DSC GOM
7. HABITAT (Sept. 29 –Oct. 1, 2015)
#1
Potential clam dredge access framework Deep-sea coral amendment Michelle Bachman, NEFMC Staff, Habitat PDT Chair NEFMC Meeting October 1, 2015
1
Potential clam dredge access framework Final Omnibus EFH Amendment measures selected during April and June 2015; FEIS in development Great South Channel HMA – northeast corner closed to all MBTG, remainder
allows possibility of clam access areas Georges Shoal HMA – possibility of clam access areas throughout In both cases, temporary exemption would extend for 1 year from the time of OHA2 implementation. This most likely means exemptions would expire around June/July 2017.
Council action today could include initiation of a framework adjustment and adoption of a problem statement
Great South Channel Habitat Management Area
Georges Shoal Habitat Management Area
3
Benthic boundary shear stress
Dominant sediment Harris, B. P. and K. D. E. Stokesbury (2010). "The spatial structure of local surficial sediment characteristics on Georges Bank, USA." Continental Shelf Research 30: 18401853.
Substrate
Size range, inches
Mud
0.002 inch
Sand
< 0.1 inch
Granule and pebble
To 2.5 inches
Cobble
2.5-10 inches
Boulder
> 10 inches
Harris, B. P., G. W. Cowles, et al. (2012). "Surficial Sediment Stability on Georges Bank in the Great South Channel and on eastern Nantucket Shoals." Continental Shelf Research 49: 65-72.
Sediment stability 4
Surfclam fishing effort Great South Channel and Georges Shoal HMAS are important fishing areas Catches in New England region tend to be surfclams, not quahogs Landings per unit effort very high on Georges Bank Fishery operated in and around Georges Shoal in 1980s; area reopened in 2013 following long term PSP closure with test tows before 2013 Clam vessels have VMS, and report using the clam logbook system (similar to
VTR) VMS fishing/non-fishing filters are in development for this gear type Logbook data used for OHA2 analyses
Clam dredge revenue • Sum of all revenue reported in clam logbooks for 2012, 2013, and 2014 • Includes revenue from surfclams and quahogs • 50m x 50m grid • Same data used to estimate potential revenue displacement in OHA2
Data provided by Geret DePiper, NEFSC
Surfclam landings per unit effort • Average LPUE for 2012, 2013, 2014 • Includes surfclams only • Ten minute square grid
Data provided by Dan Hennen, NEFSC
Ocean quahog landings per unit effort • Average LPUE for 2012, 2013, 2014 • Includes quahogs only • Ten minute square grid
Data provided by Dan Hennen, NEFSC
Committee recommendations Council should: Initiate framework adjustment (Motion 1 from 9/23) Define problem statement for action (Motion 2 from 9/23) Plan Development Team should: Provide feedback to SCeMFiS on data collection proposal (survey database and commercial tow locations)
Deep-sea coral amendment update Describe NEFMC and
MAFMC coral amendments Provided an overview of new scientific information Summarize Habitat Committee recommendations from 9/23 "Recent" rockfall and spalling failure exposing a clean wall section within Oceanographer Canyon. Image courtesy of NOAA Okeanos Explorer Program, 2013 Northeast U.S. Canyons Expedition.
NEFMC Coral Amendment – alternatives proposed for analysis in April 2012 Discrete coral zones in 12 canyons, on 4 seamounts, and in two locations in
the Gulf of Maine Broad coral zone from the shelf break to the EEZ boundary (starting depth 300, 400, or 500 meters) Management measures: Prohibit all bottom-tending gears (fixed and mobile)
Potential exemption for deep-sea red crab fishery
Or, prohibit just mobile bottom-tending gears
Allow changes via framework adjustment
Consider access program or exploratory fishing program
One of the numerous Atlantic deep-sea red crab mating pairs seen by ROV Deep Discoverer (D2) during Dive 02. The male crab is carrying the inverted female. Image courtesy of NOAA Okeanos Explorer Program, 2013 Northeast U.S. Canyons Expedition.
