Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems Database Northwest Flemish Cap 10 Geographical reference Northwest Atlantic Management Body/Authority Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) Area Type Area of higher sponge and coral concentration (NAFO) Closed since 2010-01-01 until 2020-12-31 Habitat and Biology General Biology Sea pens are key structural components of soft-bottom vulnerable marine ecosystems in the NRA. Aggregations of sea pens, known as “fields”, provide important structure in low-relief sand and mud habitats where there is little physical habitat complexity. These fields provide refuge for small planktonic and benthic invertebrates which in turn may be preyed upon by fish. A system of seapen VMEs has been identified extending around the edge of the Flemish Cap. Crinoids and cerianthids, and black corals have been found associated with this seapen VME system. Sponge and seapen VME, cerianthids, and crinoids are also found outside the closure. This closure was established to protect high concentration locations within one of the units of this seapen VME system. Physical description of the environment Flemish Cap is a plateau of approximately 200 km radius at the 500 m isobaths, with depths of less than 150 m at its center and separated from Grand Bank by the approximately 1200 m deep Flemish Pass. The Flemish Cap has a patch of sand in its centre, in the shallower area, but most of the Cap is covered with muddy sand and sandy mud. 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 until 31 Dec 2014 (Art 16.3-4) Period in force: 2011-01-01 to 2014-12-31 Source of information NAFO Conservation and Enforcement Measures 2011 (NAFO FC Doc. 11/1 Serial No. N5867) http://archive.nafo.int/open/fc/2011/fcdoc11-01.pdf 2011 NAFO. 2011. Scientific Council Meeting, 19-23 Sep 2011. Scientific Council Meeting Report 2011, p. 235- 262. http://archive.nafo.int/open/rb/2011/SCRep-11-C.pdf Scientific Council 2011 19 Sep 2011 - 23 Sep 2011 A representative from SC attended the OSPAR/NEAFC/CBD Workshop on Identification of Environmental, Biological Significant Areas (EBSAs), Port-Cros, France, 8-9 September 2011. A report of the meeting is included. [VI.5.e. EBSA Workshop]. A member of the NAFO Secretariat will attend the FAO VME Database meeting [IX.5. FAO VME Database Meeting] NAFO. 2011. Meeting Proceedings of the General Council and Fisheries Commission for 2011/2012. Section III. Report of the Fisheries Commission, Sep 2011. p. 2--216. http://archive.nafo.int/open/fc/2011/fcdoc11- 38.pdf Fisheries Commission 2011 19 Sep 2011 - 23 Sep 2011 FC received the report of the WGFMS VME. [12. Report and Recommendations of WGFMS VME]. Based on their recommendations, FC adopted (a) the extension of the existing coral and sponge closures until December 31, 2014 to synchronize with the seamount closure, and (b) the proposed update of Chapter Ibis of the NCEM. Further, various amendments were made to the NAFO CEM including the extension of the boundary for “Area 5 - Northeast Flemish Cap” down to the 2 500 meter contour, and reducing the live sponge threshold to 400 kg and 600 kg in new and existing fishing areas, respectively [Annex 17. Update of Chapter Ibis – Bottom Fisheries in the NAFO Regulatory Area]. Norway presented an information paper FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department explaining their own new policies for protecting VMEs that includes all waters below 1000 m depth being considered VMEs. [15. Other Matters pertaining to Ecosystem Considerations]. The ToRs for WGFMS VME were updated [Annex 16. ToRs WGFMS VME] and the previously identified VME was asked to be re- evaluated according to modern criteria [Annex 18]. NAFO. 2011. Scientific Council Meeting, 3-16 Jun 2011. Scientific Council Meeting Report 2011, p. 1-214. http://archive.nafo.int/open/rb/2011/SCRep-11-A.pdf Scientific Council 2011 03 Jun 2011 - 16 Jun 2011 SC received a full report from WGEAFM outlining their current strategic work on VMEs, the GIS framework for estimating threshold levels, and the Swept Area Seabed Impact model (SASI) model. [X.1. WGEAFM]. 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, Canada, 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 the area and developing a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) database. Deep-sea Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) took video footage of both pristine coral areas and areas where corals 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 sponge. [VII.1.d.iv. VME Fishery Impact Assessments]. SC also reviewed the current 6 seamount closures Fogo Seamounts 1, Fogo Seamounts 2, Orphan Knoll, Corner Seamounts, Newfoundland Seamounts, and New England 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] Management Body/Authority Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) The Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization's (NAFO) overall objective is to contribute through consultation and cooperation to the optimum utilization, rational management and conservation of the fishery resources of its area of competence, and to FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department ensure the long term conservation and sustainable use of the fishery resources and, in so doing, to safeguard the marine ecosystems in which these resources are found. Web site http://www.nafo.int/ Regional Fishery Body fact sheet http://www.fao.org/fishery/rfb/NAFO/en © FAO, 2015 FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department.