Available evidence on the occurrence of Vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs), mobile bottom contacting gear (MBCG) fishing activity in relation to VMEs, and spatial management options to minimise the risk from fishing activities to VMEs. For the purpose of this assessment, evidence of VME occurrence and fishing activity are aggregated at the scale of individual 0.05 x 0.05 degrees C-square cells, where they are assumed to be uniformly distributed.

Celtic Seas


New VME data and polygon options are shown below for EU waters of the Celtic Seas Ecoregion.

Overlap VME and MBCG fishing c-squares

Table CS1. Summary table of existing, new and total number of VME c-squares in the assessment area (400-800m depth) and overlapping with mobile bottom contacting gear fishing activity .


Existing
New/updated in 2022
All
Assessed area total Overlapping MBCG fishing in 2018-2021 and VME Assessed area total Overlapping MBCG fishing in 2018-2021 and VME Assessed area total
VME habitat
400-800m 35 13 9 8 42
VME index Medium and High
400-800m 29 14 1 0 30
VME index Low
400-800m 189 163 17 16 199
VME physical elements
Seamounts 0 0 0 0 0
Banks 0 0 0 0 0
Coral mounds 119 24 0 0 119

Map of updated VME polygons

Map CS1. Update of the VME polygons following the scenarios. Key to map layers is provided in the next tab.


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Key to map layers

Table H1. Description of layers included in the map of updated polygons.

Layer Description
EU Assessment Boundary Spatial assessment area in EU waters.
C-sqs overlapping 400-800m depth The depth range of 400–800 metres as defined by ICES at the C-square level. Includes all C-squares with any depth values within 400–800 metres using EMODnet (2018) bathymetry data.
EU Closures Areas where fishing with bottom gear is prohibited under the Regulation (EU) 2022/1614.
Existing VME c-sqrs Existing evidence of VME occurrence in each c-sqr including VME habitat (known VME occurrence), and high, medium and low VME index, indicating the likelihood of VME occurrence.
New/Updated VME c-sqrs New evidence of VME occurrence in each c-square including VME habitat (known VME occurrence), and high, medium and low VME index (likely VME occurrence), that are included in Annex III.
New/updated VME C-sqs excluded New evidence for occurrence of VME not included in Annex III of the EU deepsea access regulation in each c-square including VME habitat (known VME occurrence), and high, medium and low VME index, indicating the likelihood of VME occurrence.
Previous polygon scen. A VME polygon outcomes for Scenario 1 Option 1 in 2022 (ICES, 2022c).
Previous polygon scen. B VME polygon outcomes for Scenario 1 Option 2 in 2022 (ICES, 2022c).
Previous polygon scen. C VME polygon outcomes for Scenario 2 Option 1 in 2022 (ICES, 2022c).
Previous polygon scen. D VME polygon outcomes for Scenario 2 Option 2 in 2022 (ICES, 2022c).
New polygon scen. A New VME polygon outcomes for Scenario A based on the data reported to ICES in 2022.
New polygon scen. B New VME polygon outcomes for Scenario B based on the data reported to ICES in 2022.
New polygon scen. C New VME polygon outcomes for Scenario C based on the data reported to ICES in 2022.
New polygon scen. D New VME polygon outcomes for Scenario D based on the data reported to ICES in 2022.
New polygon scen. E New VME polygon outcomes for scenario E based on the data reported to ICES in 2022.
Existing EU deep-sea fishing areas C-squares corresponding to bottom contacting gears fishing locations (mobile and static) for the reference years (2009-2011) overlapping the 400-800m depth zone from ICES 2022 technical service (ICES, 2022c).
MBCG activity C-squares with mobile bottom-contacting gear (MBCG) fishing activity in 2018-2021 overlapping the 400-800m depth zone.
Swept area ratio (SAR) Number of times a year an area equvalent to the surface area of each individual c-square has been fully swept by mobile bottom contacting gears on average over the 2009-2021 period.
VME physical elements Seabed topographic features based on 2022 data.

Scenario options

Table H2. Description of the scenarios used to create VME polygon options.

