Kaikkonen, Laura and Amaro, Teresa and Auster, Peter J. and Bailey, David M. and Bell, James B. and Brandt, Angelika and Clark, Malcolm R. and Drazen, Jeffrey C. and Preez, Cherisse Du and Briones, Elva Escobar and Giacomello, Eva and Gianni, Matthew and Johnson, Andrew F. and Levin, Lisa A. and Milligan, Rosanna J. and Oduware, Stephen and Pearman, Tabitha R.R. and Pham, Christopher K. and Ramalho, Sofia P. and Rowden, Ashley A. and Victorero, Lissette (2024) Improving impact assessments to reduce impacts of deep-sea fisheries on vulnerable marine ecosystems. Marine Policy, 167. p. 13.
Full text not available from this repository. (Request a copy)Abstract
Robust impact assessments (IAs) for deep-sea fisheries are essential for safeguarding deep-sea ecosystems against the impacts of bottom fishing. In the high seas, United Nations Resolution commitments require States (independently or through Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs)) to conduct IAs to evaluate if fishing is putting vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs) at risk. To enhance the efficacy of future IAs, this study evaluated nine IAs against the criteria in the FAO International Guidelines for the Management of Deep-Sea Fisheries in the High Seas. We find that in all IAs, the information required by the FAO Guidelines is either completely lacking or only partially addressed. The main shortcoming of the IAs was inadequate description of the ecosystems potentially affected by fishing. Additional shortcomings include incomplete description of the proposed fishing activities, lack of baseline data and risk assessments, and limited consideration of the indirect impacts of fishing. This study identifies several ways to strengthen the IA process; i) making IAs publicly available; ii) improved collection of baseline data and VME identification; iii) assessment of impacts on broader range of species associated with VMEs or potentially impacted by deep-sea fishing; iv) enhanced cooperation between RFMOs and more streamlined IA processes; v) comprehensive assessment of different types of impacts from fishing and climate change, and vii) improved consideration of uncertainty. Fully compliant IAs are a minimum requirement for the effective function of RFMOs, since they are the primary tool for preventing significant adverse impacts upon vulnerable marine ecosystems and the wider deep-sea environment.
| Item Type: | Articles |
|---|---|
| Keywords: | Deep-sea Fishing, Marine Ecosystems, Impact Assessments (IAs), Bottom Fishing, Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs), Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs), FAO, Climate Change, Fisheries Management, Risk Assessment, Mitigation, Monitoring |
| Subjects: | Biodiversity |
| Depositing User: | Kokila ICSF Krish |
| Date Deposited: | 01 Mar 2025 08:02 |
| Last Modified: | 01 Mar 2025 08:02 |
| URI: | http://icsfarchives.net/id/eprint/21410 |
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