OSPAR request for further development of fishing intensity and pressure mapping

VMS and logbook data were requested from ICES Member Countries. Data for the OSPAR maritime areas were received from 13 of these sources, but only data from 11 countries were complete and could be used to develop this advice.

A comparison was made between the VMS data and the logbook data submitted to ICES. The proportions of the total fisheries and landings (fishing days and landings by vessels with VMS, divided by fishing days and landings by all vessels > 10 meters) represented by the VMS data were on average 81% and 82% of the fishing days in 2014 and 2015, respectively, and 84% and 88% of the landings, compared to the total logbook data. However, the estimates are overestimates of the proportions of total fisheries represented by the data. This is due to data not being delivered by all countries fishing in OSPAR areas and that some of the submitted data were unsuitable for processing. In addition, activities of vessels < 10 meters were not included.

There are currently no suitable comprehensive sources of position data for regional spatial analyses of fishing vessels < 12 m overall length. ICES advises that such data should be developed.