ISSN 2070-7010 FAO 595 FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE TECHNICAL PAPER 595 Vulnerable marine ecosystems – Processes and practices in the high seas Vulnerable marine ecosystems Processes and practices in the high seas This publication, Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems: processes and practices in the high seas, provides regional fisheries management bodies, States, and other interested parties with a summary of existing regional measures to protect vulnerable marine ecosystems from significant adverse impacts caused by deep-sea fisheries using bottom contact gears in the high seas. This publication compiles and summarizes information on the processes and practices of the regional fishery management bodies, with mandates to manage deep-sea fisheries in the high seas, to protect vulnerable marine ecosystems. ISBN 978-92-5-109340-5 ISSN 2070-7010 FAO 9 789251 093405 I5952E/2/03.17 Cover photo credits: Photo descriptions clockwise from top-left: Acanthagorgia spp., Paragorgia arborea, Vase sponges (images courtesy of Fisheries and Oceans, Canada); and Callogorgia spp. (image courtesy of Kirsty Kemp, the Zoological Society of London). FAO FISHERIES AND Vulnerable marine ecosystems AQUACULTURE TECHNICAL Processes and practices in the high seas PAPER 595 Edited by Anthony Thompson FAO Consultant Rome, Italy Jessica Sanders Fisheries Officer FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department Rome, Italy Merete Tandstad Fisheries Resources Officer FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department Rome, Italy Fabio Carocci Fishery Information Assistant FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department Rome, Italy and Jessica Fuller FAO Consultant Rome, Italy FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS Rome, 2016 The designations employed and the presentation of material in this information product do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) concerning the legal or development status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The mention of specific companies or products of manufacturers, whether or not these have been patented, does not imply that these have been endorsed or recommended by FAO in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned. The views expressed in this information product are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of FAO. 978-92-5-109340-5 © FAO, 2016 FAO encourages the use, reproduction and dissemination of material in this information product. Except where otherwise indicated, material may be copied, downloaded and printed for private study, research and teaching purposes, or for use in non-commercial products or services, provided that appropriate acknowledgement of FAO as the source and copyright holder is given and that FAO’s endorsement of users’ views, products or services is not implied in any way. All requests for translation and adaptation rights, and for resale and other commercial use rights should be made via www.fao.org/contact-us/licence-request or addressed to [email protected]. FAO information products are available on the FAO Web site (www.fao.org/publications) and can be purchased through [email protected]. iii Preparation of this document This document, the Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems: Processes and Practices in the High Seas, was prepared as a sister publication to the Worldwide Review of Bottom Fisheries in the High Seas (2009). This document catalogues progress made towards the identification and protection of vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs) since the adoption of UNGA Resolution 61/105 in 2006 and the FAO International Guidelines for the Management of Deep-sea Fisheries in the High Seas in 2008. It is, in many respects, a consolidated output of the FAO VME Portal and DataBase12that was requested by UNGA in Resolution 61/105 (Paragraph 90) to support States and regional fisheries management organisations and arrangements (RFMO/As) in protecting VMEs. The document was conceived and coordinated by FAO and initial drafts of the text and illustrations were made principally by FAO. The regional chapters were reviewed by expert representatives from the regions at a three-day workshop convened in Swakopmund, Namibia, on 2–4 March 2015. The individual chapters were further developed by selected authors throughout 2015. FAO would like to extend its gratitude to the assistance provided by the regional bodies and particularly to the co-authors of the regional chapters. Each chapter was initially written by Anthony Thompson. Special thanks go to Stefán Ásmundsson, Odd Aksel Bergstad, Ellen Kenchington, Terje Lobach, and Luis José López-Abellán, for the drafting of various sections and support generally throughout the preparation of this document. We are also grateful to José Luis Castilla Civit for the desktop publishing layout of this document. 