Management of Deep Sea Fisheries and protection of Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems in the Mediterranean Sea; The General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean - GFCM

Miguel Bernal, FAO - GFCM Fishery Resources Officer

Workshop to discuss implementation of paragraphs 113, 117 and 119 to

124 of resolution 64/72 and paragraphs 121, 126, 129, 130 and 132 to 134 of resolution 66/68, addressing the impacts of bottom fishing on

vulnerable marine ecosystems and the long-term sustainability of deep-sea fish stocks

New York, 1 to 2 August 2016

o Year of establishment 1949; important transformations in late 90’s early 2000’s; performance review 2011. Amended Agreement 2014

o Objective Ensure the conservation and sustainable use, at the biological, social, economic and environmental level, of living marine resources Ensure the sustainable development of aquaculture

o Area of application The Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea, including connecting waters

o Membership 24 Contracting Parties: 19 Mediterranean States, 3 Black Sea States, EU and Japan 3 Cooperating non-Contracting Parties: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia and Ukraine

o Key functions Adopts fisheries management

binding recommendations Contribute to marine spatial planning and

level playing field

Overview of the GFCM The General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean is the RFMO with competence over the Mediterranean and Black Sea (article XIV of FAO)

• GFCM jurisdiction covers both national and international waters;

• Because of the complex political situation, few of the Mediterranean coastal States have yet exercised their right to establish an extended jurisdiction; national jurisdiction extends to 12 NM for most of the countries; few countries claimed jurisdiction over a fishery or ecological zone (e.g. 25 NM);

• 80 percent of fisheries in GFCM area are small-scale (<12 m length), therefore with low capacity for deep fishing;

• Black Sea waters are entirely anoxic below 200 m;

GFCM management of deep-sea fisheries and deep-sea stocks: key issues in the GFCM area

GFCM management of deep-sea fisheries and deep-sea stocks: key issues in the GFCM area

Acting on UNGA Res 64/72 GFCM adopted REC.CM-GFCM/29/2005/1 forbidding the use of towed dredges and trawl nets at depths beyond 1000 m (up to 58% of the area);

- Reduced possibilities for deep sea fishing - Even smaller for high seas fishing

GFCM management of deep-sea fisheries and deep-sea stocks: key issues in the GFCM area

The main DSF operate between 400 and 1000 m in the Mediterranean Sea in both national and international waters:

Bottom trawlers targeting red shrimps: giant red shrimp (Aristaeomorpha foliacea) and blue and red shrimp (Aristeus antennatus); (deep-water rose shrimp, European hake, Norway lobster, blue whiting, monk fish, caught as valuable associated species)

Bottom trawlers targeting deep-water rose shrimp and European hake

Demersal longlines targeting European hake and blackspot seabream

Demersal gillnets targeting European hake and blackspot seabream (silver scabbardfish as associated species)

Pots and traps targeting Pleisionika spp. and red shrimps

GFCM management of deep-sea fisheries and deep-sea stocks: actions and measures taken by the GFCM

Assessment of status of deep sea water stocks

Identification of vulnerable species, habitats and ecosystems

Adoption of spatial protection measures (Fisheries Restricted Areas – FRAs), associated with either Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs) or with areas of interest for fisheries management

Adoption of management measures and multiannual subregional management plans addressing deep water fisheries

National delegates

NGOs

Inter- governmental

bodies

Proposals by Member States

- Yearly advice on status of stocks, about 45 % of the landings covered, main deep – water commercial species covered; Low coverage of non-target species and bycatch, and regional differences in knowledge

- Ongoing work towards the identification of distribution of vulnerable species, habitats and ecosystems; fragmentary spatial coverage from surveys

- General lack of observers onboard (small vessels, large number of vessels to be covered)

Compliance assessment

COC

Scientific Advice

SAC

Decision making at the Commission

Scientific assessment

In general comprehensive advice (status of stocks, socioeconomic characteristics, environmental issues), however, fragmentary spatial information (VMS) and lack of observer onboard -> poor understanding of footprint and problems with identification of VMEs

Adoption of spatial protection measures: Fisheries Restricted Area (FRA)

• Spatial protection tool under GFCM authority, defined by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Fisheries (SAC) in 2007 as: a geographically-defined area in which all or certain fishing activities are temporarily or permanently banned or restricted in order to: i. improve the exploitation and conservation of harvested living

aquatic resources and/or, ii. protect specific marine ecosystems

GFCM FRAs: Depth limitation (1.7 million km2)

Conservation of deep-sea ecosystems (VMEs) and fishery resources (DSF)

REC.CM-GFCM/29/2005/1 on the management of certain fisheries exploiting demersal and deepwater species and the establishment of a fisheries restricted area below 1000 m - recalling the precautionary approach to fisheries management and, in particular, in relation to the development of new fisheries - prohibited the use of towed dredges and trawl nets at depths beyond 1000 m;

Lophelia reef

The Eratosthenes Seamount

The Nile Delta Area

Gulf of Lion

Strait of Sicily

GFCM FRAs: 7 FRAs related to VMEs or essential fish habitats (approx. 20 000 km2)

Conservation of habitats (VMEs) Conservation of fishery resources (DSF)

Multi-annual management plan in place

GFCM management of DSF: measures in force (1/2)

The GFCM has a suite of general decisions, which also concern DSF: • Minimum mesh size in the codend of demersal trawl nets (2005)

• Port State measures against IUU fishing (2008)

• Use of VMS (>15 m) (2009)

• Fleet register (2009)

• Logbook with data requirements (2011)

