Gastropoda and Malacostraca; cluster 4 has the greatest abundance of Polychaeta. • Large organisms attached to rock, such as gorgonians are unusual but Paragorgia arborea is found at some southern stations
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Mapping and classifying the seabed of the West Greenland continental shelf (Gougean et al 2017). • This study sampled, modelled and mapped 7 benthic habitat classes in the region of the West Greenland shrimp trawl fishery from 600N to 720N in depths of 61 to 725 m. • Muddy sediments appear in northern and colder areas whereas sandy and rocky areas dominate in the south. Southern regions are also warmer and have stronger currents. The Mud habitat is the most widespread, covering around a third of the study area. • There is a mosaic of deep channels and basins dominated by muddy sediments, many of which are fed by glacial sedimentation and outlets from fjords, and shallow banks and shelf with a mix of more complex habitats
Figure 3: habitat class proportion by NAFO regions. Bar plot widths proportional to NAFO area (After Gougean 2017)
Impact of trawling on epibenthos (Yesson et al 2016) This study looked at the impact of trawling on different habitats (hard and soft) and functional groups (mobile free swimming taxa; mobile crawling; mobile slow moving; sessile epifauna, demersal, or flat; sessile epifauna, protruding). Analysis of trawling pressure by habitat type was measured at resolution of 3.5km squares. Annual grids of cumulative minutes trawled were constructed for the period 1986–2013. The quarter-century of data available for the Greenlandic shrimp-fishing fleet is an unusually detailed and lengthy time series that provides an opportunity to examine longer term patterns. For each site a “recovery” metric/parameter was defined as years since last trawled, and also cumulative minutes trawled over 10 years. Environmental data was also collected and predicted: depth, slope, rugosity (height variation), temperature, salinity, current speed, and sea ice coverage and iceberg concentration. Main points are summarized as follows: • Trawling takes place from the narrow rockier shelf of the south, up to deeper, muddy areas around Disko Bay. It is notable that the rockhopper gear, which allows trawling over
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somewhat rougher ground, was introduced to the fishery in 1992. 221 sites (133 soft and 88 hard) were sampled between 60–720N and depths of 61–725m. • The communities in the south are characterized by a more diverse group of hard-substrate specialist taxa, while further north (extending up to c. 72N), there are more soft-sediment specialists and more of the commercially exploited shrimp species Pandalus borealis. More diversity and abundance of epibenthos was found on harder bottoms and in lower latitudes. • Western Greenland is subject to natural disturbance from iceberg scouring, which has been observed at depths up to 600 m (Gutt 2001). Icebergs can plough sediments and break, crush, or displace seabed fauna (Conlan et al., 1998). The survey found natural disturbance to be greater in the North in terms of both sediment load and ice scour (commonly to 200m). • Abundance was highly variable from 6 to 2,951 taxonomic observations. 50% of observations were polychaeta; 10% Ophiuroidea. Some studies have shown scavenging Ophiuroidea to benefit from trawling. Encrusting bryozoans may also benefit from trawling (rapid recolonization and spread) • Corals and sponges are susceptible to trawling because of slow growth rates, sedentary habit, and vulnerable emergent structures. The soft corals observed in the area are predominantly Octocorallia from the family Nephtheidae, and this group are relatively insensitive to trawling. Barnacles seem to thrive with intermediate levels of trawling. • 86% of study area and depth (200-500m) has been subject to some trawling impact since 1986. Trawling intensity from zero to more than 100h/yr (per 3.5km square) was established from historic data. Over most of the survey area, less than 50% of sample squares was affected in any one year, but over a period of four or more years up to 65% of habitat was trawled at some point. • Trawling intensity on soft habitat (median trawl time of 110 h) was more than double that on hard sediments (40 h). Furthermore, trawl time on hard sediments is likely to be inflated due to square resolution and edge habitat bias. Fishermen do not like coarse rock ground. • Frequently trawled hard bottoms are characterized by fewer anthazoa, bryozoans, hydrozoa, maxilipoda, polychaeta and Porifera; frequently trawled soft bottoms are characterized by fewer Anthazoa, ascidians, bryozoans, Ophiura etc. There is still a detectable difference after 25 years. • Trawling intensity is the most important factor determining the overall abundance of benthic organisms, accounting for 12 to 16% of variance. Abundance is significantly negatively correlated with cumulative trawling time, and positively correlated with time since trawled. The impact is greater on protruding taxa compared with encrusting taxa. Sessile erect organisms such as Anthozoans (corals & anenomes) as well as some Ophiuroidea (brittle stars) show a significant negative response to trawling. • Although only data for 2014-15 is available, It may be concluded that: • Trawling has a significant negative impact on the overall abundance and diversity of epibenthic organisms on the West Greenland shelf – possibly as much as 50% loss of diversity. • However, there is no significant observable difference between un-trawled sites and those not trawled for 20 years. There is no evidence of loss of function (filtration, recycling, carbon capture). • Recovery time based on significant difference between trawled and untrawled is around 5 years for soft bottoms and 10 years for hard bottoms. However, median values remain different over longer time periods (at least 25 years on harder substrates), and more comprehensive sampling would be required to harden up the evidence. • The impacts of trawling are continuous but not cumulative. There has been no significant change in abundance since 1984. There is however a detectable reduction in size of some species.
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A review of coral and sponge bycatch collected during experimental trawls between 2010 and 2012 included notably few corals collected from depths of less than 500 m. Only one high diversity coral area was identified between 63 and 64oN and at 1000–1500 m (Jørgensen et al. 2013). The seapen Umbellula, which has multi-decadal lifespan and can form a VME type aggregation vulnerable to trawling, was not encountered in the Yesson et al survey, but is seen as regular bycatch in some areas in West Greenland (Jørgensen et al., 2013). Trawl pressure on VMEs (Helle Jorgensbye (presentation to assessment team) The main fishing banks were mapped in 60s and 70s. The habitat fished by the prawn fleet is characterized by mud, rocky shelf break, and bands of shell sediments (possibly evidencing previous sea levels). Early trawling was restricted to mud areas – now with rockhopper gear its possible to go over rougher ground. The Disco Bank remains the most productive and intensively fished area. The fishery is prosecuted primarily in 150-600m depth, and mainly between 150 and 400m. Most of the VMEs that occur in these water occur outside this range: for example maerl in shallower water (20-50m); Lophelia in deeper water in the S/SW in 800-1000m. Cup corals occur mostly between 800 and 1200m on soft bottoms, but these are not particularly vulnerable – they can move, and survive trawling activity. Bamboo coral is found mainly 800-900m on the lower shelf. Some of these may be up to 4000yrs old. The Tree/bubblegum corals Paragorgia favour 500-900m (typically at the bottom of shelf break) may partially overlap with fleet activities. Some other hard corals are restricted to deeper water in the south. The soft corals Octocorallia are commonly found in the target depth (50-500m; mostly 200-300m) However they are small, fast growing, and relatively resistent to trawling. They are persistent in heavily trawled areas. Large discrete sponges (Ostur) are rare on the west Greenland shelf. It is thought that it is probably too cold (40C) although it is possible that the historic fishery has cleared some of these. A few Geodia have been found but never in significant quantities. Monitoring the new fishing area in the North should provide some evidence as to the nature of more pristine habitat. Smaller encrusting sponges and bryozoans are generally faster growing and resistant to trawling. Umbellula is sometimes found in the catch, especially further north between 500 and 1,000m. This needs to be assessed and monitored.
3.5 Changes and updates on Ecosystem issues Test fishing is taking place to the North of previous trawl footprint at latitudes N of 730 30’ and W of 640 in Melville Bay. This area can be fished under a special license and is within the UoC area. Given the decline in TAC and possible reduced catches in the South there may be increased pressure to open up these areas, which are more accessible with reducing ice cover year on year. However, ice remains a major constraint and fishing is currently restricted mainly to September, and up to a month either side (3 months of the year). Precautionary management protocols are in place implemented through Executive Order 12 of 2011. Technical Conservation measures, section 12: “Fishing in New Areas” includes a requirement for observers to be present on any vessel fishing in the area. Section 13 requires that encounters with VME be reported (notify GFLK with information passed to GINR), fishing should cease, and the vessel should move 2NM. At the most recent Fishery Council meeting, the possibility of closing some areas in Melville Bay was discussed. Recent studies (Yesson et al 2016) have shown higher diversity and abundance in less trawled areas. Given the already high intensity of exploitation of muddy habitats in existing fishing areas, extension into similar more pristine and bio-rich areas further north is of some concern. Furthermore, there may be a higher risk of encountering and destroying some possible VMEs. Preliminary studies by Jorgensbye (2017) suggests that there are few VMEs further north – perhaps related to iceberg scouring and/or low temperature and salinity. However, relatively dense aggregations of seapens (Umbellula) have been found and there is potential for trawl impact. A positive gear development is in the widespread use of pelagic trawl doors. Sparrow trawl doors are now universally used and are regarded as less damaging to benthic habitat.
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Ecosystem modelling and multi-species stock modelling remains very limited. However the relationship between cod and shrimp (based on cod stomach contents) has been the subject of recent research and is now included in the stock model. Cod stocks continue to increase, and this may lead to increased predation on shrimp, and possible reduced recruitment to the fishery. The stock model has been further developed to include a cod associated error term (see 3.4.1 above). The fishery remains very clean with very little in the way of bycatch (3-4 species in small quantities). Occasional bycatch of capelin is sold as bait to halibut fishery. Some vessels have plate freezers and can handle these fish, otherwise they are actively avoided. It is legal to discard capelin, but species and weight of all discards must be recorded in the log book. Greenland shark are never caught. The sort/escape grid is effective for all larger fish. Management Closed areas have been proposed for corals/VMEs in the SW (outside shrimp trawl zone) and for narwhal etc in Canadian EEZ (shrimp zone) between 67015’N and 68015’N. Lophelia reef is now protected in the south under amended technical conservation measures.
NAFO recommends move-on rules for encounters with VMEs at the following thresholds: • Seapen 7kg • Coral 60Kg • Sponges 600Kg Possible implementation of these protocols are to be discussed at the April Fisheries Council Meeting, and may be implemented through an executive order.
There is also an action plan to monitor benthic impact N of 730’30’. However there is still no systematic government mediated benthic habitat reporting and mapping initiative
More effective use of logbooks for VME and ETP encounter monitoring and avoidance has been discussed, but there have been delays associated with the need for alignment of NEAFC and EU requirements and protocols.
