WORKSHOP ADDRESSING THE IMPACTS OF BOTTOM FISHING ON VMEs AND THE LONG TERM SUSTAINABILITY OF DEEP SEA FISH

STOCKSImplementation of Paragraphs 80 and 83 to 87 of Resolution 61/105

and Paragraphs 117 and 119 to 127 of Resolution 64/72

UN HeadquartersNew York 15-16 September 2011

COMMISSION FOR THE CONSERVATION OF ANTARCTICMARINE LIVING RESOURCES

(CCAMLR)

Andrew Wright

Overview

• The Antarctic• Provisions of CAMLR Convention• Early Actions• Responses related to 61/105 and 64/72• Outcomes

CCAMLR Area32 million km2

(~ combined area of Europe and N. America)10% or world oceansMostly outside EEZsMostly open oceanManagement by Statistical Areas

and smaller management areas

•Good data on bottom topography but limited on associated benthic ecosystems

•growth rates of VME taxa slow so impacts can be long lasting

FEATURES

3. Any harvesting … shall be conducted in accordance … with the following principles of conservation:

(b) maintenance of the ecological relationships between harvested, dependent and related populations and the restoration of depleted populations, and

(c) prevention or minimisation of the risk of changes in the marine ecosystem which are not potentially reversible over two or three decades,

Convention (1982): Article II

2. ……inter alia…

Convention (1982): Article IX

(g) Designate open and closed areas….….for scientific study or conservation……

(i) ……..other measures as the Commission considers necessary …..including measures concerning the effects of harvesting and associated activities on components of the marine ecosystem other than harvested populations.

Further Resolution 31/XXVIII urges Members to take full account of the best scientific information available from the Scientific Committee when formulating Conservation Measures

(f) ……..adopt conservation measures on the basis of the best scientific evidence available………

Suite of Measures•Closures – date back to 1984•Prohibitions of bottom trawling in high seas areas – Antarctic Peninsular and South Orkneys to protect stocks depleted prior to establishment of CCAMLR (1985/86)•Prohibition of bottom trawling in all high seas areas (2006)•Prohibition of gillnets (2006)

•Plus……..Bottom fishing targeting toothfish on the high seas prohibited around entire Antarctic continent in depths less than 550m (2009)

•As a result, impacts of bottom fishing mostly limited to longline greater than 550m (except for IUU)

EARLY ACTIONS

• Data poor areas/fisheries - reliance on data provided by fishing vessels.

• Fishing gear not designed for sampling and have potential to impact the VME itself

• Absence of VME in a catch may not represent the absence of VME.

• Define when do “adverse impacts” become “significant”?

CHALLENGES

• CCAMLR’s approach => balance the acquisition of VME information with the need to implement precautionary measures aimed at avoiding significant adverse impacts to VMEs.

• Set out in two conservation measures adopted prior to the December 2008 deadline.

• Conservation Measure 22-06 (2007) Bottom Fishing in the Convention Area Deals with actual/documented encounters made (predominantly) during the course of research

• Conservation Measure 22-07 (2008) Interim Me3asures for Bottom Fishing Activities Subject to Conservation Measure 22-06 Encountering Potential Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems in the Convention Area.Deals with potential encounters with VMEs during the course of fishing.

RESPONSES RELATED TO 61/105 AND 64/72

• ….seamounts, hydrothermal vents, cold water corals and sponge fields.

• • Proposals by Members for bottom fishing must

include a preliminary assessment of potential for, and measures to mitigate against, adverse impacts to VMEs.

• CCAMLR Scientific Committee then advises the Commission on action and measures to conserve VMEs, consistent with the precautionary approach as set out in paragraph 3(c) of Article II of the Convention.

• Includes pro forma for preliminary assessments and guidelines for submissions of notifications

• CM 22-06 (2007) – includes scientific research

• Procedure to fulfil the requirements of 61/105 to stop fishing when evidence of a VME is encountered during fishing (real-time – 1 working day).

• Defines a VME “encounter” and procedures for a course of action.

• Critical number of VME indicator units (currently 10 or more) recovered in one line segment (1000 hooks or 1200m of line) => an area of one nautical mile is declared a VME Risk Area.

• Vessels then required to complete hauling lines in that Risk Area and communicate the location to the flag State and CCAMLR Secretariat

• Secretariat then notifies all fishing vessels in the area and flag States and fishing ceases in that area.

CM 22-07 (2008)

• Also have a secondary trigger of ‘possible encounters” (>5 and <10 VME indicator units).  Vessels must communicate location. 

• When there are 5 VME indicator unit notifications within a 0.5° lat by 1° long (30x30 nmile) grid the Secretariat is required to advise all vessels in that area there is a possible VME.

CM 22-07 (2008) (continued)

• Widely disseminated, including via the CCAMLR website (www.ccaml.org)

• Interim Measure => scheduled for review in 2012 based on observer , vessel and other data……... 

SUPPORTING MATERIAL

• CCAMLR VME Taxa Classification Guide

• VME Registry

• Definitions for fragility, vulnerability, threat, impact, fishing footprint and ecological consequence

• Annual Report on Bottom Fisheries and Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems

NOTIFICATIONS

• 22-06 - 32 notifications

• 22-07 – 112 VME indicator notifications (29 in 2008/09, 24 in 2009/10 and 59 in 2010/11). • 42 were >10 indicator VME units and led to

closures• For those >5 and <10 there were VME fine-scale

rectangles (.5° latx1° long) likely to contain VMEs but no closures have been implemented yet.