Canyon and seamount zones: • Heezen • Nygren • Munson • Powell • Lydonia • Gilbert • Oceanographer • Heel Tapper • Welker • Hydrographer • Veatch • Alvin • Bear • Retriever • Physalia • Mytilus 12
Gulf of Maine zones: • Mt. Desert Rock • Western Jordan Basin (4 areas)
13
MAFMC Coral Amendment (Amendment 16 to the Mackerel/Squid/Butterfish FMP) Final Council meeting June 2015 Discrete zones in various canyon and slope areas – Block, Ryan/McMaster,
Emery/Uchupi, Jones/Babylon, Hudson, Mey-Lindenkohl Slope, Spencer, Wilmington, N. Heyes/S. Wilmington, S. Vries, Baltimore, Warr/Phoenix, Accomac/Leonard, Washington, Norfolk Broad zone with a landward boundary between 400-500 meters extending to the EEZ. For broad and discrete areas, all bottom tending-gear prohibited with an exemption for the red crab fishery. Prohibition would not apply to the American lobster fishery managed by ASMFC. Transit would be allowed subject to gear stowage requirements.
MAFMC Coral Amendment, cont. Frameworkable measures: Boundaries of coral zones Management measures within zones, including fishing restrictions, exemptions, monitoring, and anchoring New discrete coral zones Special access programs VMS required for all Illex squid moratorium vessels fishing within and
outside of coral zones Environmental assessment is in development
New scientific information When developing existing coral zone proposals, PDT
focused on:
Coral observations (historical and more contemporary) Bathymetry and slope data
Lots of research effort since Council last discussed these
issues in 2012. Updated information includes:
Higher resolution bathymetric data Coral suitability model Many direct visual observations from ROVs National Database for Deep-Sea Corals and Sponges including web-based mapper and technical memo At-sea observers are now trained to collect data on any corals encountered
Multibeam mapping • Allows us to better understand the shapes of the canyons and other features • Data can be used to produce maps of slope, which is very predictive of suitable habitat for corals and other attached organisms 17
Habitat suitability model • Combines data on coral observations with oceanographic data to generate maps of predicted suitable habitat • Outputs are by coral type (e.g. hard corals, soft corals/gorgonians) • In the example at right, blue areas are lower suitability and red areas are higher suitability for soft corals and gorgonians
Remotely operated vehicle surveys Characterize biodiversity and community structure of deep-sea habitats. Data include both presence/absence and relative abundance of corals,
fishes, and other invertebrates, as well as environmental data (temperature, salinity, etc.) Recent work: New England seamounts, major and minor canyons on the southern margin of Georges Bank, inter-canyon and open slope areas, cold seeps, and coral habitats within the Gulf of Maine (Mt. Desert Rock, Outer Schoodic Ridges, Jordan Basin, Lindenkohl Knoll in Georges Basin) 2012-2015 dives within most of the potential discrete coral zones Earlier ROV dives on Bear Seamount
A Paramuricea coral in Nygren Canyon which is 165 nautical miles southeast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Image courtesy of NOAA Okeanos Explorer Program, 2013 Northeast U.S. Canyons Expedition.
Hydrographer Canyon proved to be a diverse habitat for deep-sea corals. Image courtesy of NOAA Okeanos Explorer Program, 2013 Northeast U.S. Canyons Expedition. 20
Recent mapping and ROV projects NECSI Project 2: Benthic communities in the Gulf of
Maine on US and Canadian continental margin NECSI Project 3: ROV Surveys of Northern Gulf of Maine/Jordan Basin Habitat Areas for Deep-sea Corals and Sponges Atlantic Canyons Undersea Mapping (Feb-Aug 2012) Mapping (Mar-Apr 2013) Mapping/ROV testing (May-Jun 2013) Seamount exploration (Jun 2013) Northeast U.S. Canyons (Jul-Aug 2013) East Coast Mapping (May 2014) Atlantic canyons and seamounts (Aug-Oct 2014)
Remotely operated vehicle Deep Discoverer investigates a diverse deep-sea coral habitat on Retriever Seamount. Image courtesy of NOAA Okeanos Explorer Program, Our Deepwater Backyard: Exploring Atlantic Canyons and Seamounts.