3.6 Any developments or changes within the fishery which impact traceability or the ability to segregate between fish from the Unit of Certification (UoC) and fish from outside the UoC (non-certified fish) Information on the P mantaguii stock continues to evolve. As TAC for borealis declines, pressure on montaguii may increase. The industry has therefore developed its own proposals for the management of this species that were presented to the Fisheries Council in January (see Appendix 4). Closed areas triggered when catch reaches certain thresholds may represent a way forward and are less politically sensitive than TAC.
3.7 TAC and catch data Table 3.7-1 TAC and Catch Data
TAC Year 2016 Amount 85,000t UoA share of TAC Year 2016 Amount 97% UoC share of TAC Year 2016 Amount 97% Total green weight catch by Year (most 2016 Amount 82,801t UoC recent) Year (second 2015 Amount 67,016t most recent)
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3.8 Summary of Assessment Conditions Table 3.8-1 Summary of Assessment Conditions
Condition Performance Status PI original PI revised number indicator (PI) score score 1 1.2.1 Closed this surveillance 70 Closed (80)
2 1.2.2 Closed yr. 3 80 Not revised (80)
3 2.4.1 Closed this surveillance 60 Closed (85)
4 2.4.2 Closed this surveillance 70 Closed (80)
5 2.4.3 Closed yr. 3 70 Not Revised (80)
6 2.5.1 Closed this surveillance 70 Closed (85)
7 2.5.2 Closed this surveillance 75 Closed (80)
8 2.5.3 Closed yr. 3 75 Not Revised (80)
9 3.2.1 Closed yr. 2 70 Not Revised (90)
10 3.2.4 Closed yr. 2 70 Not Revised (80)
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4 Results
4.1 Condition 1
Insert relevant PI Insert relevant scoring issue/ Score number(s) scoring guidepost text The harvest strategy is responsive to the state of the Performance stock and the elements of the Indicator(s) & 1.2.1 harvest strategy work together 70 Score(s) towards achieving management objectives reflected in the target and limit reference points.
Condition The client is required to provide evidence by the fourth annual audit that the elements of the harvest strategy work together towards achieving management objectives reflected in the target and limit reference points. The client will provide at annual surveillance audits evidence of discussion and progress in formulating joint Greenland and Canadian harvest strategies that are appropriate to avoid stock decline below limit reference points, and of progress on the part of the client toward their implementation. Milestones The above provides incremental steps in achieving the condition by reporting on
progress. The Canadian fishery has committed to adopt an explicit harvest strategy in their Integrated Fisheries Management Plan by their fourth annual audit. When this step is complete the audit team will be able to provide a revised score. By the fourth audit the required minimum score is 80. Actions: 1. Work actively to foster the institution of regular bilateral meetings between Canadian and Greenlandic fisheries management authorities. Client action plan 2. Institute parallel and simultaneous meetings between representatives of Canadian and Greenlandic fisheries organisations.
The client will provide at annual surveillance audits evidence of discussion and progress in formulating joint Greenland and Canadian harvest strategies that are appropriate to avoid stock decline below limit reference points, and of progress in their implementation on the part of the client. The surveillance team concluded in year 1 that as far as possible the client Progress on group has fulfilled its obligations under the first milestone of the action plan for Condition [Year this condition by seeking meetings with Canada on this issue, and was therefore 1] on target, but the condition remains open, and the score unchanged. The client provided written and verbal updates on the status of discussions with Canada with a view to developing a coordinated harvest strategy for the stock. The following update on discussions is from the client progress report:
a. July 2014: Pre-negotiations in Iqaluit, where it was determined that both parties wished to negotiate. Next meeting scheduled Progress on for early 2015. Condition [Year b. January 2015: Meeting between the fishing industries of the two 2] countries in London. It was decided to recommend to the governments to set up a joint working group to draw up proposals for a joint harvest strategy and common harvest control rules, including a joint request to NAFO’s Scientific Council. c. February 2015: Actual negotiation meeting in Copenhagen. It
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was agreed to establish the joint working group mentioned under b. Lisbeth Due Schönemann-Paul was appointed chairman for Greenland. It was decided that the next negotiation meeting would take place in June 2015, and that the working group should have a result ready by then.
At the February 2015 negotiation meeting, the two parties outlined their respective positions with respect to a catch sharing formula and to developing a coordinated harvest strategy and harvest control rules. Although positions on some elements are quite far apart, the fact that positions have been clearly outlined represents significant progress.
Greenland has named its participants to the Working Group, which will develop proposals for consideration in negotiations, and Canada indicated that it would name its participants soon. The Working Group is expected to develop proposals for consideration at the next negotiation meeting in June 2015.
As in the first annual audit, the Team notes that the lack of coordination of harvest strategies has not resulted in overharvesting which would prejudice stock status. Although Canada and Greenland continue to set TACs independently, Canadian catches from this stock have been near zero since 2012. The stock remains near Bmsy and total mortality has been near Zmsy in recent years. The team concluded that progress is on target, but that the condition remains open and the score remains at 70. They noted that the second part of the milestone (“progress...toward their implementation”) continues to be a challenge because of the time required to set up negotiations and the unpredictability of the outcome of negotiations. The client provided the surveillance team with a memorandum detailing the Greenland-Canada discussions in February 2015 and December 2015. The following was agreed at the February meeting: ▪ That the negotiations should aim at a multi-year agreement. ▪ That in this connection, the parties were prepared to discuss the issue of access to each other’s waters. ▪ That the possibility of setting a common TAC should be discussed. ▪ That we should discuss, and hopefully reach agreement on, the division of a jointly set TAC. At the December 2015 meeting there was agreement that the parties would not be able to achieve a deal at present. Disagreement remains on the size of the Progress on share of the TAC that would be allocated to Canada in future. Greenland Condition [Year suggested a 3rd party mediator/arbitrator could be invited to aid progress at 3] future meetings. Both parties agreed to report to their respective political systems and industries on this discussion to seek their views and suggestions for a way forward. The next official consultations between Canada and Greenland is the traditional meeting scheduled for the spring of 2016. The consultations will cover fish, marine mammals and other fishing topics. The December meeting highlighted the impasse between the parties in TAC allocation with little sign of this being resolved in short-term. The wording of the condition is:
The client is required to provide evidence by the fourth annual audit that the
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elements of the harvest strategy work together towards achieving management objectives reflected in the target and limit reference points. The lack of agreement on TAC allocation presents a significant risk that the condition cannot be closed in year 4 as required, if this is sought through negotiations for a coordinated strategy with Canada To date the focus has been on achieving bilateral agreement on the harvest strategy. As evidence of an effective harvest strategy is required to close the condition (by year 4 surveillance), it is suggested that the client continues to work with the Greenland government in their efforts to seek agreement on a joint harvest strategy with Canada. As contingency to ensure the condition is met, the client should also explore whether a robust harvest strategy is possible through Greenland’s own actions, i.e. adjustment to enacted TAC based on reported catches by both parties. This could be in-year adjustment, but there is existing provision for annual flexibility in quota uptake, which would facilitate this. In this way, while a joint harvest strategy continues to be sought, the harvest strategy employed by Greenland may still be considered to achieve management objectives reflected in the target and limit reference points. The approach being considered to recertification of the Canadian fishery on the same stock is to consider that if a robust harvest strategy is in place which works to achieve management objectives, this could justify a passing score, even if the strategy is not fully coordinated with Greenland. However if the fishery passes with respect to PI 1.2.1, it may not meet the 80SG for PI 3.1.1, which requires “organised and effective cooperation with other parties”.
The client has provided evidence of further efforts to facilitate closer working with Canada, which at this time have not resulted in a joint management strategy in respect of shared quota allocation arrangements. It is apparent, however, that the management objectives of both Greenland and Canada are aligned, and both countries are working towards shared goals. In this way the management objectives are collectively being met. The harvest Progress on strategy is responsive to the state of the stock and the elements of the harvest Condition [Year strategies work together to achieve these objectives 4] Scientific advice indicates that the proportion of the stock which is present in the Canadian sector of the fishery represents 3% of the total biomass, quota uptake by the Canadian fleet has been historically low and part of this area has been closed to fishing through the implementation of marine protected areas for Narwhal. These factors mean that the harvest strategy employed by Greenland is highly likely to achieve the management objectives reflected in the target and limit reference points.
The harvest strategy is responsive to the status of the stocks and collectively the elements work together to achieve the stock management objectives. It is therefore the consideration of the assessment team that this condition be closed and the PI is rescored to 80. Status of (see Appendix 1 for revised scoring table) condition At re-assessment, as per the Canadian fishery, the continued dialogue and efforts to develop a combined harvest strategy are considered under PI 3.1.1 to ensure there is an effective system in place to provide an appropriate framework for cooperation.
4.2 Condition 3
Insert relevant PI Insert relevant scoring issue/ Score
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number(s) scoring guidepost text Performance Indicator(s) & The fishery is highly unlikely to Score(s) reduce habitat structure and 2.4.1 function to a point where there 60 would be serious or irreversible harm.
Condition The client is required to present evidence by the fourth annual audit that the fishery is highly unlikely to reduce habitat structure and function to a point where there would be serious or irreversible harm. • By the first annual audit the client is required to provide documented evidence that a plan for the assembly of available information and a program for evaluation has been developed and data collection and assembly for this purpose has commenced. • By the second annual audit the client will provide documented evidence showing the information that has been assembled and the results of analyses to date. • By the third annual audit the client will provide documented evidence showing that at least a provisional evaluation has been completed. Milestones • By the fourth annual audit the client will provide documented evidence that shows the fishery is highly unlikely to reduce habitat structure and function to a point where there would be serious or irreversible harm If the evidence that the client gathers in the course of meeting this condition concludes that the fishery is highly likely to reduce habitat structure and function to a point where there would be serious or irreversible harm, the client will provide evidence of the measures that will be implemented to avoid this. The above provides incremental steps in achieving the condition. Only when the final step is complete will the team be able to provide a revised score. By the fourth audit the required minimum score is 80. Year 1 • Associated with a Ph.D. on vulnerable marine ecosystems and habitats, present a research plan, describing data mining procedures, data sources to be investigated, and proposed methods and procedures for analysing and evaluating data • Sea bed photography studies to complement studies on vulnerability of habitats • (If needed) present a research plan to assemble data to supplement data sources
Client action plan Year 2 • Define Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems in the context of bottom trawl fisheries in West Greenland acquire existing data on the nature, distribution and vulnerability of habitat types on the West Greenland shelf; survey existing literature on the impact of trawling on benthic habitats found in West Greenland • Present a preliminary report on data sources investigated, data obtained, and preliminary evaluations • Collect images of the bottom on Paamiut cruises, at sites selected on the basis of trawling history and including control areas with little or no (recent) trawling.
