ENCOUNTERS WITH VULNERABLE MARINE ECOSYSTEMS IN THE CONVENTION AREA

So far in 2008/09, the Secretariat has received 30 VME-indicator notifications from exploratory bottom fisheries (Conservation Measure 22-07). These notifications were from Subarea 48.6 (1 notification, 5.5 VME-indicator units per line segment, seafloor depth 880-980 m), Subarea 88.1 (18 notifications, 5.0-68.6 VME-indicator units per segment, depth 585-1528 m) and Subarea 88.2 (11 notifications, 5.1-10.4 VME-indicator units per segment, depth 1272-1694 m). No notification has been made in relation to fishing in Divisions 58.4.1, 58.4.2 and 58.4.3b. The notifications resulted in the declaration of seven risk areas in Subareas 88.1 and 88.2, and one VME FS rectangle was identified in Subarea 88.2. In addition, the Secretariat has received 30 notifications of encounters with VMEs during the course of research surveys conducted by the U.S.A. in Subarea 48.1 (17 notifications, seafloor depth 92-642 m) and Subarea 48.2 (11 notifications, depth 96-252 m), and by Australia in Division 58.4.1 (2 notifications, depth 436-844 m). These encounters were detected using in-situ photography and benthic/bottom trawls, and notifications were made under CM 22-06. Under conservation measures in force, Subarea 48.1 and SSRU H in Division 58.4.1 (where the 2 encounters were notified) are closed to bottom fishing. Bottom fishing for crabs is permitted in Subarea 48.2; however no fishing will occur in 2008/09. Vessels fishing in exploratory bottom fisheries were requested to record, to the extent possible, fine-scale data on VME-indicator units recovered. Thirteen of the 18 vessels fishing reported VME data for 853 (43 %) of 1964 longline hauls reported in the fine-scale catch and effort data. Scientific observers also collected detailed information on the composition of VME-indicator taxa caught in the fisheries in Subareas 48.6, 88.1 and 88.2 and Division 58.4.3b. No scientific observer data were available from Divisions 58.4.1 or 58.4.2 at the time of writing this report.