1 www.fao.org/in-action/vulnerable-marine-ecosystems/en/. iv Abstract The Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems: Processes and Practices in the High Seas catalogues the achievements that have been made since 2006 on the identification and protection of vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs) from significant adverse impacts caused by fishing with bottom contact gears in the high seas. It is a consolidated output of the FAO VME Portal and DataBase (www.fao.org/in-action/vulnerable-marine-ecosystems/en/), which was requested by the UNGA in Resolution 61/105 (Paragraph 90) to support States and regional fisheries management organisations and arrangements (RFMO/As) in protecting VMEs. The introductory chapter explains the international instruments applicable to the management of bottom fisheries in the high seas, the regional conventions and agreements establishing regional fisheries bodies, and the UNGA Resolutions pertaining to VMEs. This provides the global framework for managing certain fisheries to safeguard VMEs. The main chapters describe the actions taken in the following ten regions: Atlantic Ocean (northwest, northeast, western central, central eastern, southwest and southeast), Mediterranean and Black Sea, Pacific Ocean (north and south), Indian Ocean, and Antarctic and Southern Ocean. These are divided into separate chapters. The regions approximate to the areas covered by RFMO/As, but also include regions where there are no regional management bodies. The seabed features are broadly described in each chapter to provide an indication as to where VMEs may be present and where they may overlap spatially with bottom fisheries. The functions and responsibilities of RFMO/As are described, as are detailed accounts of measures adopted and implemented to protect VMEs from significant adverse impacts by fisheries using bottom contact gears. The measures implemented by each regional body are divided into general measures that mostly apply to the whole region and are typically precautionary in nature to allow sustainable fisheries to continue in certain areas and to identify VME areas, and specific measures typically involving the closure of areas to bottom fishing that are known or likely to contain VMEs. Domestic measures applied by States to their flagged high seas fishing vessels are included when particularly relevant, such as in areas where there are no current measures from a regional body. The final chapter synthesises the regional measures into a global summary and thus provides an overview of the various approaches that have been taken. FAO. 2016. Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems: Processes and Practices in the High Seas, by Anthony Thompson, Jessica Sanders, Merete Tandstad, Fabio Carocci and Jessica Fuller, eds. FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Technical Paper No. 595. Rome, Italy. v Contents Preparation of this document iii Abstract iv Acronyms and abbreviations viii INTRODUCTION 1 Vulnerable marine ecosystems: policy context 3 The international framework for fisheries 3 Management of deep-sea fisheries in the high seas 4 Deep-sea fisheries, vulnerable marine ecosystems, and significant adverse impacts 6 Other activities that may impact vulnerable marine ecosystems 7 Scope 7 Methodology 8 THE ATLANTIC OCEAN AND ADJACENT SEAS 11 Northeast Atlantic Ocean 13 Regional geography and bathymetry 13 North East Atlantic Fisheries Commission 14 Overviews 18 Regulations and measures 20 Vulnerable marine ecosystem closures and other regulated areas 26 Surveys 28 Other information 28 References 29 Northwest Atlantic Ocean 31 Regional geography and bathymetry 31 Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization 33 Overviews 39 Regulations and measures 43 Vulnerable marine ecosystem closures and other regulated areas 47 Surveys 48 Other information 51 Acknowledgements 52 References 52 Eastern Central Atlantic Ocean 55 Regional geography and bathymetry 55 Fishery Committee for the Eastern Central Atlantic 56 Overviews 59 Regulations and measures 59 Vulnerable marine ecosystem closures and other regulated areas 60 Surveys 61 Other information 61 References 61 Western Central Atlantic Ocean 63 Regional geography and bathymetry 63 Western Central Atlantic Fishery Commission 64 vi Overviews 66 Regulations and measures 67 Vulnerable marine ecosystems and other regulated areas 67 Surveys 67 Other information 68 References 68 Southwest Atlantic Ocean 69 Regional geography and bathymetry 69 Regional body 69 Overview 71 Regulations and measures 71 Surveys 72 Other information 74 References 74 Southeast Atlantic Ocean 77 Regional geography and bathymetry 77 South East Atlantic Fisheries Organisation