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• Present a report of the final analysis of imagery collected in 2011 and field reports on imagery collected in 2012 and 2013
Year 3 • Present a progress report and provisional evaluation • Present a provisional report on habitat vulnerability
Year 4 • Present a report on the nature, distribution and vulnerability of habitat types at appropriate resolution, on the existence of vulnerable habitats, and on fishing intensity in vulnerable areas and provide evidence that the fishery is highly unlikely to reduce habitat structure and function to a point where there would be serious or irreversible harm.
If evidence gathered in the course of meeting this condition concludes that the fishery is highly likely to reduce habitat structure and function to a point where there would be serious or irreversible harm, the client will provide evidence of the measures that will be implemented to avoid this. The Audit Team was impressed by the quantity and quality of the work initiated to meet the Conditions related to habitats and ecosystems. The contracts with Zoology Society of London represent a substantial investment by the Client and the ZSL has mobilised complementary funding from other sources to support the work (Kemp and Yesson 2013) as well as assigning active scientists to the project. The project is helping to build capacity in GINR for identification of benthic species, and is working on innovative methods for conducting research on benthic ecosystems (for example the pattern recognition and photo analysis software). Support for a business Ph.D. on trawling impacts is an additional investment by the Client in meeting these Conditions. The new seabed studies program at GINR represents an additional investment by the Greenland Government in improving knowledge of ecosystems of the West Greenland shelf, which should contribute to meeting the Conditions. The relative lack of basic knowledge of the benthic ecosystems of the West Progress on Greenland shelf represents a challenge with respect to meeting the MSC habitat Condition [Year and ecosystem conditions, but the Team believes that the Client has taken an 1] appropriate approach to meeting this challenge. The team noted the initiative of the Client in recommending to the Fisheries Council (and eventually to the Greenland Government) closure of a Lophelia coral area; this shows a willingness to protect benthic ecosystems when necessary. It was highlighted that the Year 3 milestone requires that a “provisional evaluation” be conducted, relative to whether the fishery is causing serious or irreversible harm to habitats and benthic ecosystems (a final evaluation is required in Year 4). Methods to be used in conducting this evaluation should be considered early in the process, given the challenges of assessing harm from fishing to benthic habitats and ecosystems when information is relatively sparse (and information is always less than ideal when assessing fishery impacts on benthic ecosystems). Methods which have been applied in other areas could be considered for this fishery area. Overall the team concluded that the work carried out to date is an important contribution towards evaluating the effects of the fishery on habitat structure and
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function. The assessment team concludes that work is on target to meet this Condition.
The Client and the Greenland authorities have undertaken a wide range of activities aimed at meeting Conditions 3-8. Written reports were provided and reviewed in relation to these. An overall outline of the benthic initiative is also provided in the draft Research Plan (GINR 2014). These are summarised in the following text. 1. The contract project with Zoological Society of London continues to produce significant results on characterising benthic ecosystems off west Greenland (Kemp and Yesson 2014). A third year of field work was undertaken in 2014, with bottom photos taken during the annual shrimp survey. Comprehensive analysis of photos taken in 2011 (pilot project), 2013 and 2014 was undertaken, and analysis of historical photos taken by Kanneworff from 1975-1986 has begun. The latter is expected to provide a historical baseline of bottom conditions in these earlier years. Analyses of the relationship between benthic diversity and trawling intensity have been undertaken, showing a negative relationship (as expected) on soft substrates, but not on hard substrates. Habitat suitability modelling for two coral families (soft corals Nephtheidae, branching corals Paragorgiidae) was undertaken, leading to prediction of distribution of these families on the whole west Greenland shelf. A study of genetic patterns in the family Nephtheidae was initiated. Researchers from this project have developed good working relationships with GINR researchers, including in identification of benthic species in the bycatch (see below). This project will continue until 2017. A fourth field season will be undertaken in 2015 including sampling of sites sampled by Kanneworff in 1975-1986, to allow assessment of changes since then. 2. The business Ph. D. project of Helle Jorgensbye, funded by the client and focusing primarily on identification of vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs), Progress on has been extended for an additional year (to end in 2017). The client reports Condition [Year that progress is good on this project. Among other things, the student has been 2] working on a guide to corals for use by skippers and observers. 3. As anticipated in the first year surveillance report, GINR has put in place a section for benthic research, headed by Martin Blicher and with a total staff of 3. An early initiative of this group is to participate in a research network with other Arctic countries (Iceland, Faroe Islands, Norway, Canada and Russia) to develop a protocol for standardised long-term monitoring of benthos to be integrated into existing surveys for commercial species (GINR 2014). The project is entitled INAMon (Initiating North Atlantic Benthos Monitoring) and is funded by the Nordic Atlantic Cooperation (NORA) and the Nordic Council of Ministers. The project will be implemented in Greenland in 2015-17, and will involve among other things exchange of specialists among the participating countries. The client will fund 10 days of ship time in 2016 to allow GINR scientists to conduct a benthic survey as part of this project. 4. Closely linked to that project, GINR has been focusing more attention on identification of benthic species during the annual shrimp trawl surveys (GINR 2014). From 2010-2011 coral and sponge bycatch were recorded, with other benthos groups added in successive years. From 2014 benthos is identified to 35 main groups on board, and samples are taken for subsequent identification in the laboratory. The expert exchange on the Nordic network project should help with identification of benthos, as will the interactions with the Zoological Society of London personnel (who contributed to benthos identification during the 2014 trawl survey).
The continuing projects and new initiatives represent an ongoing and significant contribution to knowledge of benthic ecosystems of the fishery area, and have the potential to lay the basis for further protection of habitats and ecosystems from fishery impacts, should this be necessary. The 2014 Management Plan
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(Anon. 2014 pp 11-12) indicates that results of the benthic projects will be presented to the Fishery Council with a request that the Council consider whether additional measures for protection of the benthic ecosystems are needed.
Some further activities relevant to addressing these conditions are: • skippers have been experimenting with new trawl doors which potentially could have reduced impact on bottom habitats and ecosystems. These “Sparrow” doors are higher and narrower than the traditional “Cobra” doors and gain more spreading thrust from water pressure than from bottom contact. Semi-pelagic doors have been tested on some vessels but have not been found to give acceptable fishing results. A request has been made by industry to the Ministry of Fisheries to consider closing the “Lophelia” area off southern Greenland identified on a research cruise and noted in the first year surveillance report (Bannister et al 2014). This is under consideration in the Ministry. There is no fishing in this area at present. The area is not a shrimp fishing area but this shows the potential for closing vulnerable areas if necessary. The Team concluded that the requirements of the year two milestone – “the client will provide documented evidence showing the information that has been assembled and the results of analyses to date” – were met. Progress was on target to meet the condition as written, but the condition remains open and the score remains at the level determined in the certification report.
The team noted that 3 of 4 elements of the Client Action Plan for Year 2 have been achieved, however the element relating to defining VMEs has not been achieved. This may be an important part of the work needed to meet the condition by Year 4.
The Team noted that efforts will be required over the remainder of the certification period to consolidate and analyse the available information such that it can be used to determine whether additional habitat and ecosystem protection strategies are required, and if so, how to implement these. The “provisional evaluation” required as part of the Year 3 milestone will be a significant step toward this end result.
As in Year 2, because the milestones and Client Action Plan for Conditions 3-7, and part of Condition 8 (habitat and ecosystem outcome, strategy, information) are the same, a single progress report is provided for all. The client and researchers working to address the habitat and ecosystem conditions presented written and oral reports to the Audit Team during the site visit, summarizing the substantial original research and analysis which has been undertaken to meet the conditions. Work by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) since 2011 has added Progress on significantly to knowledge of habitats and ecosystems of the West Greenland Condition [Year shelf and the potential impacts of fishing on these (Kemp and Yesson 2015; 3] Kemp and Yesson 2016). In particular, results include: • 3 M.Sc. theses, a primary publication on West Greenland shelf benthic communities, and two poster presentations • Comparisons of photographic images taken in 1978-85 with recent photos to assess fishery impact • Description of functional benthic diversity on the West Greenland shelf, in relation to sediment type • Mapping and classifying habitat types over much of the West Greenland
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shelf (Gougeon 2015 - see map below) • Mapping of fishing intensity over the shelf area for comparison with habitat and community types (Gougeon 2015 - see map below) • Development of an image database and inventory of taxa observed during the studies to data • Development of cooperative links with Greenland researchers which will permit continuation of benthic studies in future Preliminary analysis of results to date was presented, and additional analytical work is planned. Results to date (Kemp and Yesson 2016) suggest that: • There are detectable impacts of trawling on abundance and on mean size of benthic megafauna, and to some extent on species diversity • The significance of trawling as a variable explaining abundance and diversity is generally low (generally lower than for other environmental variables), but highly significant in some cases. • Trawling intensity is higher on soft bottoms than on hard bottoms, as expected • Recently trawled areas show greater impact than areas which have not been trawled for some time. For soft bottoms, abundance differences between recently trawled and untrawled areas can no longer be detected after 5-10 yr, while for hard bottoms differences are detectable for 15-20 yr. An additional field season is planned for 2016. Work by Helle Jørgensbye toward a Ph. D. has the objective of identifying Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs) off west Greenland (Jørgensbye 2016). Four VMEs have been identified to date, all in waters either deeper (Lophelia reef, south Greenland) or shallower (Disko fjord, Nuuk fjord, Ikka fjord) than those in which the shrimp fishery operates. Four areas of interest have also been identified on the basis of presence of VME organisms, all in waters deeper than or outside the area of the shrimp fishery. Additional sampling would be required to determine whether these are indeed VMEs or isolated occurrences of vulnerable organisms. Primary publications on the Lophelia reef and Nuuk fjord red algal crusts and rhodolith beds have been accepted for publication pending revisions. The INAMon project described in Year 2 progress - a network of researchers in the Arctic-Atlantic seas which has developed a set of standards for monitoring bycatch of benthic invertebrates on trawl surveys - continues (Blicher et al. 2015). This approach has been implemented in Norway, Russia and Canada on regular trawl surveys and has provided substantial new information on distribution of benthic species, communities and habitats. A monitoring program following these standards was implemented in 2015 and will continue in 2016- 17 on annual trawl surveys off west Greenland. A benthos expert exchange program will support implementation of the monitoring program in Greenland, and will build expertise and knowledge in benthic species and communities in northern seas. Work continues in this fishery to reduce impacts of the gear on bottom habitats and ecosystems, as described in an Appendix to the Fishery Management Plan (Greenland Government 2015). Some vessels have adopted semi-pelagic trawl doors since 2010-2011, while narrower and higher bottom-tracking “Sparrow” type trawl doors have been widely adopted. Flume experiments are being undertaken to assess changing the relative positions of the tickler chains and rockhopper discs, such that the footrope would only occasionally enter into contact with the bottom, most contact being by the tickler chains and thus reducing impact of the footrope on bottom habitats and species.
