i
A las o Vulne able Ma ine Ecosys em (VME) indica o s obse ed on
Bo om T awl Su eys in G eenland wa e s du ing 2015-2019
Ma in E. Bliche
Nane e Hammeken A boe
Technical epo no. 113, 2021
Pinngo i ale i ik, G eenland Ins i u e o Na u al Resou ces
i
Ti le: A las o Vulne able Ma ine Ecosys em (VME) indica o s obse ed on Bo om T awl Su eys in
G eenland wa e s du ing 2015-2019
Au ho s: Ma in E. Bliche and Nane e Hammeken A boe
Su ey axonomis s: Alexey Goliko , Alexey (Kazan Uni e si y, Russia)
Ámundu Nolsø (Kaldbak Ma ine Biological Labo a o y/BIOFAR, Fa oe
Islands)
Anna Ka i S eis up (Ins i u e o Ma ine Resea ch, T omsø, No way)
Bi na T yg adó i (Kaldbak Ma ine Biological Labo a o y/BIOFAR, Fa oe
Islands)
Denis Zakha o (Knipo ich Pola Resea ch Ins i u e o Ma ine Fishe ies and
Oceanog aphy, Russia)
Heidi Gab ielsen (Ins i u e o Ma ine Resea ch, T omsø, No way)
Igo Manushin (Knipo ich Pola Resea ch Ins i u e o Ma ine Fishe ies and
Oceanog aphy, Russia)
Jan Yde Poulsen (G eenland Ins i u e o Na u al Resou ces)
Jóg an F óði Hansen (Kaldbak Ma ine Biological Labo a o y, Fa oe Islands)
Lau e De Mon e y (Uni e si é La al, Quebec, Canada)
Lis Lindal Jø gensen (Ins i u e o Ma ine Resea ch, T omsø, No way)
Na alia Zhu a le a (Sain -Pe e sbu g Zoological Ins i u e)
Na alya Anisimo a S elko a (Knipo ich Pola Resea ch Ins i u e o Ma ine
Fishe ies and Oceanog aphy, Russia)
Olga Zimina (Mu mansk Ma ine Biological Ins i u e, Russia)
S einunn Hilma Óla sdó i (Ma ine Resea ch Ins i u e, Iceland)
Pho o c edi s: Ma in E. Bliche , S ephen Long, Nane e Hammeken A boe
Se ial i le and numbe : Technical epo no. 113
Publishe : Pinngo i ale i ik, G eenland Ins i u e o Na u al Resou ces
Da e o publica ion: Feb ua y 2021
Financial suppo : This epo is pa o he p ojec , Ini ia ing No h A lan ic Ben hos Moni o ing
(INAMon), which was inancially suppo ed by he G eenland Ins i u e o
Na u al Resou ces, No h A lan ic Coope a ion (no a. o; J. n . 510-151),
Sus ainable Fishe ies G eenland, he Minis y o Resea ch in G eenland
(IKIIN), and he En i onmen al P o ec ion Agency (Dancea) o he Minis y o
En i onmen and Food o Denma k (J. n . ms -112-00272, J. n . ms -113-
00035). The wo k is also pa o he Danish P esidency p ojec in No dic
Council o Minis e s, Mapping seabed biodi e si y and ulne abili y in he
A c ic and No h A lan ic (P oj. n . 15002).
ii
Co e pho o: Sponge ga den on he con inen al shel in Eas G eenland (c edi : Ma in E.
