Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission Group on Ecosystem-based Sustainable Fisheries Warsaw, Poland, April 2015

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1 Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission Group on Ecosystem-based Sustainable Fisheries Warsaw, Poland, April 2015 Document title Draft HELCOM VMS data request to ICES Code 4-4 Category CMNT Agenda Item 4 Integrated assessment of human impacts Submission date Submitted by Secretariat Background HELCOM requires spatially explicit information on fishing intensity affecting the Baltic Sea marine ecosystem for policy purposes. VMS/logbook data is currently the most practical and cost-effective means of gathering this information. HELCOM and OSPAR strive to achieve regional coherence between environmental assessments, and cooperation on utilizing VMS/logbook data is one means to achieve this aim. ICES has submitted one data call in 2013 and another one in 2014 for countries to submit VMS-data for the purpose of utilizing the data in HELCOM and OSPAR assessment products. In HELCOM, the VMS/logbook data will be used to assess impacts of activities affecting the seafloor integrity as well as management in HELCOM MPAs. Processing of the raw data requires specific resources, knowledge as well as aggregation to guarantee anonymity for specific vessels. The ICES Working Group on Spatial Fisheries Data (WGSFD) has processed VMS data for OSPAR and can be requested to process the data also for HELCOM. This document presents a draft HELCOM request to ICES on producing advice products based on VMS/logbook data. Annex 1 to the document contains the draft official HELCOM request to ICES related to VMS data and Annex 2 is ICES s classification of fishing gear for the Baltic Sea. Action required The Meeting is invited to review the draft request and provide comments regarding the content and format of the data; identify the priority list of fishing gears which threaten the integrity of the Baltic Sea ecosystem in accordance with Annex 2. Page 1 of 7

2 HELCOM request to ICES related to VMS data Background HELCOM policy and management work based on scientific advice requires spatially explicit information about fishing activities affecting the integrity of the Baltic Sea ecosystem. VMS data from vessels, coupled with log book data, is currently the most practical and cost-effective way to describe the spatial dynamics of fishing activities. The effect on the environment by fishing activities depends on multiple factors such as the intensity, frequency and seasonality of the fishing activities as well as the used gear type. This information is to be processed from VMS/Logbook data and used in e.g. HELCOM assessment products. ICES has submitted a VMS/logbook data call in 2013 and a second one in 2014, with the aim to cater for the policy needs of HELCOM and OSPAR. HELCOM and OSPAR aspire to achieve regional comparability of environmental assessments, and joint processing of the data is considered to be one means of achieving this goal. In order to provide the advice that is ecologically relevant for HELCOM, it is important that scientists from the HELCOM region are involved in the ICES work. Thus, ICES encourages the experts of the HELCOM region to consider also becoming active members of ICES s Working group of fisheries data (WGSFD): This request relates to processing of data from the 2014 Data call: VMS/Log book data for fishing activities in the North East Atlantic and Baltic Sea for the provision of ICES management advice, in support of OSPAR and HELCOM, on the spatial distribution and impact of fisheries 2009 to Advice request ICES is requested to advice on pressures from fishing activity (based on VMS/logbook data) in the HELCOM area related to both seafloor integrity and management of HELCOM MPAs. ICES is requested to; a) Produce maps and shape-files of fishing intensity for the HELCOM area based on a 0.05 x 0.05 c-square degree grid. The maps should consist of a set of the polygonal feature classes and be submitted in the ESRI shape file format. Polygons should indicate the areas with equal fishing intensity measured in hours per year or per season being classified in the way harmonised with similar maps produced for the OSPAR region when applicable. b) The maps and shape files of fishing intensity should be calculated for seine, bottom contact gear and mid-water trawl and longline for every year in the period from 2009 to 2013 and for each quarter of In particular the following maps should be produced: i. intensity of fishing by each fishing activity for each year in the period from 2009 to 2013; ii. total intensity for each year in the period from 2009 to 2013; iii. total intensity and by each fishing activity by quarter in c) Where available and possible, provide information on fishing intensity for seine, bottom contact gear and mid-water trawl and longline in the 174 official HELCOM MPAs in whole 2013 and first quarter The information should be provided in the forms listed in paragraph a) of the current request. Information on overall fishing effort should also be provided. d) Estimate the proportion of total fisheries represented by the data. e) Once the requested advice is delivered to HELCOM, the maps and shape-files will be publicly available. Page 2 of 7

