Terms of Reference

Identification of Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems on Seamounts in the North Pacific Fisheries Commission Convention Area using Visual Surveys and Distribution Models

Regional Peer Review – Pacific Region

January 23-25, 2024

Virtual Meeting

Chairperson: Steven Schut

Context

Contracting Parties to the North Pacific Fisheries Commission (NPFC), including Canada, are mandated by the Convention on Conservation and Management of High Seas Fisheries Resources in the North Pacific Ocean to protect biodiversity in the marine environment, including by preventing significant adverse impacts on vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs). To this end, the NPFC’s Scientific Committee is undertaking a process to identify VMEs and areas likely to be VMEs. Areas likely to be VMEs will be referred to as potential VMEs within this process. VMEs or potential VMEs have not been identified in the northeast part of the NPFC Convention Area where the only applicable fishery is Canada’s Sablefish fishery. In the NPFC Convention Area, Canada fishes for Sablefish primarily along the Cobb-Eickelberg Seamount chain. Canada is the only NPFC Contracting Party who fishes with bottom-contact gear in the northeast part of the NPFC Convention Area. Therefore, Canada has a responsibility to identify VMEs and potential VMEs in this area.

Ellen Kenchington led the development of approaches to identify VMEs in the northwest Atlantic Ocean (which is applicable to Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization waters and Canada's domestic waters in the Atlantic Ocean). These approaches primarily drew on the application of kernel density estimation with bycatch data (Kenchington et al. 2014). In the Pacific Ocean, specifically the NPFC Convention Area, there are very limited visual data from the United States (US) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s autonomous underwater vehicle. There are no bycatch data where Canada fishes for Sablefish in these waters. A method to determine coral density thresholds for structurally complex VMEs in the deep sea was published for the south Pacific Ocean near New Zealand (Rowden et al. 2020). Based on Rowden et al. (2020), Warawa et al. (2022) proposed a method to identify VMEs in the northeast part of the NPFC Convention area that was endorsed by the NPFC’s Scientific Committee and Commission.

To advance the efforts of the NPFC to ensure the protection of marine biodiversity where warranted, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) International Fisheries Policy has requested that Science Branch identify VMEs in the northeast part of the NPFC Convention Area where Canada fishes for Sablefish along the Cobb-Eickelberg Seamount chain. International Fisheries Policy is also requesting advice on the location of areas that are potential VMEs in the Cobb-Eickelberg Seamount chain.

The assessment and advice arising from this Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat (CSAS) Regional Peer Review (RPR) will be used to inform the NPFC of where VMEs and potential VMEs occur in the Cobb-Eickelberg Seamount chain in the northeast part of the NPFC Convention Area.

Objectives

The following working paper will be reviewed and provide the basis for discussion and advice on the specific objectives outlined below.

Warawa, D., Curtis J., Rooper, C., Georgian, S., Nephin, J., Chu, J., Dudas, S., and Knudby, A. Identification of Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems on Seamounts in the North Pacific Fisheries Commission Convention Area using Visual Surveys and Distribution Models. 2023. CSAP Working Paper. Request ID 998.

The specific objectives of this review are to:

1. Identify areas that are VMEs in the Cobb-Eickelberg Seamount chain.
2. Review methodology that could be used to identify areas that are potential VMEs in the NPFC Convention Area.
3. Provide advice on the location of VMEs and potential VMEs in the Cobb-Eickelberg Seamount chain.
4. Identify uncertainties in the data and methodology used to identify potential VMEs.

Expected Publications

• Science Advisory Report
• Research Document

Expected Participation

• Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) (Ecosystems and Oceans Science, International Fisheries Policy, Fisheries Management)
• Academia (Simon Fraser University, University of Florida, University of Ottawa)
• Government Agencies (National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration)
• Industry (Canadian Sablefish Association)
• Indigenous Organizations
• Non-governmental organizations (Deep Sea Conservation Coalition, Marine Conservation Institute - Seattle)
• Other invited experts

References

• Kenchington, E., Murillo, F.J., Lirette, C., Sacau, M., Koen-Alonso, M., Kenny, A., Ollerhead, N., Wareham, V., and Beazley, L. 2014. Kernel Density Surface Modelling as a Means to Identify Significant Concentrations of Vulnerable Marine Ecosystem Indicators. PLoS ONE 9:e109365.
• Rowden, A.A., Pearman, T.R.R., Bowden, D.A., Anderson, O.F., and Clark, M.R. 2020. Determining Coral Density Thresholds for Identifying Structurally Complex Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems in the Deep Sea. Frontiers in Marine Science, 7:95.
• Warawa, D.R., Chu, J.W.F., Gasbarro, R., Rooper, C.N., Georgian, S., Nephin, J., Dudas, S., Knudby, A., and Curtis, J.M.R. 2022. Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs) in the Northeast Part of the North Pacific Fisheries Commission Convention Area. North Pacific Fisheries Commission. NPFC-2022-SSCBFME03-WP03, 23 pp.