Bliche )
ISBN: 87-91214-91-2
EAN: 9788791214912
Ci ed as: Bliche ME and Hammeken A boe N (2021) A las o Vulne able Ma ine
Ecosys em (VME) indica o s obse ed on Bo om T awl Su eys in G eenland
wa e s du ing 2015-2019. Technical Repo n . 113, G eenland Ins i u e o
Na u al Resou ces, G eenland. ISBN 87-91214-91-2
Con ac add ess: Pinngo i ale i ik, G eenland Ins i u e o Na u al Resou ces
Ki ioq 2, P.O. Box 570
3900 Nuuk
G eenland
Phone: +299 361200
E-mail: mabl@na u .gl; nan[email p o ec ed]l
Web: www.na u .gl
The epo is only a ailable in elec onic o ma . You can
download a PDF- ile o he epo a GINR’s homepage:
h ps://na u .gl/ o skning/ appo e /
iii
Con en s
Abs ac ......................................................................................................................................................... 1
In oduc ion .................................................................................................................................................. 1
Ma e ial and Me hods .................................................................................................................................. 2
Bo om T awl Su eys ............................................................................................................................... 2
VME indica o axa and habi a ypes....................................................................................................... 4
Mapping VME awl da a .......................................................................................................................... 5
Resul s ........................................................................................................................................................... 6
VME habi a ype – Sponges ..................................................................................................................... 6
VME habi a ype – Co als ...................................................................................................................... 12
VME habi a ype – Fea he S a s ........................................................................................................... 19
Discussion.................................................................................................................................................... 21
O e lap wi h deme sal awl ishe ies .................................................................................................... 21
Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................... 22
Re e ences .................................................................................................................................................. 24
Supplemen a y able ................................................................................................................................... 25
1
Abs ac
This epo is in ended o p o ide an o e iew o Vulne able Ma ine Ecosys ems (VME) indica o axa
iden i ied as byca ch in bo om awls on s ock assessmen su eys conduc ed by G eenland Ins i u e o
Na u al Resou ces du ing 2015-19. Ca ch weigh s o indica o axa ep esen ing di e en VME habi a
ypes a e mapped, co e ing an a ea om he sou he n ip o G eenland up o 76°N in Wes and 67°N in
Eas G eenland, and a dep h ange om 50m o 1500m. Se e al a eas and single locali ies s and ou , and
egions o immedia e conce n a e iden i ied due o po en ial o e laps wi h bo om awl ishe ies. Da a
a e a ailable o managemen au ho i ies o use in ma ine spa ial planning.
In oduc ion
The sea loo a ound G eenland is cen al o G eenland’s economy, as deme sal ishe ies, especially o
p awns (Pandalus bo ealis) and G eenland halibu (Reinha d ius hippoglossoides), accoun o mo e han
80% o he na ional expo alue (The Economic Council 2017). I is also a habi a wi h an ex ao dina y
ichness o species wi h a o al o mo e han 2000 ben hic in e eb a e species egis e ed (Tendal &
Schiø e 2003). A heal hy ben hic ecosys em is c ucial o sus ain his p oduc i i y and biodi e si y.
Fig. 1. O e iew o awl ishing in G eenland wa e s.
This ep esen a ion o ishing e o is based on haul-
by-haul logbook da a om he G eenland Fishe y
Licence Con ol (GFLK) om ishe ies employing awl
gea om 1999 o 2019, all species and essels
inclusi e. The da a se was u he p ocessed o
es ablish line ec o s om s a and end haul
posi ions. The line ec o s we e in e pola ed wi h a 5
km sea ch adius o a 1 km g id. The esul ing densi y
as e ep esen s he dis ance awled pe uni a ea
(km awled pe km2) ( o mo e de ails see Long e al.
2020). The as majo i y o ishing ep esen
deme sal awl hauls o p awn, G eenland halibu ,
cod and ed ish. Howe e , a pelagic ishe y o
macke el and he ing has de eloped apidly in Eas
G eenland wa e s since he la e 2000s (Jansen e al.,
2016). The main ishing e o o he ing has been
no h o 68°N (blue ci cle), while he e o o
macke el has been ocused sou h o 66°N ( ed ci cle)
wi h minimal o e lap wi h deme sal ishe ies.
C edi : Ka l B ix Zingle sen
Mo i a ed by a la ge gap in knowledge abou he ben hic ecosys em in G eenland wa e s in gene al, and
he in luence o clima e changes, deme sal awling, oil exploi a ion and o he po en ial s esso s, he
G eenland Ins i u e o Na u al Resou ces (GINR) has in eg a ed a “ awl byca ch-p og am” on na ional
s ock assessmen su eys in G eenland wa e s since 2015.