3 Schedule The 2014 data call was sent out on 1 December 2014 with a 2 month reporting time for the countries. Countries have reported VMS/Logbook data to ICES where the data has been prepared for use through the ICES quality check system. The data will be processed by the ICES Working Group on Spatial Fisheries Data (WGSFD) meeting 8-12 June The advice is to be formulated by the Advice drafting group (ADG) meeting in 4-5 August and consecutively approved by ACOM. The ICES advice (with associated electronic outputs) will be released 25 August Page 3 of 7

4 Annex 1 HELCOM request to ICES related to VMS data Requesting organisation HELCOM Contact within Joni Kaitaranta, Data Administrator (joni.kaitaranta@helcom.fi ) Secretariat Content contact person Lena Avellan, Project Manager (lena.avellan@helcom.fi) Request announced special request Request received 8 April 2015 Outcome of request required by client Request code (client) Detail of request August 2015 The product of the advice should be as written advice and associated electronic outputs according to the VMS data call. Year/ request number ICES is requested to advise on pressures from fishing activity (based on VMS/logbook data) in the HELCOM area relating to both seafloor integrity and management of HELCOM MPAs. ICES is requested to; a) Produce maps and shape-files of fishing intensity for the HELCOM area based on a 0.05 x 0.05 c-square degree grid. The maps should consist of a set of the polygonal feature classes and be submitted in the ESRI shape file format. Polygons should indicate the areas with equal fishing intensity measured in hours per year or per season being classified in the way harmonised with similar maps produced for the OSPAR region when applicable. b) The maps and shape files of fishing intensity should be calculated for seine, bottom contact gear and midwater trawl and longline for every year in the period from 2009 to 2013 and for each quarter of In particular the following maps should be produced: a. intensity of fishing by each fishing activity for each year in the period from 2009 to 2013; b. total intensity for each year in the period from 2009 to 2013; c. total intensity and by each fishing activity by quarter in c) Where available and possible, provide information on fishing intensity for seine, bottom contact gear and mid-water trawl and longline in the 174 official HELCOM MPAs in whole 2013 and first quarter The information should be provided in the forms listed in paragraph a) of the current request. Information on overall fishing effort should also be provided. d) Estimate the proportion of total fisheries represented by the data. e) Once the requested advice is delivered to HELCOM, the maps and shape-files will be publicly available. Supplementary information to assist in the interpretation of the advice Intended use of the request output Planning ICES Request (budget) accepted The advice will be used in HELCOM environmental assessments, specifically in the core indicator Cumulative impacts on benthic biotopes and in an ecological coherence analysis of MPAs, as a basis for managemen. [completed by ICES] [completed by ICES] ICES contact person Sebastian Valanko (sebastian.valanko@ices.dk) WG(s) involved WGSFD ( ) Preparation timing [completed by ICES] Review group RG-BENTH Advice drafting group ADG-BENTH ( ) ACOM Webex Release date Page 4 of 7

5 Annex 2 Baltic Sea Fishing activity (metier) by region Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5 Level 6 LOA classes (m) Activity Gear classes Gear groups Gear type Target assemblage ( b ) Mesh size and other selective devices < < < < < &þ Fishing activity Trawls Bottom trawls Bottom otter trawl (OTB) Crustaceans ( a ) Multi-rig otter trawl (OTT) Crustaceans ( a ) Bottom pair trawl (PTB) Pelagic trawls Midwater otter trawl (OTM) Midwater pair traw (PTM) Page 5 of 7

6 Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5 Level 6 LOA classes (m) Activity Gear classes Gear groups Gear type Target assemblage ( b ) Mesh size and other selective devices < < < < < &þ Hooks and Lines Rods and Lines Hand and Pole lines (LHP) (LHM) Finfish ( a ) Longlines Drifting longlines (LLD) Set longlines (LLS) Traps Traps Pots and Traps (FPO) ( c ) Fyke nets (FYK) ( c ) Stationary uncovered pound nets (FPN) Page 6 of 7

7 Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5 Level 6 LOA classes (m) Activity Gear classes Gear groups Gear type Target assemblage ( b ) Mesh size and other selective devices < < < < < &þ Nets Nets Trammel net (GTR) Set gillnet (GNS) Seines Surrounding nets Purse seine (PS) Seines Fly shooting seine (SSC) Anchored seine (SDN) Pair seine (SPR) Beach and boat seine (SB) (SV) Finfish ( a ) Fishing activity missing information Fishing activity missing information Other activity than fishing Other activity than fishing Inactive Inactive Recreational fisheries Only for these species: Salmon, Cod, Eels Not applicable All vessel classes (if any) combined Page 7 of 7