Scenario Description of VME polygons Management implication
A
  • Includes c-squares with VME habitats and c-squares with high and medium VME index.
  • C-squares with low VME index are only included if adjacent to c-squares with VME habitat or medium to high VME index
Prioritizes protection of polygons where VMEs are known to occur and are likely to occur, regardless of fishing activity.
B
  • Includes c-squares with VME habitats and c-squares with high and medium VME index.
  • In addition, includes c-squares that contain selected VME physical elements associated with any records of VME indicator taxa or VME habitat
Prioritizes protection of polygons where VMEs are known to occur and are likely to occur, as well as physical elements known to frequently contain VMEs, regardless of fishing activity.
C
  • Includes c-squares with VME habitats and c-squares with high and medium VME index.
  • C-squares with low VME index are included if MBCG fishing intensity (SAR) is below 0.43.
  • C-squares with low VME index and SAR≥0.43 are also included, but only if adjacent to c-squares with low VME index with SAR<0.43, or c-squares with VME habitat, high or medium VME index.
Prioritizes protection of polygons where VMEs are known to occur and are likely to occur, including C-squares with low VME index where average fishing intensity is lower and the risk that significant adverse impacts (SAI) have already occured is less likely.
D
  • Includes c-squares with VME habitats and c-sqrs with high, medium and low VME index, only if SAR<0.43
Prioritizes protection of polygons where VMEs are known or likely to occur, but only in areas where average fishing intensity (SAR) is lower than 0.43. This scenario excludes C-square areas with higher fishing intensity (above the SAR threshold), under the assumption that further SAI to VMEs are less likely.
E
  • Includes c-squares with VME habitats and c-squares with high and medium VME index.
  • C-squares with low VME index are included if SAR<0.43
  • C-squares with low VME index and SAR≥0.43 are also included, but only if adjacent to c-squares with low VME index with SAR<0.43 or c-squares with VME habitat, high or medium VME index.
  • In addition, includes c-squares that contain selected VME physical elements associated with any records of VME indicator taxa or VME habitat
Prioritizes protection of polygons where VMEs “are known to occur” or “ are likely to occur”, and includes C-squares with low VME Index where average MBCG fishing intensity is below 0.43, as well as elements that are known to frequently contain VMEs, regardless of fishing activity.

Scenario outcomes

Table CS2. Summary table of scenario outcomes within 400-800m depth zone.

Scenario A Scenario B Scenario C Scenario D Scenario E
% of existing deep-sea fishing areas identified as VME polygon 9.7 9.7 11.5 7.6 11.4
% of VME polygons protected by existing EU closures 83.3 82.9 85 84.7 84.6
Number of VME polygons and their average areal extent 50 (96.1 km2) 51 (92.8 km2) 53 (105.4 km2) 50 (77.9 km2) 54 (102.1 km2)
Number of average areal extent of large polygons* 4 (333.7 km2) 4 (333.7 km2) 4 (404.5 km2) 4 (264.6 km2) 3 (460.2 km2)
Total polygon area under each scenario 4803.6 km2 4730.4 km2 5587.4 km2 3895.1 km2 5514.1 km2
* This value is calculated based on ranking the areas of individual polygons from large to small and selecting the largest polygons that together constitute 25% of the total area within all polygons

VME Habitat and Indicator consequences

Table CS3. Summary table of the percent of total numbers of records of VME habitat and/or VME indicator taxa observed in the ecoregion (400-800 m depth zone), which overlap with VME polygon outcomes for each scenario and current EU closures

Total number of records % in EU Closures % in Scen. A 2022 % in Scen. B 2022 % in Scen. C 2022 % in Scen. D 2022 % in Scen. E 2022 % in Scen. A 2020 % in Scen. B 2020 % in Scen. C 2020 % in Scen. D 2020
VME Habitats
Cold-water coral reef 62 85.5 100 100 100 93.5 100 85.5 85.5 85.5 82.3
Coral Garden 483 94 100 100 100 88.6 100 94 94 94 82.8
Deep-sea Sponge Aggregations 33 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 97
Seapen fields 233 99.6 100 100 100 94 100 99.6 99.6 99.6 94
Tube-dwelling anemone aggregations 24 100 100 100 100 95.8 100 100 100 100 95.8
VME Indicators
Black coral 313 99.4 100 100 100 93.6 100 99.4 99.4 99.4 95.2
Cup coral 37 75.7 78.4 78.4 78.4 70.3 78.4 75.7 75.7 75.7 67.6
Gorgonian 107 87.9 100 100 100 79.4 100 87.9 87.9 87.9 72
Sea-pen 798 51.9 39.3 39.3 46.2 40.9 46.2 39.3 39.3 51.9 44.9
Soft coral 34 97.1 97.1 97.1 97.1 91.2 97.1 97.1 97.1 97.1 91.2
Sponge 59 88.1 88.1 88.1 88.1 67.8 88.1 88.1 88.1 88.1 67.8
Stony coral 654 95.7 100 100 100 83.8 100 95.9 95.9 95.9 84.4
Stylasterids 10 100 100 100 100 80 100 100 100 100 80

Bay of Biscay and the Iberian Coast


New VME data and polygon options are shown below for EU waters of the Bay of Biscay and Iberian Coast Ecoregion.