GOM deep-sea corals • ROV work during 2013, 2014, 2015 • Presence and relative abundance • Surveyed areas most likely to contain corals based on previous dives and bathymetric maps • Many commercially important fishes observed Figure courtesy of P. Auster, prepared by J. Pessutti, NEFSC
Habitat Committee recommendations on coral amendment Plan Development Team should evaluate updated data and recommend adjustments to management alternatives as appropriate PDT should also conduct a preliminary analysis of fishery impacts to guide further development of action Coral amendment should be a management priority during 2016
#1
Potential clam dredge access framework Deep-sea coral amendment Michelle Bachman, NEFMC Staff, Habitat PDT Chair NEFMC Meeting October 1, 2015
1
Potential clam dredge access framework Final Omnibus EFH Amendment measures selected during April and June 2015; FEIS in development Great South Channel HMA – northeast corner closed to all MBTG, remainder
allows possibility of clam access areas Georges Shoal HMA – possibility of clam access areas throughout In both cases, temporary exemption would extend for 1 year from the time of OHA2 implementation. This most likely means exemptions would expire around June/July 2017.
Council action today could include initiation of a framework adjustment and adoption of a problem statement
Great South Channel Habitat Management Area
Georges Shoal Habitat Management Area
3
Benthic boundary shear stress
Dominant sediment Harris, B. P. and K. D. E. Stokesbury (2010). "The spatial structure of local surficial sediment characteristics on Georges Bank, USA." Continental Shelf Research 30: 18401853.
Substrate
Size range, inches
Mud
0.002 inch
Sand
< 0.1 inch
Granule and pebble
To 2.5 inches
Cobble
2.5-10 inches
Boulder
> 10 inches
Harris, B. P., G. W. Cowles, et al. (2012). "Surficial Sediment Stability on Georges Bank in the Great South Channel and on eastern Nantucket Shoals." Continental Shelf Research 49: 65-72.
Sediment stability 4
Surfclam fishing effort Great South Channel and Georges Shoal HMAS are important fishing areas Catches in New England region tend to be surfclams, not quahogs Landings per unit effort very high on Georges Bank Fishery operated in and around Georges Shoal in 1980s; area reopened in 2013 following long term PSP closure with test tows before 2013 Clam vessels have VMS, and report using the clam logbook system (similar to
VTR) VMS fishing/non-fishing filters are in development for this gear type Logbook data used for OHA2 analyses
Clam dredge revenue • Sum of all revenue reported in clam logbooks for 2012, 2013, and 2014 • Includes revenue from surfclams and quahogs • 50m x 50m grid • Same data used to estimate potential revenue displacement in OHA2
Data provided by Geret DePiper, NEFSC
Surfclam landings per unit effort • Average LPUE for 2012, 2013, 2014 • Includes surfclams only • Ten minute square grid
Data provided by Dan Hennen, NEFSC
Ocean quahog landings per unit effort • Average LPUE for 2012, 2013, 2014 • Includes quahogs only • Ten minute square grid
Data provided by Dan Hennen, NEFSC
Committee recommendations Council should: Initiate framework adjustment (Motion 1 from 9/23) Define problem statement for action (Motion 2 from 9/23) Plan Development Team should: Provide feedback to SCeMFiS on data collection proposal (survey database and commercial tow locations)
Deep-sea coral amendment update Describe NEFMC and
MAFMC coral amendments Provided an overview of new scientific information Summarize Habitat Committee recommendations from 9/23 "Recent" rockfall and spalling failure exposing a clean wall section within Oceanographer Canyon. Image courtesy of NOAA Okeanos Explorer Program, 2013 Northeast U.S. Canyons Expedition.
NEFMC Coral Amendment – alternatives proposed for analysis in April 2012 Discrete coral zones in 12 canyons, on 4 seamounts, and in two locations in
the Gulf of Maine Broad coral zone from the shelf break to the EEZ boundary (starting depth 300, 400, or 500 meters) Management measures: Prohibit all bottom-tending gears (fixed and mobile)
Potential exemption for deep-sea red crab fishery
Or, prohibit just mobile bottom-tending gears
Allow changes via framework adjustment
Consider access program or exploratory fishing program
One of the numerous Atlantic deep-sea red crab mating pairs seen by ROV Deep Discoverer (D2) during Dive 02. The male crab is carrying the inverted female. Image courtesy of NOAA Okeanos Explorer Program, 2013 Northeast U.S. Canyons Expedition.