• Prohibition of shark finning, skinning and beheading in any fishery and prohibition to fish a number of vulnerable elasmobranch species listed under Annex II (list of endangered or threatened species) of the Protocol to the Barcelona Convention (2012)

• Roadmap to fight IUU fishing in the Mediterranean and Black Sea (2013 and 2014)

GFCM management of DSF: measures in force (2/2)

Specific decisions addressing DSF: • (2006) GFCM agreed to develop management plans for bottom

trawl fisheries in specified areas (REC.CM-GFCM/30/2006/1);

• (2015 and 2016) Measures for the management of DSF in the Strait of Sicily: REC.CM-GFCM/39/2015/2 on the establishment of a set of minimum standards

for bottom trawling fisheries of demersal stocks in the Strait of Sicily, pending the development and adoption of a multiannual management plan

REC.CM-GFCM/40/2016/4 establishing a multiannual plan for the fisheries exploiting European hake and deep-water rose shrimp in the Strait of Sicily (GSA 12 to 16)

• (Ongoing) Development of a multiannual management plan for red shrimp DSF in the Eastern Mediterranean

GFCM mid-term strategy: A regional plan to reverse alarming trends, building on the framework of the UN SDGs

TARGET 1: Reverse the declining trend of fish stocks through strengthened scientific advice in support of management (SDG TARGETS 14.2, 14.4, 14.7a)

Specific actions include, among others, carrying out regional surveys at sea, implementing a system of observers onboard and implement new management plans.

TARGET 2: Support livelihoods for coastal communities through sustainable small-scale fisheries (SDG TARGETS 14.7, 14.7a, 14.7b)

Specific actions include, among others, establishing a Working Group on SSF and developing national plans of action for implementing FAO Guidelines

TARGET 3: Curb illegal unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, through a regional plan of action (ADDRESSES UN SDG TARGETS 14.4, 14.7c)

Specific actions include, among others, the training of national inspectors and the operationalization of a regional VMS and control system

GFCM mid-term strategy: A regional plan to reverse alarming trends, building on the framework of the UN SDGs

TARGET 4: Minimize and mitigate unwanted interactions between fisheries and marine ecosystems and environment (ADDRESSES UN SDG TARGETS 14.2, 14.5) • Specific actions include, among others, a bycatch monitoring programme and the

establishment of new fisheries restricted areas (FRAs) (including identification of VMEs)

TARGET 5: Enhance capacity-building and cooperation (ADDRESSES UN SDG TARGETS 14.2, 14.7a, 14.7c) • Specific actions include, among others, providing technical assistance, the launch of a

regional, scientific and technical project in the Black Sea and the operationalization of existing MoU.

Workshop to discuss implementation of paragraphs 113, 117 and 119 to

124 of resolution 64/72 and paragraphs 121, 126, 129, 130 and 132 to 134 of resolution 66/68, addressing the impacts of bottom fishing on

vulnerable marine ecosystems and the long-term sustainability of deep-sea fish stocks

New York, 1 to 2 August 2016

Thank you for your attention

General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean Commission générale des pêches pour la Méditerranée

• Lophelia reef off Capo Santa Maria di Leuca - 1673 km2 GSA 19, Italy - unique ecosystem of cold-water corals

• The Nile Delta Area - 6043 km2 GSA 26, Egypt - cold hydrocarbon seeps and unique living communities of chemosynthetic organisms such as Polychaeta and bivalves

• The Eratosthenes Seamount - 14792 km2 GSA 25, Cyprus - rare deep-sea benthic associations such as scleractinian corals and sponges

Rec. GFCM/30/2006/3 established three FRAs where i) fishing activities with towed dredges and bottom trawl nets are prohibited and ii) Members have to ensure that these areas are protected from the impact of any other activity

Rec. GFCM/33/2009/1 established a FRA in the Gulf of Lion where i) only a number of authorized vessels are allowed to fish in order to prevent any increase of fishing activities and fishing effort (reference levels: 2008) • Eastern part of the Gulf of Lion - 3742 km2 GSA 07, France - Important spawners’

aggregations (European hake, monk fish, lobsters) reported to occur in the area

Rec. GFCM/40/2016/4 established three FRAs in the Strait of Sicily where i) fishing activities with bottom trawl nets are prohibited • Strait of Sicily - GSAs 12-14 (between Italy and Malta) - Important nursery areas of

European hake and deep-water rose shrimp

REC.CM-GFCM/39/2015/2 and REC.CM-GFCM/40/2016/4 Management measures to ensure that exploitation levels of European hake and deep-water rose shrimp in the Strait of Sicily are at the MSY by 2020 at the latest • Minimum (legal) landing size: deep-water rose shrimp (Parapenaeus

longirostris) 20 mm CL – European hake (Merluccius merluccius) 20 cm TL • AVL of those targeting demersal stocks in the Strait of Sicily, including detailed

information on the vessel (Flag, VMS, GT, etc.) • APL in which landings of European hake and deep-water rose shrimp from the

Strait of Sicily can take place • Effort control of AV: number of exploitation days, exploitation areas and

landings • Establishment of three permanent FRAs (international waters) to protect

nursery areas • Establishment of an additional temporal closure in the Gulf of Gabès (GSA 14)

in which any fishing activity with bottom trawlers is not allowed for three months in summer between the coast and the 200 m depth isobaths (measure to protect resources in the shallow/coastal area)

• Set F target ranges for those species to be reached by 2020 • WG on integrated MCS measures for demersal fisheries in the Strait of Sicily

GFCM management of DSF: Strait of Sicily management plan