Progress on The requirement under this condition for year 4 is to present a report on the
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Condition [Year nature, distribution and vulnerability of habitat types at appropriate resolution, 4] on the existence of vulnerable habitats, and on fishing intensity in vulnerable areas and provide evidence that the fishery is highly unlikely to reduce habitat structure and function to a point where there would be serious or irreversible harm. The research work described in previous audits was largely completed in 2016, generating several important publications and clarifying the nature of benthic habitats in the areas fished by the UoC, the distribution of VMEs in West Greenland Waters, the impact of the UoC on benthic habitats and the likely recovery times associated with these impacts. Presentations were made to the 4th SA team by by Dr Yesson and PhD candidate Helle Jorgensbye to address these issues, drawing in particular on the following peer reviewed research publications: • Mapping and classifying the seabed of the West Greenland continental shelf (Gougean et al 2017) • Community composition of epibenthic megafauna on the West Greenland Shelf (Yesson et al 2015) • The impact of trawling on the epibenthic megafauna of the west Greenland shelf (Yesson et al 2016) In addition the main findings of the research on VME by Helle Jorgensbye was presented. Findings in relation to all these issues are described in more detail in the background sections to this report and may be summarized as follows: Seabed types. The fishing area is characterised by a mosaic of deep channels and basins dominated by muddy sediments, many of which are fed by glacial sedimentation and outlets from fjords, and shallow banks and shelf with a mix of more complex habitats. Muddy sediments are more prevalent in the northerly colder areas; and rocky and sandy sediment in the more southerly areas. Coarse rocky ground comprises a relatively small proportion of the area fished, varying between 1% and 10%, whereas mud covers 1/3rd of the total fishing area. Epibenthos. Polychaeta, Ophiuroidea and Ascidiacea are the most commonly encountered taxa, especially on muddy bottoms. Hard bottom substrates are more diverse and organisms more abundant. Large organisms attached to rock, such as gorgonians are unusual but Paragorgia arborea is found at some southern stations Vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs). Most of the VMEs that occur in these waters (such as maerl; Lophelia; Bamboo coral; cup corals (though possibly not strictly VME) occur outside the normal depth range of the fishery (150-400m, occassionally up to 600m). Paragorgia (tree coral) favour the base of the shelf break at 500-900m, and there maybe some partial overlap with fleet activities. The seapen Umbellula, which has a multi-decadal lifespan and can form a VME type aggregation vulnerable to trawling, was not encountered in the Yesson et al survey, but is identified as regular bycatch in some areas in West Greenland (Jørgensen et al., 2013). It is not evident that bycatch levels are large enough to illustrate a VME type aggregation is being encountered. However, encounters with both these potential VMEs will need to be recorded and monitored. Large discrete (Ostur) sponges are rare on the West Greenland shelf. . It is thought that it is probably too cold (40C) although it is possible that the historic fishery has cleared some of these. A few Geodia have been found in fishing areas but never in significant quantities. Impact of trawling. 86% of the study area and depth (200-500m) has been subject to some trawling impact since 1986. Trawling intensity ranged from zero to more than 100hours/year (within a 3.5km square). Over most of the survey
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area, less than 50% of sample squares were affected in any one year, but over a period of four or more years up to 65% of habitat was trawled at some point. Fishermen target the softer, less diverse sediments with trawling intensity on soft habitat more than double that on hard sediments. Trawling intensity is the most important factor determining the overall abundance of benthic organisms, accounting for 12 to 16% of variance. Furthermore, both abundance and diversity are higher in the new (i.e. previously unfished) fishing areas. Frequently trawled soft bottoms are characterized by fewer anthazoa, ascidians, bryozoans, Ophiura spp. Frequently trawled hard bottoms are characterized by fewer anthazoa, bryozoans, hydrozoa, maxilipoda, polychaeta and porifera. Recovery time based on significant difference between trawled and untrawled sites is around 5 years for soft bottoms and 10 years for hard bottoms. However, median values remain different over longer time periods (at least 25 years on harder substrates), and more comprehensive sampling would be required to harden up the evidence. There is no evidence of loss of function (filtration, recycling, carbon capture) as a result of trawling.
We conclude that the UoC has collected and analysed data as requested and has provided evidence that the fishery is highly unlikely to reduce habitat Status of structure and function to a point where there would be serious or irreversible condition harm. This condition is therefore closed and the PI score increased to 85. (See Appendix 1 for revised scoring table)
4.3 Condition 4
Insert relevant PI Insert relevant scoring issue/ Score number(s) scoring guidepost text Performance There is some evidence that Indicator(s) & 2.4.2 70 Score(s) the partial strategy is being implemented successfully. The client is required to demonstrate by the fourth annual audit that there is Condition some evidence that the partial strategy to ensure that the fishery is highly unlikely to reduce habitat structure and function to a point where there would be serious or irreversible harm is being implemented successfully. Milestones See Condition 3 above
Client action plan See Condition 3 above
Progress on See Condition 3 above Condition [Year 2] Progress on See Condition 3 above Condition [Year 3] Progress on See Condition 3 above Condition [Year 4] This condition is closed and the PI score increased to 80. Status of condition (See Appendix 1 for revised scoring table)
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4.4 Condition 6
Insert relevant PI Insert relevant scoring issue/ Score number(s) scoring guidepost text The fishery is highly unlikely Performance to disrupt the key elements Indicator(s) & underlying ecosystem 2.5.1 70 Score(s) structure and function to a point where there would be a serious or irreversible harm.
Condition The client is required to present evidence by the fourth annual audit that the fishery is highly unlikely to disrupt benthic communities structure and function to a point where there would be a serious or irreversible harm. Milestones See condition 3 above
Client action plan See Condition 3 above
Progress on See Condition 3 above Condition [Year 2] Progress on See Condition 3 above Condition [Year 3] Progress on See Condition 3 above Condition [Year 4] This condition is closed and the PI score increased to 85. Status of condition (See Appendix 1 for revised scoring table)
4.5 Condition 7
Insert relevant PI Insert relevant scoring issue/ Score number(s) scoring guidepost text Performance There is evidence that the Indicator(s) & 2.5.2 75 Score(s) measures are being implemented successfully. The client is required to demonstrate by the fourth annual audit that there is Condition some evidence that the partial strategy to ensure that the fishery is highly unlikely to disrupt benthic biodiversity and community structure to a point where there would be serious or irreversible harm is being implemented successfully. Milestones See condition 3 above
Client action plan See Condition 3 above
Progress on See Condition 3 above Condition [Year 2] Progress on See Condition 3 above
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Condition [Year 3] Progress on See Condition 3 above Condition [Year 4] This condition is closed and the PI score increased to 80. Status of condition (See Appendix 1 for revised scoring table)
4.6 Recommendation 1
Insert relevant PI Insert relevant scoring issue/ Score number(s) scoring guidepost text Performance Indicator(s) & N/A N/A N/A Score(s) The proportion of the Pandalus montagui catch is between 2-15% of the total catch. P. montagui was identified as an IPI stock within the scope of the assessment and its IPI status will remain for one certification period, i.e. 5 years (CR Annex CH 4.1) after which, if the fishery were to be re-assessed, the P. Recommendation montagui will have to either: • Be assessed and certified against Principle 1, or
• Techniques developed to effectively separate out the IPI and target stock, or • Measures developed to reduce the proportion of IPI stocks to be ≤ 2%.
Milestones To be addressed within the certification period
Client action plan include any details in line with requirements in FCR 7.11.2
The Team noted that the Client was well aware of the MSC requirements for IPI stocks, and was working to ensure that these are met during the period of certification. Although information on P. montagui is not comprehensive (the survey and fishery target P. borealis), information is available on which to base Progress on management measures. Management options are being considered, and the Recommendation intent is to develop a proposal for management such as to meet the IPI [Year 1] requirements in the coming year. The Team noted that an “expedited P1 assessment” of this species would be possible under MSC Certification Requirements, should the Client feel ready to support such an assessment process. The Client provided a written update on initiatives to meet this Recommendation within the certification period.
For the short term, P. montagui is subject, like other bycatch species, to the “move-on” requirements in case of high bycatch (≥5%) in a tow and the need to respect this has been emphasised to skippers. P. montagui catches must be Progress on reported, and reporting is considered to be substantially improved in the last few Recommendation years. Efforts are continuing to identify areas where P. montagui is abundant; [Year 2] this is difficult as concentrations move as environmental conditions change, but it remains an important part of assessing potential management strategies. For the longer term, to gain more information on P. montagui distribution and abundance, GINR is to design a survey using commercial trawlers fishing “P. montagui” stations (since gear on the shrimp survey vessel is inadequate to sample P. montagui).
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GINR will update an earlier paper on P. montagui in west Greenland (Kingsley 2011) and present this to NIPAG in September 2015 for review. Based on the review, the Client and Greenland Government will decide on what measures to consider to address the Recommendation. Options include ensuring that catches are below 2% of the target species catch, through area closures or other measures, or undertaking a population assessment with a view to meeting P1 requirements for P. montagui.
Projected catch of P. montagui in 2014 (based on reports to the time of the assessment) was 1,829 t or 2.0% of the projected total target species catch of 90,000t. This compares to 5.2% (4,944t of 95,379t) in 2013 and 2.7% (3,121t of 115,963t) in 2012. Reported catch of P. montagui remains low in this fishery and has declined in the most recent year to 2% of the target species catch, although there is some uncertainty about catch figures because of reporting issues.
In discussions it was noted that P. montagui is acceptable in some markets. The Team concludes that progress is on target to meet the requirements for P. montagui as an IPI stock during the period of certification. The NAFO report by H. Siegstad, ‘Occurrence of Pandalus montagui in Trawl Survey Samples from NAFO Subareas 0+1 2000-2015’ was provided to the assessment team. This suggests a density of approx. 1% to that of P. borealis. However, in the 2015 recent catch data reported by the fishery, P. montaguii was estimated to be 2.7% of the total catch. This is above the 2% limit set in the MSC standard for IPI stocks. As described above, previous years catch compositions fluctuate between 2% and 5.2% and therefore requires some attention. The client has held meetings with relevant stakeholders (fishers, government and scientists) to discuss this issue. Progress on It was recognized that if all skippers applied the move on rule, the bycatch could Recommendation be adequately reduced (i.e. below 2% of total catch). It is therefore suggested [Year 3] that the client group raises awareness of this issue with UoC vessels and that GFLK instruct observers to be aware of the P. Montaguii by-catch move-on rule. At present the focus for observers is on polar cod and ice cod by-catch rather than P. Montaguii. Certain areas are known for significant catches of P. Montaguii. An action plan involving the closure of 3 areas where Montaguii is known to be comparatively more abundant has been proposed. This may be necessary if the measures described above are not properly implemented or prove to be ineffective in reducing by-catch levels.
