DEEPFISH Project: Applying an ecosystem approach to the sustainable management of deep-water fisheries. Part 1: Development of an Ecopath with Ecosim model SAMS report no. 259a DEEPFISH Project: Applying an ecosystem approach to the sustainable management of deep-water fisheries Project Partners University of Plymouth: Dr Kerry Howell Scottish Association for Marine Science: Dr Sheila JJ Heymans, Dr John Gordon, Janet Duncan, Morag Ayers1 Additional contributions from Fisheries Research Services: Dr Emma Jones2 1 Now at the School of Biological and Conservation Sciences, University of Kwazulu-Natal, 4041 Durban, South Africa. 2 Now at the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, New Zealand 1 A report detailing the project findings is available (DEEPFISH Project: Part 2 report), for a copy please contact Dr Kerry Howell at the University of Plymouth, UK. French and Spanish versions of both reports are also available as pdf documents. The DEEPFISH project is a collaboration between the University of Plymouth and the Scottish Association for Marine Science with data contributions from Fisheries Research Services, Aberdeen (now Marine Scotland). It is funded by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and a RCUK Academic Fellowship awarded to Dr Howell. This report should be referenced as: Howell, K.L., Heymans, J.J., Gordon, J.D.M., Duncan, J., Ayers, M., Jones, E.G (2009) DEEPFISH Project: Applying an ecosystem approach to the sustainable management of deep-water fisheries. Part 1: Development of the Ecopath with Ecosim model. Scottish Association for Marine Science, Oban. U.K. Report no. 259a. Image credits: Images indicated as © Crown Copyright, all rights reserved. These photographs were produced as part of the UK Department of Trade and Industry's offshore energy Strategic Environmental Assessment programme. The SEA programme is funded and managed by the DTI and coordinated on their behalf by Geotek Ltd and Hartley Anderson Ltd. Survey of areas of potential reef was funded by Defra and managed on Defra's behalf by JNCC to provide information to support the implementation of the EU Habitats Directive in UK offshore waters. All other images are credited individually. Cover Image © Crown Copyright, all rights reserved; Inset Copyright © JNCC, 2009 2 Contents Summary .................................................................................................................... 5 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................ 6 2. Model inputs ........................................................................................................... 8 2.1. Trophic groups ................................................................................................. 8 2.2. Fish biomass calculations .............................................................................. 11 2.3. Fisheries ........................................................................................................ 19 2.3.1. Landings.................................................................................................. 19 2.3.2. Discards .................................................................................................. 22 3. Model construction ............................................................................................... 27 3.1. Cetaceans ..................................................................................................... 27 3.2. Shallow sharks ............................................................................................... 28 3.3. Intermediate sharks ....................................................................................... 29 3.4. Deep sharks................................................................................................... 31 3.5. Large demersals ............................................................................................ 31 3.6. Skates and rays ............................................................................................. 32 3.7. Adult roundnose grenadier (>21.5cm) ........................................................... 33 3.8. Juvenile roundnose grenadier (<21.5cm) ...................................................... 35 3.9. Monkfish ........................................................................................................ 36 3.10. Orange roughy ............................................................................................. 37 3.11. Argentine ..................................................................................................... 38 3.12. Blue whiting ................................................................................................. 39 3.13. Black scabbard fish ...................................................................................... 40 3.14. Blue ling ....................................................................................................... 42 3.15. Ling .............................................................................................................. 42 3.16. Greater forkbeard ........................................................................................ 43 3.17. Baird's smooth-head .................................................................................... 44 3.18. Deep water cardinal fish .............................................................................. 44 3.19. Kaup‘s arrowtooth eel .................................................................................. 45 3.20. Megrim and witch ......................................................................................... 46 3.21. Mesopelagics ............................................................................................... 46 3.22. Benthopelagic fish ....................................................................................... 47 3.23. Benthic teleosts ........................................................................................... 50 3.24. Chimaeras ................................................................................................... 51 3.25. Cephalopods................................................................................................ 51 3.26. Prawns and shrimps .................................................................................... 52 3.27. Gelatinous zooplankton ............................................................................... 53 3.28. Large zooplankton ....................................................................................... 53 3.29. Small zooplankton ....................................................................................... 53 3.30. Polychaeta ................................................................................................... 54 3.31. Echinoderms ................................................................................................ 54 3.32. Other benthic inverts .................................................................................... 55 3.33. Phytoplankton .............................................................................................. 55 3.34. Detritus ........................................................................................................ 56 4. Balancing and fitting each group .......................................................................... 57 4.1. Cetaceans ..................................................................................................... 57 4.2. Shallow sharks ............................................................................................... 57 4.3. Intermediate sharks ....................................................................................... 57 4.4. Deep sharks................................................................................................... 58 3 4.5. Large demersals ............................................................................................ 58 4.6. Skates and rays ............................................................................................. 58 4.7. Large Coryphaenoides .................................................................................. 58 4.8. Small Coryphaenoides ................................................................................... 58 4.9. Monkfish ........................................................................................................ 59 4.10. Orange roughy ............................................................................................. 59 4.11. Argentine ..................................................................................................... 59 4.12. Blue whiting ................................................................................................. 59 4.13. Black scabbard fish ...................................................................................... 60 4.14. Blue ling ....................................................................................................... 60 4.15. Ling .............................................................................................................. 61 4.16. Greater forkbeard ........................................................................................ 61 4.17. Baird‘s smoothhead ..................................................................................... 61 4.18. Black cardinal fish .......................................................................................