Assessment of impacts of high seas bottom fisheries

A CCAMLR's Conservation Measure 22-06 (2007) requires all Contracting Parties proposing to participate in bottom fishing to submit to both the Scientific Committee and the Commission no less than three months before the next meeting of the Commission, information and a preliminary assessment of the known and anticipated impacts of bottom fishing activities on VMEs, including benthos and benthic communities. These submissions shall also include the mitigation measures proposed by the Contracting Party to prevent such impacts.

The conservation measure includes the requirement for all individual bottom fishing activities from 1 December 2008 to be subject to assessment by the Scientific Committee, based on the best available scientific information, to determine if such activities would contribute to having significant adverse impacts on VMEs, and to ensure that if it is determined that these activities would make such contributions, that they are managed to prevent such impacts or are not authorised to proceed. It also details the procedures for such an assessment.

Upon reviewing the Scientific Committee's advice and recommendations, the Commission must determine whether it will allow, prohibit or restrict bottom fishing activities within particular areas, apply specific mitigation measures for bottom fishing activities, allow, prohibit or restrict bottom fishing with certain gear types, and /or determine any other relevant requirements or restrictions to prevent significant adverse impact to VMEs.

B NWP RFMO - In the Interim Measures adopted in February 2007 and further elaborated in October 2007, NWP participants agreed that prior to conducting bottom fishing after 31 December 2008, or in any new areas beyond those currently subject to fishing at any time, participants will submit assessments of the impact of fishing on marine species or VMEs, including proposed management measures to prevent such impacts, to the NWP Scientific Working Group (SWG). The SWG will review the assessments and proposed management measures and provide comments and recommendations to the submitting participant based on procedures that will be developed on an expedited basis. Participants will only authorize bottom fishing after 31 December 2008, or in any new areas beyond those where fishing is currently occurring at any time, on the basis of the assessment and comments and recommendations from the SWG.

The grade would be higher but for the fact that the implementation date is a year late and there is less than 100% observer coverage, which significantly weakens the effect of this otherwise strong measure.

A SP RFMO - In the Interim Measures agreed at its May 2007 meeting in Renaca, Chile, SP RFMO participants agreed to assess on the basis of the best available scientific information whether individual bottom fishing activities would have significant adverse impacts on VMEs, and to ensure that if it is assessed that these activities would have significant adverse impacts then they are either managed to prevent such impacts or not authorized to proceed. Detailed procedures were agreed to implement this measure.