Catches of P montagui above the 2% bycatch threshold continue to be taken, and indeed have increased in recent years, especially in certain areas, despite the existence of a “move-on” protocol when P montaguii is encountered. This is implemented through a bycatch order1 requiring vessels to move on when Progress on bycatch exceeds 10%. As TAC for borealis declines, pressure on montaguii may Recommendation increase, and it is unclear that the existing measures will be adequate. The [Year 4] industry has therefore developed its own proposals for the management of P. montaguii that were presented to the Fisheries Council in January (See Appendix 4). The GNIR has stated that it expects to have collected enough data to draw up proper scientific advice for the stock in the course of approximately the next
1 Executive Order no. 14 of 6 December 2011 on by-catches in fishery”, section 6
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three years. The proposals build on the fact that there are three “hotspots” - Kangaatsiaq, the Holsteinsborg Deep and the Arsuk Hole – where catch during the period 2011-2016 amounted to between 50 and 60%. Furthermore, the bulk of montagui are caught by the offshore rather than inshore fleet. The proposals would involve: • Setting of a TAC for P montaguii at 2% of P borealis TAC, and allocated between offshore and inshore fleets in the ratio 57:43 • Encouragement of quota trading between inshore and offshore fleet • Graduated restriction of fishing activity in the hotspot areas as companies approach their quota limits. A pilot phase is proposed in the first instance.
The recommendation is being taken seriously and the UoC is seeking to Status of implement an action plan. However, it will take some time before the level of recommendation implementation or effectiveness of the measures can be determined.
5 Conclusion
5.1 Summary of findings The open conditions remaining at this year 4 assessment have been closed. It is therefore recommended that the West Greenland Coldwater Prawn Fishery continue to be certified and can enter re-assessment.
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6 References Gougeon, S.,Kemp, K.M., Blicher, M.E., Yesson, C. 2017. Mapping and classifying the seabed of the West Greenland continental shelf. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 187 (2017) 231e240 Jørgensen OA, Tendal OS, Hammeken Arboe N (2013) Preliminary mapping of the distribution of corals observed off West Greenland as inferred from bottom trawl surveys 2010-2012. NAFO SCR Doc. 13/07 Jørgensen LL, Ljubin P, Skjoldal HR (2015) Distribution of benthic megafauna in the Barents Sea: baseline for an ecosystem approach to management. ICES J Mar Sci 72:595–613 Kemp, K. and C. Yesson. 2014. 2nd Annual Report – Institute of Zoology Greenland Benthic Assessment. June 2013-November 2014. 35 pp. + appendices. Zoological Society of London, November 2014. Kingsley, M. C. S. 2011. Pandalus montagui in the West Greenland shrimp fishery, 2001-2010. NAFO SCR Doc. 11/053: 13 pp. Kingsley, M.C.S., 2012. A provisional assessment of the shrimp stock off West Greenland in 2012. NAFO SCR Doc. 12/046, Ser. No. N6107. 23 pp. Kingsley, M.C.S., 2013a. NAFO/ICES PANDALUS ASSESSMENT GROUP-SEPTEMBER 2013. A provisional assessment of the Shrimp Stock off West Greenland in 2013. NAFO SCR Doc. 013/054, Serial No. N6215. 21pp. Kingsley, M. C. S. (2015) A Stock-Dynamic model of the West Greenland Stock of Northern Shrimp. NAFO SCR Doc. 15/050: 17pp. NAFO 2015. NAFO/ICES Pandalus Assessment Group Meeting, 9-16 September 2015. NAFO SCS Doc 15/13: 29pp NAFO 2016. NAFO/ICES Pandalus Assessment Group Meeting, 7-14 September 2016. NAFO SCS Doc. 16/17 Serial No. N6611ICES CM 2016/ACOM:15. 93pp. Simon, P. 2013. The effects of shrimp trawling on the macrobenthic fauna of West Greenland. M. Sc. Thesis. 42 pp. Yesson, C., Simon, P., Chemshirova, I., Gorham, T., Turner, C. J., Hammeken Arboe, N., Blicher, M. E., and Kemp, K. M. 2015. Community composition of epibenthic megafauna on the West Greenland Shelf. Polar Biology, 38: 2085–2096. Yesson, C., Fisher, J., Gorham, T., Turner, C. J., Hammeken Arboe, N., Blicher, M. E., and Kemp, K. M. 2016. The impact of trawling on the epibenthic megafauna of the west Greenland shelf. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, doi:10.1093/icesjms/fsw206.
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Appendix 1 – Re-scoring evaluation tables Evaluation Table for PI 1.2.1
PI 1.2.1 There is a robust and precautionary harvest strategy in place
Scoring Issue SG 60 SG 80 SG 100
a The harvest strategy is The harvest strategy is The harvest strategy is expected to achieve responsive to the state responsive to the state of the stock management of the stock and the stock and is designed to objectives reflected in elements of the harvest achieve stock management the target and limit strategy work together objectives reflected in the target reference points. towards achieving and limit reference points. management objectives reflected in the target and limit
Guidepost reference points.
Met? (Y) (Y) (N)
Stock assessment advice relative to target and limit reference points produced by the NIPAG Pandalus working group are approved by the NAFO Scientific Committee who also provide TAC recommendations. Both the Greenland and Canadian components of the fishery have harvest strategies which are responsive to the status of the stocks, taking into account annual assessment outputs and catch rates relative to the TAC. In this respect the harvest plans work together, collectively achieving the management goals and therefore a score of 80 is justified. While each county’s harvest strategy has shared objectives there is no joint management plan for the areas of shared resources. This can result in combined landings which exceed the recommended TAC. The lack of a joint harvest strategy means that it cannot therefore be specifically designed to meet the stock management objectives relative to target and limit reference points and a score of 100 cannot be met.
Justification
b The harvest strategy is The harvest strategy The performance of the harvest likely to work based on may not have been strategy has been fully prior experience or fully tested but evaluated and evidence exists
plausible argument. evidence exists that it to show that it is achieving its is achieving its objectives including being objectives. clearly able to maintain stocks
at target levels. Guidepost
Met? (Y) (Y) (N)
The annual NIPAG stock assessment programme provides ongoing evidence that the harvest strategy is achieving its objectives relating to the target and limit reference points. A score of 80 is therefore fully justified. While the harvest strategy is shown to be achieving its objectives, it has not been fully evaluated and
therefore a score of 100 cannot be justified. Justification
c Monitoring is in place that is expected to determine whether the harvest strategy is
working. Guidepost
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PI 1.2.1 There is a robust and precautionary harvest strategy in place
Met? (Y)
There is a comprehensive stock assessment programme which incorporates data from logbooks and annual surveys and provides an assessment of the stocks in relation to the harvest strategy (and specifically the reference points). In year monitoring of catches permits ongoing evaluation of catches relative to the TAC for
the year. Therefore the scoring guidepost is met. Justification
d The harvest strategy is periodically reviewed and
improved as necessary. Guidepost
Met? (N)
There has been a recent review of the harvest strategy, and clearly documented efforts are being made to combine the harvest strategy with the Canadian fishery, however, these have not been successful to date. While there are plans to update the harvest strategy when an agreement can be reached, it is not possible to state
that the harvest strategy, as a whole, is being improved as necessary. Justification
e It is likely that shark It is highly likely that There is a high degree of finning is not taking shark finning is not certainty that shark finning is
place. taking place. not taking place. Guidepost
Met? (Not relevant) (Not relevant) (Not relevant)
Justification
» NAFO 2016. NAFO/ICES Pandalus Assessment Group Meeting, 7-14 September 2016. NAFO SCS Doc. 16/17 Serial No. N6611ICES CM References 2016/ACOM:15. 93pp. » Management Plan for the Shrimp Trawl Fishery in West Greenland. Version 2 January 2015.
OVERALL PERFORMANCE INDICATOR SCORE: 80
CONDITION NUMBER (if relevant):
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Evaluation Table for PI 2.4.2 [Note that FCR v1.3 has a single scoring issue for 2.4.1 which is replicated in revision of this scoring table]
The fishery does not cause serious or irreversible harm to habitat structure, PI 2.4.1 considered on a regional or bioregional basis, and function
Scoring Issue SG 60 SG 80 SG 100
a The fishery is unlikely The fishery is highly There is evidence that the fishery is to reduce habitat unlikely to reduce highly unlikely to reduce habitat structure and function habitat structure and structure and function to a point to a point where there function to a point where there would be serious or would be serious or where there would be irreversible harm. irreversible harm. serious or irreversible
Guidepost harm.