Overlap VME and MBCG fishing c-squares

Table BI1. Summary table of existing, new and total number of VME c-squares in the assessment area (400-800m depth) and overlapping with mobile bottom contacting gear fishing activity .


Existing
New/updated in 2022
All
Assessed area total Overlapping MBCG fishing in 2018-2021 and VME Assessed area total Overlapping MBCG fishing in 2018-2021 and VME Assessed area total
VME habitat
400-800m 25 11 16 7 39
VME index Medium and High
400-800m 18 7 58 22 75
VME index Low
400-800m 21 14 63 37 83
VME physical elements
Seamounts 31 0 0 0 31
Banks 69 3 0 0 69
Coral mounds 0 0 0 0 0

Map of updated VME polygons

Map BI1. Update of the VME polygons following the scenarios. Key to map layers is provided in the next tab.


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Key to map layers

Table H1. Description of layers included in the map of updated polygons.

Layer Description
EU Assessment Boundary Spatial assessment area in EU waters.
C-sqs overlapping 400-800m depth The depth range of 400–800 metres as defined by ICES at the C-square level. Includes all C-squares with any depth values within 400–800 metres using EMODnet (2018) bathymetry data.
EU Closures Areas where fishing with bottom gear is prohibited under the Regulation (EU) 2022/1614.
Existing VME c-sqrs Existing evidence of VME occurrence in each c-sqr including VME habitat (known VME occurrence), and high, medium and low VME index, indicating the likelihood of VME occurrence.
New/Updated VME c-sqrs New evidence of VME occurrence in each c-square including VME habitat (known VME occurrence), and high, medium and low VME index (likely VME occurrence), that are included in Annex III.
New/updated VME C-sqs excluded New evidence for occurrence of VME not included in Annex III of the EU deepsea access regulation in each c-square including VME habitat (known VME occurrence), and high, medium and low VME index, indicating the likelihood of VME occurrence.
Previous polygon scen. A VME polygon outcomes for Scenario 1 Option 1 in 2022 (ICES, 2022c).
Previous polygon scen. B VME polygon outcomes for Scenario 1 Option 2 in 2022 (ICES, 2022c).
Previous polygon scen. C VME polygon outcomes for Scenario 2 Option 1 in 2022 (ICES, 2022c).
Previous polygon scen. D VME polygon outcomes for Scenario 2 Option 2 in 2022 (ICES, 2022c).
New polygon scen. A New VME polygon outcomes for Scenario A based on the data reported to ICES in 2022.
New polygon scen. B New VME polygon outcomes for Scenario B based on the data reported to ICES in 2022.
New polygon scen. C New VME polygon outcomes for Scenario C based on the data reported to ICES in 2022.
New polygon scen. D New VME polygon outcomes for Scenario D based on the data reported to ICES in 2022.
New polygon scen. E New VME polygon outcomes for scenario E based on the data reported to ICES in 2022.
Existing EU deep-sea fishing areas C-squares corresponding to bottom contacting gears fishing locations (mobile and static) for the reference years (2009-2011) overlapping the 400-800m depth zone from ICES 2022 technical service (ICES, 2022c).
MBCG activity C-squares with mobile bottom-contacting gear (MBCG) fishing activity in 2018-2021 overlapping the 400-800m depth zone.
Swept area ratio (SAR) Number of times a year an area equvalent to the surface area of each individual c-square has been fully swept by mobile bottom contacting gears on average over the 2009-2021 period.
VME physical elements Seabed topographic features based on 2022 data.

Scenario options

Table H2. Description of the scenarios used to create VME polygon options.