Canyon and seamount zones: • Heezen • Nygren • Munson • Powell • Lydonia • Gilbert • Oceanographer • Heel Tapper • Welker • Hydrographer • Veatch • Alvin • Bear • Retriever • Physalia • Mytilus 12
Gulf of Maine zones: • Mt. Desert Rock • Western Jordan Basin (4 areas)
13
MAFMC Coral Amendment (Amendment 16 to the Mackerel/Squid/Butterfish FMP) Final Council meeting June 2015 Discrete zones in various canyon and slope areas – Block, Ryan/McMaster,
Emery/Uchupi, Jones/Babylon, Hudson, Mey-Lindenkohl Slope, Spencer, Wilmington, N. Heyes/S. Wilmington, S. Vries, Baltimore, Warr/Phoenix, Accomac/Leonard, Washington, Norfolk Broad zone with a landward boundary between 400-500 meters extending to the EEZ. For broad and discrete areas, all bottom tending-gear prohibited with an exemption for the red crab fishery. Prohibition would not apply to the American lobster fishery managed by ASMFC. Transit would be allowed subject to gear stowage requirements.
MAFMC Coral Amendment, cont. Frameworkable measures: Boundaries of coral zones Management measures within zones, including fishing restrictions, exemptions, monitoring, and anchoring New discrete coral zones Special access programs VMS required for all Illex squid moratorium vessels fishing within and
outside of coral zones Environmental assessment is in development
New scientific information When developing existing coral zone proposals, PDT
focused on:
Coral observations (historical and more contemporary) Bathymetry and slope data
Lots of research effort since Council last discussed these
issues in 2012. Updated information includes:
Higher resolution bathymetric data Coral suitability model Many direct visual observations from ROVs National Database for Deep-Sea Corals and Sponges including web-based mapper and technical memo At-sea observers are now trained to collect data on any corals encountered
Multibeam mapping • Allows us to better understand the shapes of the canyons and other features • Data can be used to produce maps of slope, which is very predictive of suitable habitat for corals and other attached organisms 17
Habitat suitability model • Combines data on coral observations with oceanographic data to generate maps of predicted suitable habitat • Outputs are by coral type (e.g. hard corals, soft corals/gorgonians) • In the example at right, blue areas are lower suitability and red areas are higher suitability for soft corals and gorgonians
Remotely operated vehicle surveys Characterize biodiversity and community structure of deep-sea habitats. Data include both presence/absence and relative abundance of corals,
fishes, and other invertebrates, as well as environmental data (temperature, salinity, etc.) Recent work: New England seamounts, major and minor canyons on the southern margin of Georges Bank, inter-canyon and open slope areas, cold seeps, and coral habitats within the Gulf of Maine (Mt. Desert Rock, Outer Schoodic Ridges, Jordan Basin, Lindenkohl Knoll in Georges Basin) 2012-2015 dives within most of the potential discrete coral zones Earlier ROV dives on Bear Seamount
A Paramuricea coral in Nygren Canyon which is 165 nautical miles southeast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Image courtesy of NOAA Okeanos Explorer Program, 2013 Northeast U.S. Canyons Expedition.
Hydrographer Canyon proved to be a diverse habitat for deep-sea corals. Image courtesy of NOAA Okeanos Explorer Program, 2013 Northeast U.S. Canyons Expedition. 20
Recent mapping and ROV projects NECSI Project 2: Benthic communities in the Gulf of
Maine on US and Canadian continental margin NECSI Project 3: ROV Surveys of Northern Gulf of Maine/Jordan Basin Habitat Areas for Deep-sea Corals and Sponges Atlantic Canyons Undersea Mapping (Feb-Aug 2012) Mapping (Mar-Apr 2013) Mapping/ROV testing (May-Jun 2013) Seamount exploration (Jun 2013) Northeast U.S. Canyons (Jul-Aug 2013) East Coast Mapping (May 2014) Atlantic canyons and seamounts (Aug-Oct 2014)
Remotely operated vehicle Deep Discoverer investigates a diverse deep-sea coral habitat on Retriever Seamount. Image courtesy of NOAA Okeanos Explorer Program, Our Deepwater Backyard: Exploring Atlantic Canyons and Seamounts.
GOM deep-sea corals • ROV work during 2013, 2014, 2015 • Presence and relative abundance • Surveyed areas most likely to contain corals based on previous dives and bathymetric maps • Many commercially important fishes observed Figure courtesy of P. Auster, prepared by J. Pessutti, NEFSC
Habitat Committee recommendations on coral amendment Plan Development Team should evaluate updated data and recommend adjustments to management alternatives as appropriate PDT should also conduct a preliminary analysis of fishery impacts to guide further development of action Coral amendment should be a management priority during 2016