Met? (Y) (Y) (Partial)
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The fishery does not cause serious or irreversible harm to habitat structure, PI 2.4.1 considered on a regional or bioregional basis, and function
Inferences on the impacts of shrimp gear on mud, mud-sand, and hard bottoms in this area can be made from existing studies, recognising that impacts are to some extent site specific and that inference leaves some uncertainty about conclusions. Soft bottoms are impacted relatively rapidly by trawling gear but recover relatively quickly (DFO 2006benthic; Rice 2006; Lokkeborg 2005). A study of long-term impacts of shrimp trawling on soft bottoms in the Gulf of Maine indicated that impacts occurred relatively rapidly but recovery was also rapid (Simpson and Watling 2006). NEFMC (2010) concluded that soft bottom sediments and organims which affect habitat quality in these sediments recovery relatively rapidly from disturbance and damage. The shrimp gear may also impact harder bottom habitats which are generally more sensitive and take longer to recover; little is known about distribution and sensitivity of such habitats in the fishery area, or about the extent to which the fishery operates on soft or harder bottom types (updated – see below) Fishermen avoid areas of high relief, which probably represent the most complex habitat areas, because of the potential for gear damage. Fishermen observations indicate that corals and sponges are concentrated in coastal areas, and a relatively large inshore area has been closed to fishing. Work has been undertaken to map habitat types. Measures to protect sensitive sponge and coral areas under Executive Order 12 (November 2011) include closed areas to protect sensitive habitats (totalling 650 square nautical miles), establishment of a protocol for protecting bottom habitats in “new” fishery areas, and a moving protocol when bycatches of corals and sponges are taken (see 2.4.2). There is no evidence that the fishery is causing serious or irreversible harm to habitat structure and function. Aspects of fishing practices would act to reduce habitat impacts. Trawl netting and gear is relatively light and would have limited impacts on the bottom. Use of rolling rockhopper gear is mandatory under Executive Order 12 (9 November 2011) so foot gear rolls over bottom obstructions and fauna rather than digging in and damaging habitat. Toggle chains of minimum length 72 mm are required, bringing trawl net sections off the bottom. Doors and shoes (used in twin trawling) are relatively heavy but have small footprints. Several vessels are using rolling shoes which would roll over obstructions and fauna rather than digging in or damaging them. Given its mode of operation, this fishery is unlikely to reduce habitat structure and function to a point where there would be serious or irreversible harm, referring to the MSC guidance on definition of “serious or irreversible harm” (GCB 3.14.2). Analyses of fishery impacts would be required to increase certainty, particularly with respect to potential impacts on hard coral areas and similar sensitive habitat areas; accordingly it cannot be said that the fishery is “highly unlikely” to have unacceptable impacts. (This limitation has been addressed by the client as summarized below) Habitat type and distribution (new text) The fishing area is characterised by a mosaic of deep channels and basins dominated by muddy sediments, many of which are fed by glacial sedimentation and outlets from fjords, and shallow banks and shelf with a mix of more complex habitats. For the purposes of mapping and assessment these habitats have been classified as 7 elements: mud; gravelly mud; muddy sand; bedrock with mud; bedrock with sand; gravelly sand; coarse rocky ground Muddy sediments are more prevalent in the northerly colder areas; and rocky and sandy sediment in the more southerly areas. Mud covers 1/3rd of the total fishing area, whereas
coarse rocky ground comprises between 1% and 10%. In terms of potentially vulnerable epibenthos. Polychaeta, Ophiuroidea and Ascidiacea are the most commonly encountered taxa, especially on muddy bottoms. Hard bottom substrates are more diverse and organisms more abundant. Large organisms attached to rock, such as gorgonians are unusual, but Paragorgia arborea is found at some southern
Justification stations. Page 35 of 55 Acoura Marine Full Assessment Template per MSC V2.0 02/12/2015 Acoura Marine 4th Surveillance Report West Greenland Coldwater Prawn Fishery
The fishery does not cause serious or irreversible harm to habitat structure, PI 2.4.1 considered on a regional or bioregional basis, and function
Vulnerable Marine Habitats (VMEs).(new text) Most of the most sensitive and vulnerable subsidiary habitats or aggregations (VMEs) that occur in these waters (such as maerl; Lophelia; Bamboo coral; cup corals (though possibly not strictly VME) occur outside the normal depth range of the fishery (150-400m, occasionally to 600m). Paragorgia (tree coral) favour the base of the shelf break at 500-900m, and there maybe some partial overlap with fleet activities. The seapen Umbellula, which has multi-decadal lifespan and can form a VME type aggregation vulnerable to trawling, was not encountered in the Yesson et al survey, but is seen as regular bycatch in some areas in West Greenland (Jørgensen et al., 2013). Encounters with both these will need to be recorded and monitored and areas avoided . Large discrete (Ostur) sponges are rare on the West Greenland shelf. It is thought that it is probably too cold (40C) although it is possible that the historic fishery has cleared some of these. A few Geodia have been found in fishing areas but never in significant quantities. Impact of trawling (New text) 86% of the study area and depth (200-500m) has been subject to some trawling impact since 1986. Trawling intensity ranged from zero to more than 100h/yr (per 3.5km square). Over most of the survey area, less than 50% of sample squares were affected in any oneyear, but over a period of four or more years up to 65% of habitat was trawled at some point. Fishermen target the softer, less diverse sediments with trawling intensity on soft habitat more than double that on hard sediments. Trawling intensity is the most important factor determining the overall abundance of benthic organisms, accounting for 12 to 16% of variance. Furthermore, both abundance and diversity are higher in the new (ie previously unfished) fishing areas. Frequently trawled soft bottoms are characterized by fewer anthazoa, ascidians, bryozoans, Ophiura spp. Frequently trawled hard bottoms are characterized by fewer anthazoa, bryozoans, hydrozoa, maxilipoda, polychaeta and porifera. Recovery time based on significant difference between trawled and untrawled sites is around 5 years for soft bottoms and 10 years for hard bottoms. However, median values remain different over longer time periods (at least 25 years on harder substrates), and more comprehensive sampling would be required to harden up the evidence. There is no evidence of loss of function (filtration, recycling, carbon capture) as a result of trawling. An overall assessment of the impact of the fishery on main habitat types and on VME is
provided in the tables below.
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The fishery does not cause serious or irreversible harm to habitat structure, PI 2.4.1 considered on a regional or bioregional basis, and function
Main Organism Approximate Intensity of Recovery Likelihood habitat abundance proportion trawling times (Yrs) of serious element and within fishery (scale of 1 or diversity footprint (lowest) to irreversible (2008-13) 5 (highest) harm
mud 15% 5 5 90
muddy 12%** 1 5 100 sand
gravelly 30% 2 5 90 mud
gravelly 10% 2 5-10 90 sand
bedrock 20% 2 5-10 100 with mud
bedrock 40% 2 5-10 80 with sand
coarse 25%* 1 10+ 80 rocky ground
*Was as high as 50% through to 2006, but may be over-estimated
** Peaked at 35% in 2004
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The fishery does not cause serious or irreversible harm to habitat structure, PI 2.4.1 considered on a regional or bioregional basis, and function
VME type Preferred Depth Geographic Vulnera- Likelihood of substrate range distribution bility, serious or recovery irreversible harm
Maerl sand, mud <20m Wide-spread High, 100 or gravel coastal medium especially in the south
Lophelia reef Soft 800- N Atlantic, High, slow An area has been bottoms 1000 min 4oC. identified in m depths 800m Only occurs S/SW Greenland in S of W and is slated for Greenland protection shelf 100
Bamboo 800- Localized High, slow Widespread along coral 900m (one known foot of shelf slope coral forest) with v limited overlap 90
Ostur and Soft 200- Common in High; slow Some uncertainty Geodia bottoms 700m E Greenland over reasons for sponges and semi but rarity soft rare/occasio nal along W 80 Greenland shelf
Paragorgia Sometimes 500- Bottom High, slow Low – may be tree coral associated 900m fringe of the encountered, but with (200- shelf break. limited overlap Lophelia 1300) Prefers strong One mapped area current 80
Umbellula Soft 500- More High; Low – may be seapens bottoms 1000 northerly medium- encountered but m distribution fast limited overlap 80
Least Most concern concern
The analyses of Yesson et al 2015; Yesson et al 2016; and Gougeaon et al 2017, along with the unpublished work of Jorgensbye on VME as summarized above support the conclusion that while the fishery has significant impact on benthic habitat, it is highly unlikely to reduce habitat structure and function to a point where there would be serious or irreversible harm, and indeed provides some objective evidence for this. However, there is nonetheless evidence of significant impact, and some uncertainty remains about full recovery times, especially on hard substrates, as well as potential impact on new test areas in the north. Furthermore there remain questions about the actual or potential impact on 2 of the identified VMEs: Paragorgia and Umbellula, especially in new fishing grounds in the
North. A revised overall score of 85 is therefore appropriate.
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The fishery does not cause serious or irreversible harm to habitat structure, PI 2.4.1 considered on a regional or bioregional basis, and function
» Yesson C, Simon P, Chemshirova I, Gorham T, Turner CJ, Hammeken Arboe N, Blicher ME & Kemp KM (2015) Community composition of epibenthic megafauna on the West Greenland Shelf. Polar Biology. 38:2085-2096 » Yesson C, Fisher J, Gorham T, Turner CJ, Hammeken Arboe N, Blicher ME & Kemp KM (2016) The impact of trawling on the epibenthic megafauna of the West References Greenland shelf. ICES Journal of Marine Science. doi:10.1093/icesjms/fsw206 » Gougeon S, Kemp KM, Blicher ME & Yesson C (2017) Mapping and classifying the seabed of the West Greenland continental shelf. Estuarine and Coastal Shelf Science. doi:10.1016/j.ecss.2017.01.009 » Jorgensbye, H. Unpublished PhD research on VME status and vulnerability in West Greenland.
OVERALL PERFORMANCE INDICATOR SCORE: 85
CONDITION NUMBER (if relevant):
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Evaluation Table for PI 2.4.2
There is a strategy in place that is designed to ensure the fishery does not PI 2.4.2 pose a risk of serious or irreversible harm to habitat types
Scoring Issue SG 60 SG 80 SG 100
a There are measures in There is a partial There is a strategy in place for place, if necessary, strategy in place, if managing the impact of the that are expected to necessary, that is fishery on habitat types. achieve the Habitat expected to achieve Outcome 80 level of the Habitat Outcome performance. 80 level of performance
Guidepost or above.
Met? (Y) (Y) (N)
Note: Updates to the original rationale are highlighted in bold A range of measures serve to reduce benthic impacts, though not all are specifically designed for this purpose. Executive Order 12 (9 November 2011) on Technical Conservation measures sets out a range of new measures designed to protect bottom habitats: • a requirement to use rotating rockhopper gear on all shrimp trawls, such that foot gear will roll over bottom obstructions rather than dig into bottom • a requirement to use toggle chains of 72 mm or greater, keeping trawl netting off the bottom • a general shift to the use of lighter “sparrow” trawl doors in recent years (updated 2017); • a closed area of approximately 650 nm2 in which are found concentrations of sponge and coral beds • Exclusion of trawlers from coastal bays • a requirement to report live coral catches of ˃60 kg and live sponge catches of ˃800 kg to the Licensing Authority, and to move a minimum of 2 km in a direction away from any place at which such catches are taken • The fishing area has been assessed for the existence and distribution of VME, and their occurrence in existing fishing areas is very rare. Provisions are in process to protect lophelia reefs in deeper waters in the south • Ships guidebooks have been produced and distributed for the identification of ETP and VME indicator species • An addendum to the Management Plan includes a protocol for working in new fishery areas, which is intended to map new areas of sensitive bottom
habitat and lead to protection if necessary • It is intended that encounter reporting and move on rules be implemented throughout the fishery in line with NAFO/NEAFC recommendations
Justification These measures amount to a partial strategy and a score of 80 is appropriate.
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There is a strategy in place that is designed to ensure the fishery does not PI 2.4.2 pose a risk of serious or irreversible harm to habitat types
b The measures are There is some Testing supports high considered likely to objective basis for confidence that the strategy will work, based on confidence that the work, based on information plausible argument partial strategy will directly about the fishery and/or (e.g. general work, based on habitats involved. experience, theory or information directly comparison with about the fishery and/or similar habitats involved.