Scenario Description of VME polygons Management implication
A
  • Includes c-squares with VME habitats and c-squares with high and medium VME index.
  • C-squares with low VME index are only included if adjacent to c-squares with VME habitat or medium to high VME index
Prioritizes protection of polygons where VMEs are known to occur and are likely to occur, regardless of fishing activity.
B
  • Includes c-squares with VME habitats and c-squares with high and medium VME index.
  • In addition, includes c-squares that contain selected VME physical elements associated with any records of VME indicator taxa or VME habitat
Prioritizes protection of polygons where VMEs are known to occur and are likely to occur, as well as physical elements known to frequently contain VMEs, regardless of fishing activity.
C
  • Includes c-squares with VME habitats and c-squares with high and medium VME index.
  • C-squares with low VME index are included if MBCG fishing intensity (SAR) is below 0.43.
  • C-squares with low VME index and SAR≥0.43 are also included, but only if adjacent to c-squares with low VME index with SAR<0.43, or c-squares with VME habitat, high or medium VME index.
Prioritizes protection of polygons where VMEs are known to occur and are likely to occur, including C-squares with low VME index where average fishing intensity is lower and the risk that significant adverse impacts (SAI) have already occured is less likely.
D
  • Includes c-squares with VME habitats and c-sqrs with high, medium and low VME index, only if SAR<0.43
Prioritizes protection of polygons where VMEs are known or likely to occur, but only in areas where average fishing intensity (SAR) is lower than 0.43. This scenario excludes C-square areas with higher fishing intensity (above the SAR threshold), under the assumption that further SAI to VMEs are less likely.
E
  • Includes c-squares with VME habitats and c-squares with high and medium VME index.
  • C-squares with low VME index are included if SAR<0.43
  • C-squares with low VME index and SAR≥0.43 are also included, but only if adjacent to c-squares with low VME index with SAR<0.43 or c-squares with VME habitat, high or medium VME index.
  • In addition, includes c-squares that contain selected VME physical elements associated with any records of VME indicator taxa or VME habitat
Prioritizes protection of polygons where VMEs “are known to occur” or “ are likely to occur”, and includes C-squares with low VME Index where average MBCG fishing intensity is below 0.43, as well as elements that are known to frequently contain VMEs, regardless of fishing activity.

Scenario outcomes

Table BI2. Summary table of scenario outcomes within 400-800m depth zone.

Scenario A Scenario B Scenario C Scenario D Scenario E
% of existing deep-sea fishing areas identified as VME polygon 16.2 16.7 17.8 10.9 18.3
% of VME polygons protected by existing EU closures 41 37.8 42.3 51.3 39.3
Number of VME polygons and their average areal extent 53 (147.6 km2) 51 (165.5 km2) 62 (141.2 km2) 54 (108.5 km2) 60 (156.2 km2)
Number of average areal extent of large polygons* 4 (580.5 km2) 3 (776.6 km2) 4 (580.5 km2) 5 (322.8 km2) 4 (758.9 km2)
Total polygon area under each scenario 7821.3 km2 8441.5 km2 8757 km2 5857.3 km2 9371 km2
* This value is calculated based on ranking the areas of individual polygons from large to small and selecting the largest polygons that together constitute 25% of the total area within all polygons

VME Habitat and Indicator consequences

Table BI3. Summary table of the percent of total numbers of records of VME habitat and/or VME indicator taxa observed in the ecoregion (400-800 m depth zone), which overlap with VME polygon outcomes for each scenario and current EU closures

Total number of records % in EU Closures % in Scen. A 2022 % in Scen. B 2022 % in Scen. C 2022 % in Scen. D 2022 % in Scen. E 2022 % in Scen. A 2020 % in Scen. B 2020 % in Scen. C 2020 % in Scen. D 2020
VME Habitats
Cold-water coral reef 415 12 100 100 100 93 100 12 12 12 12
Coral Garden 210 74.3 100 100 100 95.7 100 74.3 74.3 74.3 73.8
Deep-sea Sponge Aggregations 13 92.3 100 100 100 61.5 100 92.3 92.3 92.3 92.3
Mud and sand emergent fauna 4 100 100 100 100 0 100 100 100 100 100
Seapen fields 42 100 100 100 100 83.3 100 100 100 100 83.3
Tube-dwelling anemone aggregations 24 91.7 100 100 100 95.8 100 91.7 91.7 91.7 87.5
VME Indicators
Black coral 868 54.1 100 100 100 98.3 100 54.1 54.1 54.1 53.7
Cup coral 139 31.7 99.3 99.3 99.3 90.6 99.3 31.7 32.4 31.7 30.9
Gorgonian 1199 37.5 100 100 100 98 100 37.5 87.7 37.5 37
Sea-pen 374 52.7 73.5 73.5 78.6 57.5 78.6 50.3 51.9 52.7 46.8
Soft coral 24 45.8 79.2 79.2 83.3 79.2 83.3 41.7 41.7 45.8 45.8
Sponge 1245 0.6 96.5 96.5 97.1 91.7 97.1 0.6 85.8 0.6 0.4
Stony coral 978 71.4 100 100 100 98.2 100 71.4 77.3 71.4 71.2
Stylasterids 4 0 100 100 100 100 100 0 0 0 0