HELCOM request on pressure from fishing activity (based on VMS/logbook data) in the HELCOM area relating to both seafloor integrity and management of HELCOM MPAs

ICES has collated Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) and logbook data received; data from Russia were not received. 

ICES provides fishing abrasion pressure maps as well as fishing effort maps (and the underlying data) for 2009–2013 and every quarter of 2013, based on VMS data, but advises that assumptions have been made in developing these maps and emphasizes that the caveats must be taken into account when interpreting the maps and the data.

Based on the above, fishing effort and fishing abrasion pressure have been summarized within the 174 HELCOM marine protected areas (MPAs).

ICES has estimated the representativeness of the VMS-based fishing effort maps. Using the most recent data (2013) for vessels over 8 m (overall length), over 80% of activity by mobile bottom-contact gears was captured by the maps. Equivalent figures were over 80% of activity by midwater trawls and less than 25% by longlines. Data from vessels under 8 m (8% mobile bottom-contact gear, 2% midwater trawls, and 52% of longlines of each fleet, but not necessarily activity) are not represented in these calculations.