Guidepost fisheries/habitats).
Met? (Y) (Y) (N)
The research undertaken since first certification is specific to the fishery and provides some objective basis for confidence that the partial strategy will work, but given the remaining uncertainties about recovery rates and impact in test fishing areas this does not support high confidence. No specific measurable objectives are in place in the updated fishing plan that could serve as the basis for a more comprehensive strategy or for testing
Justification of success.
c There is some There is clear evidence that the evidence that the strategy is being implemented partial strategy is being successfully. implemented
successfully. Guidepost
Met? (Y) (N)
There is solid evidence that gear design is in line with the partial strategy, and that most VME are outside the fishing area (in terms of depth or geography). Reporting of VMEs however remains limited and possibly of poor quality (observers require special payments to take samples for example) and has not been rolled out
comprehensively across the fishery
Justification
d There is some evidence that the strategy is achieving its
objective. Guidepost
Met? (N)
The objectives relating to benthic habitat as outlined in the Fishing Plan are insufficiently explicit to allow for measurement of progress and success in
protecting benthic habitat. Justification
» Yesson C, Simon P, Chemshirova I, Gorham T, Turner CJ, Hammeken Arboe N, Blicher ME & Kemp KM (2015) Community composition of epibenthic megafauna on the West Greenland Shelf. Polar Biology. 38:2085- References 2096 » Yesson C, Fisher J, Gorham T, Turner CJ, Hammeken Arboe N, Blicher ME & Kemp KM (2016) The impact of trawling on the epibenthic megafauna of
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There is a strategy in place that is designed to ensure the fishery does not PI 2.4.2 pose a risk of serious or irreversible harm to habitat types the West Greenland shelf. ICES Journal of Marine Science. doi:10.1093/icesjms/fsw206 » Gougeon S, Kemp KM, Blicher ME & Yesson C (2017) Mapping and classifying the seabed of the West Greenland continental shelf. Estuarine and Coastal Shelf Science. doi:10.1016/j.ecss.2017.01.009DFO 2006benthic; Rice 2006; Lokkeborg 2005 » Simpson, A. W. and L. Watling 2006. An investigation of the cumulative impacts of shrimp trawling on mud-bottom fishing grounds in the Gulf of Maine: effects on habitat and macrofaunal community structure. ICES J. Mar. Sci. 63: 1616-1630. » Executive Order 12, 9 November 2011 » Management Plan for the Shrimp Trawl Fishery in West Greenland. V.2. 2015 (Jan)
OVERALL PERFORMANCE INDICATOR SCORE: 80
CONDITION NUMBER (if relevant):
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Evaluation Table for PI 2.5.1
The fishery does not cause serious or irreversible harm to the key elements PI 2.5.1 of ecosystem structure and function
Scoring Issue SG 60 SG 80 SG 100
a The fishery is unlikely The fishery is highly There is evidence that the to disrupt the key unlikely to disrupt the fishery is highly unlikely to elements underlying key elements disrupt the key elements ecosystem structure underlying ecosystem underlying ecosystem structure and function to a point structure and function and function to a point where where there would be to a point where there there would be a serious or a serious or would be a serious or irreversible harm.
Guidepost irreversible harm. irreversible harm.
Met? (Y) (Y) (N)
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The fishery does not cause serious or irreversible harm to the key elements PI 2.5.1 of ecosystem structure and function
The fishery operates in a high-latitude continental shelf ecosystem considered to be of relatively low productivity (Aquarone et al 2009) (although fishery productivity is relatively high). Trophic chains are relatively short and predators are relatively unspecialised, that is, there is substitutability in the food web (Pedersen and Zeller 2001). Species diversity is probably low relative to ecosystems further south. The ecosystem appears relatively robust and has shown considerable fluctuations, including the ability to recover from perturbations (reduction in predator abundance by fishing) in the past (Buch et al. 2004). The fishery is relatively “clean”, that is, it is well targeted on the target species. As such, only two potential impacts on key ecosystem elements (other than those treated in previous sections) are identified: (a) – potential effect on trophic relationships of the removal of the target species, which are forage for a wide range of predator species and (b) non-catch impacts on biological diversity and community structure, particularly for benthic species. Trophic relationships Shrimp are prey for a wide range of species including seals and demersal fishes (Parsons 2005 a, b; Pedersen and Zeller 2001). However in this ecosystem these predators target a range of prey species (Pedersen and Zeller 2001) and so are able to switch among prey. Exploitation rate of the shrimp stock has been relatively low, of the order of 10-12% based on landings of 135,000-157,000 t per year in 2006-9 (NIPAG 2010) and total biomass of the order of 1.3-1.4 mt (NIPAG 2011 Fig. 3.8). Biomass has been high relative to past decades, but is recently declining (NIPAG 2010). Given this low exploitation rate, current and recent levels of removal of the target species leave a substantial proportion of total biomass in the population and thus do not represent an unacceptable impact on trophic relationships. Cod predation is explicitly considered as a mortality term in the assessment model used to advise on TACs, with the objective of providing a high level of certainty that forage will be maintained for predators. TAC decisions have been somewhat higher than advice in recent years, but the impact of the fishery on trophic relationships remains low. Bycatch of discarded species is low (2.2.1) so removal of predators is insignificant as an ecosystem impact. This situation should be monitored in future, in particular if shrimp biomass continues to decline and/or predator fish species such as cod and redfish begin to recover. Benthic biodiversity and ecosystem structure Given its mode of operation (2.5.2) the fishery is unlikely to disrupt biodiversity and ecosystem structure to an extent that serious or irreversible harm would ensue. This is principally based on general information on the fishery and ecosystem (2.5.3), and on inference. The fishery mainly operates on relatively resilient communities (soft-bottom) and uses relatively light gear. Impacts of trawl doors and “shoes”, particularly on benthic fauna in hard bottom communities, are a potential concern and better information on impacts on these would be required to state that the fishery is “highly unlikely” to be causing serious or irreversible harm. Studies carried out over the last 4 years and summarized under 2.4.1/2 however suggest that these are highly unlikely to disrupt biodiversity and ecosystem structure to an extent that serious or irreversible harm would ensue Some initial measures (closed areas, report and moving protocol) have been taken
Justification which will help to protect biodiversity and ecosystem structure.
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The fishery does not cause serious or irreversible harm to the key elements PI 2.5.1 of ecosystem structure and function
The fishery is highly unlikely to disrupt trophic relationships by reducing shrimp abundance to levels which would impact predators, as the need to maintain shrimp biomass as forage for predators is addressed in the assessment and the management of the fishery. The fishery meets the 80 SG for this issue. The research work undertaken over the last 5 years on benthic habitats, as summarized in 2.4.1/2 provides some evidence that the fishery is highly unlikely to be causing serious or irreversible harm through non-catch impacts on benthic communities but, because of limited analysis of benthic communities and their sensitivity to the impact of fishing, it is not possible to say that the fishery is highly unlikely to disrupt this key elements structure and function to a point where there would be a serious or irreversible harm. The fishery meets the 60 SG for this issue. Therefore a score of 70 is assigned to this PI.
An overall score of 85 is therefore appropriate
References » See 2.4.1
OVERALL PERFORMANCE INDICATOR SCORE: 85
CONDITION NUMBER (if relevant):
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Evaluation Table for PI 2.5.2
There are measures in place to ensure the fishery does not pose a risk of PI 2.5.2 serious or irreversible harm to ecosystem structure and function
Scoring Issue SG 60 SG 80 SG 100
a There are measures in There is a partial There is a strategy that consists place, if necessary. strategy in place, if of a plan, in place.
necessary. Guidepost
Met? (Y) (Y) (N)
The ecosystem issues to be considered here are (a) Trophic relationships - the effect of the removal of the target species, which are forage for a wide range of predator species (b) Biodiversity and ecosystem structure – the non-catch impacts on biological diversity and community structure, particularly for benthic species. Trophic relationships Predator-prey relationships are explicitly considered in the assessment model used to support setting TACs: a cod predation term based on current cod biomass and overlap with shrimp is included in mortality. As such, a partial strategy is in place for ensuring that adequate shrimp biomass is maintained for predators. This is considered a partial strategy rather than a strategy, since only one predator (cod) is considered, of the wide range of species which use shrimp as forage Removal of predators by the fishery is not significant, since bycatch of species other than the target species are low (2.2.1). For trophic relationships, there is a partial strategy in place designed to ensure that shrimp is maintained as forage for predators. 80 Impacts of the fishery on benthic biodiversity and community structure As noted in 2.4.2, Executive Order 12 (9 November 2011) on Technical Conservation measures sets out a range of new measures designed to protect bottom habitats and communities: a requirement to use rotating rockhopper gear on all shrimp trawls, such that foot gear will roll over bottom obstructions rather than dig into bottom a requirement to use toggle chains of 72 mm or greater, keeping trawl netting off the bottom definition of a closed area of almost 650 nm2 in which are found sponge and coral beds a requirement to report live coral catches of ˃60 kg and live sponge catches of ˃800 kg to the Licensing Authority, and to move a minimum of 2 km in a direction away from coral or sponge areas In addition, measures to improve information on types and distribution of benthic habitats will be funded in future (see 2.4.3). Since certification there has been substantial research on interaction between the fleet and benthic habitats providing the technical basis for a partial strategy An Addendum to the Management Plan includes a protocol for working in new fishery areas, which is intended to map new areas of sensitive bottom habitat and lead to protection if necessary (see 2.4.3). Taken together, and given that these measures have been put in place with the intention of protecting bottom habitats and communities, they are considered to represent a partial strategy. They should support attaining the 80 SG for Habitat
Justification Outcome.
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There are measures in place to ensure the fishery does not pose a risk of PI 2.5.2 serious or irreversible harm to ecosystem structure and function
b The measures take The partial strategy The strategy, which consists of into account potential takes into account a plan, contains measures to impacts of the fishery available information address all main impacts of the on key elements of the and is expected to fishery on the ecosystem, and ecosystem. restrain impacts of the at least some of these fishery on the measures are in place. The ecosystem so as to plan and measures are based achieve the Ecosystem on well-understood functional Outcome 80 level of relationships between the performance. fishery and the Components and elements of the ecosystem.
This plan provides for development of a full strategy that restrains impacts on the ecosystem to ensure the fishery does not cause serious or
Guidepost irreversible harm.
