NEAFC request on whether ICES advice of 2023, on the long-term biodiversity/ecosystem benefits of NEAFC’s restricted bottom fishing areas, also applies to 14 defined polygons in NEAFC Regulatory Area (RA) 1 and RA 2

ICES advises that each of the 14 polygons identified in North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC) document AM 23-34 Rev 1, Annex 2, Figure 2 (NEAFC, 2023) in Regulatory Area (RA) 1 and RA 2 (referred to as the “lilac polygons” by NEAFC) have multiple biodiversity attributes as articulated in the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) guidance (CBD, 2018).

The ICES 2023 advice on Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures (OECM) (ICES, 2023a) therefore applies to each of the 14 polygons. There will be in situ biodiversity and ecosystem benefits in the areas defined by the polygons so long as no bottom fishing activities occur. Any bottom fishing in the polygons may preclude them from satisfying sustained governance for long-term biodiversity benefits.