ICFA PresentationPanel 1 Deep Sea Fishing

Alastair MacfarlaneInternational Coalition of Fisheries’

Associations

UN Resolution Implementation

• UN advanced report provides positive detail on the progress made to implement Resolutions 61/105 and 64/72;

• Implementation has had considerable operational impact on high seas fishers;

• Restricted areas that can be fished, pre-assessment, catch reporting requirements, including reporting incidental catch of sedentary fauna, observer coverage, move on rules.

High seas demersal fishing

• The advanced report does not explore the nature and extent of high seas demersal fishing;

• Perhaps this is a result of the way the questionnaire was constructed?

• Perhaps this is also a result of confidentiality surrounding commercial fishing?

Fishing

• A complex hunting task, traditionally based on building up personal knowledge – hence secrecy;

• Highly competitive, especially when open access. Now aided by technology;

• Increasingly transparent between fishers and flag states – desire for secrecy still remains;

• Secure access rights help break through secrecy – security unavailable in the high seas.

What is bottom fishing?

• Fishing where gear comes into contact with the seafloor – either static or mobile;

• Marine fisheries supply 88% of global supply of capture fish and fish products;

• 43% of that supply is from demersal fishing – with up to 80% by mobile (trawl, drag or dredge) gears – 25% of that total is shellfish and crustaceans.

Source: FAO Fishery and Aquaculture Statistics

Is 200 metres + “Deepsea”?

• It would be helpful to classify 200m to 800m as middle depth and 800m+ as deepwater;

• Middle depth fisheries are frequently on slope and a mix of demersal and demersal-pelagic methods. These can be longer trawls on or near flatter bottom;

• Trawl deployment below 800m is generally of shorter duration and highly targeted on fish aggregations. Seafloor contact of short duration;

• Demersal longlines and pots below 1200 metres

Fishing targets fish

• The advanced report provides sparse evidence that observed demersal fishing is incidentally affecting sedentary fauna – but confirms that fishing catches fish;

• Considerable evidence that communities of sedentary fauna continue to thrive in areas where demersal fishing has taken place over extended time.

Seamount Fishing

Potentialtrawl zones

Over-estimating Spatial impact

• Strong evidence that fishing is spatially repetitive – “fishing where the fish are”;

• Confusion between the spatial extent of fishing – e.g. “swept area” or “footprint”;

• Flag State/RFMO confidentiality when reporting areas that are fished encourages over-estimating potential for incidental impact.

Spatial Reporting VariancesSpatial extent of seafloor trawled in the Hatton - Rockall area during 2005: overlapping tracks mergedSpeed (knots)

Area Trawled (125m gear width)

km2

Area Trawled (80m gear width)

Km2

Area Trawled (22m gear width)

Km2

3.0 – 5.0 8,051 6,067 2,227

1.5 – 4.5 12,041 8,983 3,192

2.0 – 3.0 2,710 1,837 548

1.5- 5.0 13,920 10,624 3,994

Estimates based on 28 Vessels. Overlapping tracks merged to give single area Source: Human Activities on the Deep Sea Floor in the NE Atlantic: an assessment of spatial extentAR Benn et alPLoS ONE: September 2010, Vol 5, Issue 9

Context of Hatton - Rockall Fishery

Source: Ibid

Impact of Restricting Footprints

• Advanced report: restricting “fishing footprint” is a key management measure;

• Consequences:– Concentration of fishing effort to previously

fished areas;– Restriction of new scientific knowledge – c.f.

CCAMLR exploratory approach;– Perpetuates assumptions and mythologies.

Managing in the high seas

• Demersal high seas fisheries are capable of being sustainably managed;

• “Olympic” fisheries encourage a culture of secrecy;

• Assured access and secure allocation of fishing opportunities are essential steps for sustainable fishing;

• Greater security would be an incentive for greater transparency.

Key Issues

• Understand the scale of high seas demersal fishing and whether its potential for impact on sedentary fauna communities is undue / adverse;

• Address incentives for greater transparency in fishing through RFMO and State governance;

• Address effective management strategies for high seas demersal fisheries’ future sustainability;

• Recognise that high seas fishing is a resource for developing scientific knowledge and understanding – e.g. CCAMLR

Need for Expertise

• The UNGA process that lead to the Resolutions was political;

• This Workshop contributes to the GA being assured that its concerns are being addressed;

• The future need is for on-going technical oversight through FAO – not UNGA – and through RFMOs, States and fishing businesses taking responsibility.