Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems Database

Newfoundland

Geographical reference Northwest Atlantic

Management Body/Authority Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO)

Area Type closure (NAFO)

Closed since 2007-01-01 until 2021-12-31

Habitat and Biology

General Biology Seamounts are uniquely complex habitats that rise into bathyal and epi-pelagic depths. In general seamounts, owing to their isolation tend to support endemic populations and unique faunal assemblages.

Physical description of the environment: Seamounts Seamounts consist of 6 peaks with summits all deeper than 2400 m, with most of the area being deeper than 3500m. The were volcanically active in the late period. Named seamounts include Shredder and Scruntion.

Map

FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department Disclaimer The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on this map do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of FAO concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers and boundaries. Dashed lines on maps represent approximate border lines for which there may not yet be full agreement.

Management

Measures specific to this area

Area closed to bottom fishing from 1 Jan 2007 to 31 Dec 2010. Provisions for exploratory fishery, encounters and temporary closures. (Art 15.5-10)

Period in force: 2007-01-01 to 2010-12-31 Source of information NAFO Conservation and Enforcement Measures 2010 (NAFO FC Doc. 10/1 Serial No. N5740) http://archive.nafo.int/open/fc/2010/fcdoc10-01.pdf 2010

NAFO. 2010. Scientific Council Meeting, 20-24 Sep 2010. Scientific Council Meeting Report 2010, p. 231- 259. http://archive.nafo.int/open/rb/2010/SCRep-10-C.pdf Scientific Council 2010 20 Sep 2010 - 24 Sep 2010 SC responded to 6 questions from FC during the current meeting that generally related to the advice. [V.3.a. Seamounts]. SC noted that the information contained within the report of WGEAFM was presented to Scientific Council at their June 2010 meeting The information contained within the report of WGEAFM was presented to Scientific Council at their June 2010 meeting. [VI.1. WGEAFM]. New information was submitted by Russia on the Corner Seamounts and this will be discussed at the December 2010 WGEAFM meeting. [X.2. VMEs on the Corner Seamounts] NAFO. 2010. Meeting Proceedings of the General Council and Fisheries Commission for 2010/2011. Section III. Report of the Fisheries Commission, Sep 2010. p. 117-215. http://archive.nafo.int/open/mp/2010-11/fc- sep10.pdf Fisheries Commission 2010 20 Sep 2010 - 24 Sep 2010 FC introduced the NEREIDA project side-event. The NEREIDA conducts multidisciplinary research surveys on vulnerable ecosystems and the effects of fishing activities. The survey is funded by EU-Spain, , EU- United Kingdom and the Russian Federation. Specific objectives include identifying organisms that constitute Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs), describing ecology of deep-sea habitats studying distinct features in

FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department the area and developing a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) database. Deep-sea Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) took video footage of both pristine areas and areas where had been impacted by bottom contact gears. [IV. Ecosystem Considerations]. The six seamount closures were rolled over for four years until 31 December 2014. [IV.11. Review of seamounts closure]. WGFMS VME presented (a) revised Exploratory Fishery Data Collection Form, (b) revised Article 5bis of the NCEM on Interim Encounter Provision, (c) map of existing fishing areas in the NAFO Regulatory area, and (d) updated Chapter Ibis of the NCEM, which were adopted by FC. The (e) revised Article 4bis on Assessment of Bottom Fishing was considered by FC who adopted an alternative proposal [Annex 12. Amendment of Article 4bis of Chapter Ibis – Assessment of Bottom Fishing]. FC requested advice from SC on (13) the new information arising from the NEREIDA project, (14) on impacts and the use of GIS and SASI models, and (15) fishery impact assessments [Annex 5. Fisheries Commission’s Request for Scientific Advice Nos 13, 14, 15] NAFO. 2010. Scientific Council Meeting, 3-16 Jun 2010. Scientific Council Meeting Report 2010, p. 7-230. http://archive.nafo.int/open/rb/2010/SCRep-10-B.pdf Scientific Council 2010 03 Jun 2010 - 16 Jun 2010 SC provided FC with advice on (a) fishing plans/initial assessments for evaluating SAI on VMEs and on viable risk evaluation methodologies for the standardized assessment of fishery impacts, and (b) assess new and developing methodologies on thresholds levels, ii. new commercial bycatch information, and iii. review current encounter threshold values of 60 kg live coral and 800 kg . [VII.1.d.iv. VME Fishery Impact Assessments]. SC also reviewed the current 6 seamount closures 1, Fogo Seamounts 2, Orphan Knoll, Corner Seamounts, Newfoundland Seamounts, and New Seamounts, and associated protocols for vessels. SC noted that all currently available information supports the closure of these seamounts. SC also noted that there is a clear potential for fishing gears other than bottom trawling to produce significant adverse impacts on VME communities, and that depletion overfishing on localized fish populations is a concern in seamount fisheries. [VII.1.d.v Seamount closures] NAFO. 2009. Meeting Proceedings of the General Council and Fisheries Commission for 2009/2010. Section III. Report of the Fisheries Commission, Sep 2009. p. 85-168. http://archive.nafo.int/open/mp/2009-10/fc- sep09.pdf Fisheries Commission 2009 21 Sep 2009 - 25 Sep 2009 FC received the WGFMS VME report [11. Report WGFMS VMEs] and adopted the following : (a) Closure of specific areas of high concentration of corals in the NAFO Regulatory Area [Annex 9. Interim Measures to Protect Significant Coral Concentrations]; (b) Closure of specific areas of high concentration of in the NAFO Regulatory Area [Annex 10. Interim Measures to Protect Significant Sponge Concentrations]; (c) Encounter threshold levels [Annex 11. Encounter Provisions for Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems]; and d) Exploratory Fishery Data Collection Form [Annex 12. Exploratory Fishery Data Collection Form]. The “Impact Assessment of Bottom Fishing in relation to Article 4bis – Assessment of bottom fishing” required further consideration. The new NAFO Coral Identification Guide would be used in accomplishing the Exploratory Fishery Data Collection Form.FC noted that considerable work had been undertaken on the identification of existing fishing areas within the NRA [12. Identification of existing bottom fishing areas (Footprint); Annex 14. Delineation of Existing Bottom Fishing Areas in the NAFO Regulatory Area] and requested WGFMS VME and SC to further refine some of the details and present to FC in 2010 [Annex 13. Follow-up by the Working Group of Fishery Managers and Scientists]. FC requests for advice from SC included No 8 on fishing impact assessments and No 9 on the review of seamount closures and the impact of non-mobile bottom fishing gears. [Annex 5. FC request for Scientific Advice] NAFO. 2009. Scientific Council Meeting, 4-18 Jun 2009. Scientific Council Meeting Report 2009, p. 1-194. http://archive.nafo.int/open/rb/2009/SCRep-2009-partA.pdf Scientific Council 2009 04 Jun 2009 - 18 Jun 2009 SC presented its current information mainly from Canadian and EU_Spanish surveys on the distribution of sponges in the NRA. Many of the significant concentrations of sponges feel within the cVME areas proposed in 2008 (FC Request 9b). SC also presented coral and sponge information in the southern Flemish Pass to eastern Canyons area (FC request 9c). [VII.1.d.v Protection of vulnerable marine ecosystem].

Management Body/Authority Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO)

FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department According to the amended NAFO Convention, the Convention on Cooperation in the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries, NAFO’s objective is “to ensure the long term conservation and sustainable use of the fishery resources in the Convention Area and, in so doing, to safeguard the marine ecosystems in which these resources are found.” In Article III of the Convention, General Principles, Contracting Parties individually or collectively, as appropriate, shall: (a) promote the optimum utilization and long- term sustainability of fishery resources; (b) adopt measures based on the best scientific advice available to ensure that fishery resources are maintained at or restored to levels capable of producing maximum sustainable yield; (c) apply the precautionary approach in accordance with Article 6 of the 1995 Agreement; (d) take due account of the impact of fishing activities on other species and marine ecosystems and in doing so, adopt measures to minimize harmful impact on living resources and marine ecosystems; (e) take due account of the need to preserve marine biological diversity; (f) prevent or eliminate overfishing and excess fishing capacity, and ensure that levels of fishing effort do not exceed those commensurate with the sustainable use of the fishery resources; (g) ensure that complete and accurate data concerning fishing activities within the Convention Area are collected and shared among them in a timely manner; (h) ensure effective compliance with management measures and that sanctions for any infringements are adequate in severity; and (i) take due account of the need to minimize pollution and waste originating from fishing vessels as well as minimize discards, catch by lost or abandoned gear, catch of species not subject to a directed fishery and impacts on associated or dependent species, in particular endangered species.

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