Interpretation of termsin SOP for the Deep-Sea Resources

Exploration

Penchan LaongmaneeSEAFDEC/TD

Regional workshop on the Standard Operating Procedure and Development/Improvement of Sampling Gears for the Deep-Sea Resource Exploration, 26-28 May 2009, SEAFDEC/TD

The meeting requested to identify the following topic for the common understanding for SOP preparation

• Scope of deep-sea area• Deep sea fisheries resource sampling gears• Indicators for deep-sea resources survey• Indicator for the impact of fishing to

ecosystem

Expected output

Scope of deep-sea area for SOPFAO considered deepwater fisheries as those fisheries that occur beyond the

continental shelf/slope break which typically occurs at about 200 m. The current technology limit of these fisheries is about 2000 m.

Fig1. from FAO,2007, p40

Organization/country/Ref. Depth Remarks

FAO (deepwater fisheries) >200 m (beyond continental shelf/slope break)

Most of catch from deep water fisheries , generally occur at depth less than 500 m. (from stat)

ICES (deepwater fisheries) >400 m

New zealand (deepwater fisheries)

Center>500 m Deepwater fisheries beyond 500 m are important (for ex. Orange roughy fisheries)

D.J. Randall and A.P.Farrell (Deep-sea fishes)

>1000 m Permanently unlit by sunlight, abiotic and biotic factors show relatively little variation in both time & space

SEAFDEC (Target survey area) Need input> 100 m ??

Close to, or in contact with, the seafloor much of the time, and benthopelagic species that are associated with the seafloor

What is the Deepwater fisheries?

Depth of commercial trawl fisheries in SEA countries

Country Depth (m) (Commercial trawl) Remark

Brunei < 100 m > 200 m (taxa)

Indonesia Up to >100 m >100 m,

Malaysia < 100 m > 100 m

Myanmar ?

Philippine < 100 m >200 m

Thailand < 100 m

Vietnam Up to > 100 m Below photic zone (by ecosystem), >200 m

Scope of deep-sea area for SOP

Dr. Charatsee base on photic zone , >200 mBase on continental break + sea mouth

Deep sea area in ASEAN water

ETOPO1 Data, 1 minute resolution from: http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/mgg/bathymetry/relief.html , prepared by Siriporn

Scope of Deep-sea area for SOP for the deep-sea resource exploration in SEA water is

> 100 m ?

> 200 m ?

Scope of deep-sea area for SOP

Demersal species which are close to, or in contact with, the seafloor much of the time, and benthopelagic species that are associated with the seafloor.

FAO. 2006. Report of Expert Consultation on Deep-Sea Fisheries in the High Seas. p.62 -63

Another aspect of deep-sea fisheries is their relationships to the water column or sea floor. Fisheries for mesopelagic and benthopelagic species, which live in the water column without association with the sea floor, might be considered deep water fisheries ( as the species occur at depths of at least 200 m). However, these species generally do not grow to a large enough size to make them valuable commercial fisheries and/or they have not proven to be viable commercial fisheries due to processing or marketing problems. Their distribution may be too diffuse to make fishing them practical. The important deepwater fisheries are for demersal species which are close to, or in contact with, the seafloor much of the time, and benthopelagic species that are associated with the seafloor.

Deep sea fishery: water column and/or sea floor?Scope of deep-sea area for SOP

Deep sea area in ASEAN water

ETOPO1 Data, 1 minute resolution from: http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/mgg/bathymetry/relief.html , prepared by Siriporn

Deep sea fisheries resources sampling gears• Beam trawl, Agasszi trawl, Bottom Trawl, mid-water trawl• Demersal longline , Vertical line• Traps/pot• Bottom gill net

Picture modified from http://www.livingoceans.org/programs/sustainable_fisheries/gears/

Trawl-able area Trawl

From Dr.Y.Matsushita presentation

Advantage : • Accurate sampling effort (e.g. geometric space,

operated duration) => better index of abundance• Samplings are mobile in space and time• Larger sample size increase statistical precision• Selectivity

Disadvantage :

• Costly

Deep sea fisheries resources sampling gears

Untrawl-able area bottom longline/vertical line, trap/pot or bottom gill net

From Dr.Y.Matsushita presentation

Advantage:• Relatively simple in design, construction, and use• less machineries

Disadvantage:• relative abundance available• environment dependent• selectivity (selective gear)

Deep sea fisheries resources sampling gears

Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries part C : Regional Guidelines on the use of indicators for the sustainable development and management of capture fisheries in Southeast Asian advise that

“ Fisheries Indicators” is generally referred as a practical tool to support management of Fisheries.

