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Scs18-23 WG-ESA Report 2018 Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization Serial No N6900 NAFO SCS Doc. 18/23 SC WORKING GROUP ON ECOSYSTEM SCIENCE AND ASSESSMENT – NOVEMBER 2018 Report of the 11th Meeting of the NAFO Scientific Council Working Group on Ecosystem Science and Assessment (WG-ESA) NAFO Headquarters, Dartmouth, Canada 13 - 22 November 2018 Contents Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................................................................3 Theme 1: spatial considerations................................................................................................................................................................4 1.1. Update on VME indicator species data and distribution .............................................................................4 1.2 Progress on implementation of workplan for reassessment of VME fishery closures. .................9 1.3. Discussion on updating Kernel Density Analysis and SDM’s .....................................................................9 1.4. Update on the Research Activities related to EU-funded Horizon 2020 ATLAS Project ...............9 1.5. Non-sponge and non-coral VMEs (e.g. bryozoan and sea squirts). ..................................................... 14 1.6 Ecological diversity mapping and interactions with fishing on the Flemish Cap .......................... 14 1.7 Sponge removal by bottom trawling in the Flemish Cap area: implications for ecosystem functioning .................................................................................................................................................................... 15 1.8 Predicted distribution and biodiversity associated with the Vazella pourtalesi glass sponge grounds off Nova Scotia, Canada ......................................................................................................................... 16 1.9 Assessment of connectivity among closed areas in the fishing footprint of the NRA ................. 17 Theme 2: Status, functioning and dynamics of NAFO marine ecosystems. ......................................................................... 20 2.1. Progress of analysis undertaken by EU NEREIDA research ................................................................... 20 i) Mapping fishing effort. ............................................................................................................................................. 20 ii) Modelling seapen resilience .................................................................................................................................. 29 2.2. Update on VME modelling...................................................................................................................................... 36 i) Predicting sea pen settlement probability across space .......................................................................... 36 ii) Agent-based Sea Pen model implementation ................................................................................................ 42 2.3. Up-date on VME biological traits analysis and the assessment of VME functions. ....................... 52 i) Revised workplan for Biological Traits Analysis ......................................................................................... 52 ii) Biological traits: deep sea corals ......................................................................................................................... 54 iii) Using joint species distribution modelling to measure and predict the influence of traits on the assembly processes of benthic communities of the Flemish Cap ................................................. 54 iv) Soft corals as nurseries for basket stars (Gorgonocephalus sp.). ......................................................... 55 2.4. Assessment of NAFO bottom fisheries ............................................................................................................. 57 2.5. Up-date on fishery modelling activities ........................................................................................................... 57 i) US Modelling and State of Ecosystem Reports.............................................................................................. 57 ii) EU SC05 project: “Multispecies Fisheries Assessment for NAFO” ....................................................... 59 iii) An Economics Lens to Understanding NAFO Fishing towards Implementing Ecosystems- based Fisheries Management (EBFM) .............................................................................................................. 61 iv) Modelling dynamics of key components of the Newfoundland and Labrador marine community in a ecosystem context: The case of Northern cod (NAFO Divs 2J3KL) .................... 67 2.6. Review of oceanographic and ecosystem status conditions in the NRA ........................................... 72 i) Environmental Trends ............................................................................................................................................. 72 ii) Update on the status and trends of the fish community in the Newfoundland-Labrador and Flemish Cap Bioregions ........................................................................................................................................... 74 Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization www.nafo.int 2 iii) Application of neural networks to model changes in fish community biomass in relation to pressure indicators and comparison with a linear approach ................................................................ 75 iv) Ecopath with Ecosim models of the Grand Banks, NL shelves bioregion ......................................... 76 2.7. Effects of multiple environmental drivers on sponges in the deep-sea ............................................ 77 Theme 3: Practical application of EAFM ............................................................................................................................................. 78 3.1. Development and application of the EAF Roadmap ................................................................................... 78 3.2 Development of draft summary sheets at ecosystem level ..................................................................... 80 i) SC Commission Dialogue on Ecosystem Objectives .................................................................................... 80 ii) Ecosystem Summary Sheets (ESSs): Context, terminology updates, and proposed revisions 82 3.3 Impact of removal of survey stations from VME closed areas on stock assessment metrics. 92 3.4 Options for the non-destructive regular monitoring of VMEs ............................................................... 92 3.5 Assessment of bottom fisheries SAI: establishing a clear ranking process...................................... 92 3.6. potential impact of activities other than fishing in the Convention Area ......................................... 93 3.7. Assessment of bottom fisheries SAI : overlap of NAFO fisheries with VME. ................................... 97 3.8. Update NAFO CEM Annex I.E, Part VI with appropriate three character (ASFIS) codes ........... 97 3.9. Review consistency between NAFO CEM Annex I.E, Part VI and the VME species guide……….97 Theme 4: Specific Requests ................................................................................................................................................................... 107 AOB. .................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 107 Annex 1: WG-ESA 2018 Meeting Agenda Terms of Reference and Specific Topics to Address ............................. 108 Annex 2: Summary of Recommendations ....................................................................................................................................... 110 Annex 3: List of Participants ................................................................................................................................................................. 111 Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization www.nafo.int 3 Report of the Scientific Council Working Group on Ecosystem Science and Assessment (WG-ESA) 13-22 November 2018 INTRODUCTION The NAFO SC Working Group on Ecosystem Science and Assessment (WG-ESA), formerly known as SC Working Group on Ecosystem Approaches to Fisheries Management (WG-EAFM), had its 11th meeting on 13-22 November 2018 at NAFO Headquarters, Dartmouth, Canada. The work of WG-ESA can be described under two complementary contexts: a) work intended to advance the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management roadmap, which typically involves medium to long-term research, and b) work intended to address specific requests from Scientific Council (SC) and/or Commission (COM), which typically involves short to medium-terms analysis, aligned to roadmap priorities. ToRs to be addressed in 2018 were: Theme 1: Spatial considerations ToR 1. Update on identification and mapping of sensitive species and habitats in the NAFO area. In support of the Roadmap develop research and summarize new findings on the spatial structure and organisation of marine ecosystems with an emphasis on connectivity, exchanges and flows among ecosystem units in the NAFO Convention Area. Theme 2: Status, functioning
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