Met? (Y) (Y) (N)
Trophic relationships The measures described above takes account of substantial on-going research on cod-shrimp relationships and prawn populations and is expected to restrain impacts of the fishery so as to achieve an SG80 level of performance. Benthic Ecosystem elements The operating mode of the fishery would help to limit impacts of the fishery on these ecosystem elements. The fishery operates mainly on soft-bottom habitats and communities, which are considered to be relatively resilient to trawl impacts and to have good recovery potential. Trawl gear used is relatively light and is configured to roll over rather than dig into habitats (rolling rockhopper rig) and to keep netting off the bottom (toggle chains). Trawl doors and “shoes” for twin trawling would be the main cause of non-catch impacts; rolling shoes are used by some vessels. For impacts on benthic biodiversity and community structure, a partial strategy has been put in place which is intended to achieve the Ecosystem Outcome 80
Justification performance level.
c The measures are The partial strategy is The measures are considered considered likely to considered likely to likely to work based on prior work, based on work, based on experience, plausible argument plausible argument plausible argument or information directly from the (e.g., general (e.g., general fishery/ecosystems involved. experience, theory or experience, theory or comparison with comparison with similar similar fisheries/ecosystems).
Guidepost fisheries/ecosystems).
Met? (Y) (Y) (N)
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There are measures in place to ensure the fishery does not pose a risk of PI 2.5.2 serious or irreversible harm to ecosystem structure and function
The partial strategy (trophic relations and benthic ecosystems is considered likely to work, based on information on the fishery and the ecosystems and inference from
other areas. SG 80 is met. Justification
d There is some There is evidence that the evidence that the measures are being measures comprising implemented successfully. the partial strategy are being implemented
Guidepost successfully.
Met? (Y) (N)
There is some evidence (observers, research reports) that the trophic relations partial strategy is being implemented successfully. However, since the benthic strategy has recently been put in place, there is no evidence as yet that it is being implemented successfully. Substantial research coupled with observer coverage in recent years (see 2.5.1) on the interaction between UoC vessels and benthic habitats provides
Justification some evidence that the measures are being implemented successfully. 80
References see 2.4.1
OVERALL PERFORMANCE INDICATOR SCORE: 80
CONDITION NUMBER (if relevant):
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Appendix 2 - Stakeholder submissions None received
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Appendix 3 - Surveillance audit information (if necessary) n/a
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Appendix 4 - Additional detail on conditions/ actions/ results (if necessary) Sustainable Fisheries Greenland
DRAFT Action plan for reducing bycatch of Pandalus montagui in the West Greenland prawn fishery to ≤ 2% of the total catch 1. Background: In connection with the certification of West Greenland prawn trawling in 2013, an exemption was obtained in which bycatch of the prawn species Pandalus montagui was deemed acceptable in quantities corresponding to up to 15% of the total prawn catch (Pandalus borealis and Pandalus montagui together). The exemption was given a duration of five years, which means that by the time of the re-certification of the fishery in 2018, a method must be found to ensure compliance with the usual bycatch rules, identified as ≤ 2%. In practice, this will mean that by the forthcoming four-year audit in 2017, we must have a plan in place for how we will ensure compliance with these rules. Our surveillance report from the 2016 audit states: “It is recognised that if all skippers (in the prawn fishery) complied with the moving protocol, the bycatch could be reduced to a suitable level.”2 The report indicates three possibilities for remedying the problem: (This action plan focuses on ‘c.’, and is divided into a short-term and long-term part, of which the former can be implemented with immediate effect, i.e. for the remainder of 2017 and the following years, until the long-term part can be implemented.) a. Fishing for Pandalus montagui is certified, which means that a sustainable quota could be set for the species. (The certification must take place in accordance with Principle 1, as the certification already obtained under Principles 2 and 3 can also cover Pandalus montagui, which in reality is a bycatch species.) b. A technique is developed which makes it possible to remove prawns of the species Pandalus montagui in the catch situation (which is considered to be impossible). c. A strategy is developed to ensure that the bycatch level of Pandalus montagui remains below ≤ 2%. (This strategy is in fact already in effect through the moving protocol of the Bycatch Order. However, it is doubtful whether our assessment team will accept an assurance that the companies are prepared to comply with this provision. Reference is made in this context to the fact that catches of the species have actually increased in recent years, even though the companies have been made aware that the catches should be reduced.)
2. Requirements towards the action plan:
2 The rules are contained in “Government of Greenland Executive Order no. 14 of 6 December 2011 on by-catches in fishery”, section 6 of which states: “When fishing with gear other than pound nets and crab pots, the fishing must be halted if the bycatch in one trawl exceeds 10% by weight of the total catch of the trawl. (2) Fishing may not be resumed less than 5 nautical miles from any point within the logged starting and ending positions before a minimum of 60 hours has elapsed from the end time recorded in the logbook.” In the case of prawn, the moving protocol is further sharpened: “8. In prawn fishery, the fishing must be halted if the bycatch mentioned in section 6 (1) and section 7 (2) exceeds 5%.”
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The following requirements have been set out in advance for the action plan: a. Implementation of the action plan’s individual elements must be administratively simple, involving a minimum of expense. b. On the basis of an ordinary assessment, there must be good prospects that the action plan will work as intended. c. The plan must include measures to be implemented if and when the catch rate approaches the limit of 2%. d. The elements of the plan must be evaluated – both individually and as a whole – by the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, who will at the same time be requested to express their assessment of the plan’s anticipated effectiveness in representing an effective solution to the challenge associated with bycatch. e. It must be possible to efficiently check the level of compliance with the system and its effectiveness. This must be confirmed/documented by Greenland’s Fishery Licence Control (GFLK).
3. Plan assumptions: The plan’s structure is based amongst other things on the fact that while bycatches of P. montagui certainly occur in various locations, three distinct ‘hot spots’ can be identified in which such bycatches are particularly frequent, in large quantities. These hot spots are shown in the following map, which has been compiled by the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources on the basis of logbook catch records:
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Fig. 1. The map is taken from GINR’s “Montagui paper" from 2016. From north to south, the map shows the three areas of Kangaatsiaq, the Holsteinsborg Deep and the Arsuk Hole, where the proportion of P. montagui in the catch during the period 2011-2016 amounted to between 50 and 59.99%. Because of the relative frequency of P. montagui catches, it appears that these three hot spots may be arranged in a sequence, in which Kangaatsiaq has the highest bycatch rates and the Arsuk Hole the lowest.3
In addition, the successful implementation of the plan requires that the term ‘prawn’, as used in the Fisheries Act, is interpreted so broadly that future quotas for the species P. montagui can be made saleable. This is because the bycatch problem is apparently different for the two fleet segments.
3 A more precise description of the three hot spots will be compiled with the participation of locally- experienced skippers, so that boundaries can be placed on areas recognised as critical, in that the risk of substantial catches of P. montagui there is high. In the final action plan, hot spots will be defined as rectangles, the corners of which will be stated with positions in 0 and ’.
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KNAPK informs us that the coastal prawn fishermen rarely experience bycatch of a problematically high level, while this seems to be more the rule than the exception in offshore fishing. In order to maintain continuous fishing, it will therefore probably be of great importance if the coastal companies can transfer unused bycatch quotas to the offshore fishing segment. It is also worth noting that such trades could strengthen the economy of the coastal fishing.
4. Knowledge of the Pandalus montagui stock: Our knowledge of P.montagui is not nearly as extensive as the knowledge that has been built up over time about P. borealis. However, the GINR monitors the stock, on the basis of both annual surveys and information from commercial fishing (logbooks). The GNIR has stated that it expects to have collected enough data to draw up proper scientific advice for the stock in the course of approximately the next three years.
5. Practical implementation of the plan (short term): a. When the TAC for the traditional prawn fishery in West Greenland (P. borealis) is set, a TAC should at the same time be set for prawn of the species P. montagui. This TAC should be set at a value of 2% of the TAC for P. borealis.4 b. The TAC will then be divided between the coastal and offshore fleet segments in the ratio 43:57, and bycatch licences will be issued to companies in accordance with their quota shares in the fishing for P. borealis. c. It will then be communicated in an appropriate manner to the companies that the P. montagui quota can be traded between the companies, and that it is possible to sell bycatch quotas across the boundary between the two fleet segments. d. The companies will at the same time be informed that the flex-quota that applies to the species P. borealis does not apply to quotas for P. montagui. This restriction is intended to prevent the risk of ‘humps’ in the bycatch quotas.5 e. Greenland’s Fishery Licence Control will be responsible for carrying out intensified inspections of the influx of prawns of the species P. montagui.6 f. If, in the course of a year, a company exceeds 85% of its bycatch quota, the company will be banned from fishing in the ‘hot spot’ area of Kangaatsiaq. g. If, in the course of a year, a company exceeds 90% of its bycatch quota, the company will be banned from fishing in the ‘hot spot’ area Holsteinborg Deep. h. If, in the course of a year, a company exceeds 95% of its bycatch quota, the company will be banned from fishing in the ‘hot spot’ area of Arsuk Hole.
4 A bycatch quota of 2% is certainly subject to some uncertainty as regards sustainability. However, when it is considered that in connection with the current TAC for P. borealis, this quota will be less than the actual catches in recent years, the selected level is regarded as responsible. This is even more the case when we take into consideration the fact that the GINR expects to be in a position to be able to provide proper scientific advice for the species in around three years’ time. 5 The special provisions of section 5 are assumed to be covered by the provisions of the Fisheries Act. For the sake of simplicity and clarity, however, it is recommended that all the mentioned matters should be regulated through a new bycatch order. 6 GFLK has stated that the institution will be able to provide ‘real-time calculations’ of the quota influx as soon as the electronic logbook system is operating. This is expected to be the case soon.
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i. If the total bycatch of P. montagui reaches 97% of the quota for P. borealis, the Fisheries Council will be urgently convened to issue advice to the Government of Greenland on possible solutions to the problem. j. This proposed solution, which will be implemented as quickly as possible, will be regarded in the first active years of the scheme as a pilot project, which must subsequently be evaluated in order to ensure compliance with the rules, until such time as a quota can be set for P. montagui within biologically safe limits, and this fishery can be certified.
6. Practical implementation of the plan (longer term): a. Further action will be deferred until the GINR has collected sufficient data on the population of P. montagui to enable the Institute to provide proper scientific advice on the species, naturally including an accurate stock size estimate. b. A TAC will then be set for the species in accordance with this scientific advice, and without regard to the role of the species as bycatch in fishery for P. borealis. c. Certification for fishing for the species will be sought in line with the fishery for P. borealis.
7. Recommendation: With the submission of this draft action plan, the members of the Fisheries Council and officials of the government of Greenland recommend that the above be included in the regulatory framework for prawn, and that this should be done at the earliest possible time, as due to the compelling market necessity of maintaining certification for the West Greenland prawn fishery, the case may well prove to be urgent.
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