“Fisheries Indicator” provides information on status and trend of fisheries and resources, which can support the decision making process.

Indicators for deep-sea resources survey

Resource indicators that SEAFDEC pilot projects in capture fisheries management applied are:

• CPUE (CPUA ?)• Yield (for trawl)• Catch composition• Number of species caught• Average landing size (average catch size)• Size of mature resource

Indicators for deep-sea resources survey

Can we use these parameter as an indicator for deep-sea resource survey?

Summary information from participants

Country Survey method Unit of indicator

Japan trawl (commercial boat) CPUE (Kg/hr)

Thailand (MRC)

Beam trawlAgassiz trawlOtter trawl

?? (for biodiversity)?

Malaysia trawl (1 hr)BVL, Trap,

CPUE (Kg/hr)Kg/100 trapsKg/station

Brunei Darussalam

trawl CPUA (Kg/km2)

Indicators for deep-sea resources survey

Country Survey method Unit of indicator

Indonesia Deep sea trawl CPUE (kg/hr)

Myanmar TrawlBVL

CPUE Kg/hrNo./1000 hooks

Philippine TrawlTrap

CPUA (kg/km2)g/trap/hr

Vietnam Trawl CPUE (kg/hr)

Indicators for deep-sea resources survey

Fishing gear indicator unit

Trawl CPUE? Kg/hr?, Kg/km2

CPUA, Kg/km2 ?

LineBVL, VL

CPUE kg/1000 hooks ?and/or no/1000 hooks

Trap/pot CPUE Kg/100 traps ?And/or no/100 traps

Bottom gill net CPUE kg/km net ?

Indicators for deep-sea resources survey

For SOP

Following is criteria in the identification of vulnerable marine ecosystems and assessing significant adverse impacts from fisheries that we should avoid to utilize the resources.

1. Uniqueness or rarity –an area or ecosystem that is unique or that contains rare species whose loss could not be compensated for by similar areas or ecosystems. These included:

- Habitats that contain endemic species;- Habitat of rare, threatened or endangered species that occur

only in discrete areas; or - Nurseries or discrete feeding, breeding, or spawning areas.

Indicator for the impact of fishing to ecosystem

Guideline for the management of Deep-Sea Fisheries in the High Seas (FAO,2008)

2. Functional significance of the habitat – discrete areas or habitat that are necessary for the survival, function, spawning/reproduction or recovery of fish stocks, particular life history stages (e.g. nursery grounds or rearing areas), or of rare, threatened or endangered marine species.

3. Fragility- an ecosystem that is highly susceptible to degradation by anthropogenic activities.

4. Life- history traits of component species that make recovery difficult-ecosystems that are characterized by populations or assemblages of species with one or more of the following characteristics:

- Slow growth rates;- Late age of maturity;- Low or unpredictable recruitment; or- Long-lived

Indicator for the impact of fishing to ecosystem

5. Structural complexity- an ecosystem that is characterized by complex physical structures created by significant concentrations of biotic and abiotic features. In these ecosystems, ecological processes are usually highly dependent on these structured systems. Further, such ecosystems often have high diversity, which is dependent on the structuring organisms.

Can we consider the above list as an indicator for the impact of fishing to ecosystem of SEA water?

Indicator for the impact of fishing to ecosystem

References• FAO.2008.Report of the FAO workshop on vulnerable ecosystems and

destructive fishing in deep-sea fisheries.18pp.• FAO.2007.Report and documentation of the expert consultation on deep-

sea fisheries in high seas.203pp.• FAO.2007. Report of the expert consultation on international guidelines

for the management of deep-sea in the high seas. 39pp.• FAO.2008. Report of the technical consultation on international guidelines

for the management of deep-sea fisheries in the high seas• M. Machete, T. Morato and G. Menezes. 2003. Modelling the

distributionof two fish species on seamounts of the Azores. FAO fisheries proceeding 3/1: Conference on the Governance and Management of Deep-sea Fisheries.182-195

End

Fishery resources exploration on the

continental slopes in the Lingayen Gulf