The app oach is sugges ed as a minimum-s anda d o la ge-scale and long- e m moni o ing o ma ine
bo om-li ing in e eb a e auna (ben hos) in G eenland (Bliche e al. 2017) and he A c ic (CAFF 2017),
and has p o en e ec i e o documen ing la ge-scale pa e ns in ben hic species dis ibu ion and
communi y s uc u e. The da a can eed di ec ly in o managemen suppo ing sus ainable de elopmen
Pelagic
Pelagic
2
as ag eed in he Con en ion on Biological Di e si y in 1992 (CBD 1992), and he Sus ainable De elopmen
Goals adop ed by Uni ed Na ions (UN) membe s a es in 2015 (UNGA 2015).
The awl byca ch-p og am enables he ini ial de ec ion o po en ial Vulne able Ma ine Ecosys ems
(VME’s), which is he ocus o his epo . The VME concep was in oduced o acili a e he spa ial
managemen o deep seas, iden i ying ben hic habi a s ulne able o an h opogenic dis u bance (FAO
2009). UN’s Food and Ag icul u e O ganiza ion (FAO) defined VME’s as exhibi ing one o mo e o he
ollowing c i e ia: 1) unique o a e; 2) unc ionally significan , 3) agile, 4) con aining componen species
whose li e-his o y ai s make eco e y difficul ; o 5) s uc u ally complex.
Uni ed Na ions Gene al Assembly (UNGA) Resolu ion 61/105 has called upon s a es o ake speci ic ac ion
o p o ec VME’s (UNGA, 2006).
Bo h he No hwes A lan ic Fishe ies O ganiza ion (NAFO) and No h Eas A lan ic Fishe ies Commission
(NEAFC) ha e adop ed he VME concep , and a e la gely aligned in wha is conside ed VME indica o axa,
i.e. o ganism eco ds ha sugges he p esence o a VME wi h a ying deg ees o ce ain y dependen on
he quan i y and quali y o da a a ailable. Bu hey di e sligh ly in hei app oach in he sense ha NEAFC
conside main VME habi a ypes ep esen ed by indica o axa a amily le el, while NAFO e e o a lis
o indica o axa a highe axonomic esolu ion (i.e. species o genus). In bo h cases, cold-wa e co als
and la ge-sized sponges domina e he lis o VME indica o axa and habi a ypes. In his epo we e e
o he VME guidelines wi h espec o bo h NAFO, NEAFC and wide li e a u e.
The in en ion wi h his a las is o gi e a geog aphical o e iew o VME indica o axa eco ded as byca ch
in deme sal awls du ing ishe y assessmen su eys conduc ed by GINR in G eenland wa e s du ing
2015-19.
Ma e ial and Me hods
Bo om T awl Su eys
GINR’s s ock assessmen su eys wi h bo om awl a e conduc ed annually om June o Sep embe on
he con inen al shel and slope o he G eenland Wes coas om 59°30’N up o 72°30’N, and o he Eas
coas om 59°30’N up o 67°N. Two ypes o su eys a e conduc ed in bo h Wes G eenland and Eas
G eenland: 1) Combined sh imp- ish su eys using a Cosmos 2000 awl wi h a 20 mm mesh size in he
cod-end wi h ‘ ock-hoppe ’ g ound gea comp ising s eel bobbins and ubbe disks on dep hs om 50m
down o 600m (Fig. 2 le pho o). Towing ime is 15 minu es and owing speed is be ween 2.0 and 2.5
kno s (a e age swep a ea c. 0.03 km2). S a ions a e posi ioned using ‘bu e ed andom’ sampling, and
abou 50% o he s a ions included in he p eceding yea ’s design ha e been epea ed as ixed s a ions in
he ollowing yea ; 2) G eenland halibu su eys using an Al edo III awl wi h a mesh size o 140 mm and
a 30 mm mesh-line in he cod-end. The dep h in e al su eyed is om 400m o 1500m. Towing ime is
30 minu es and a e age owing speed is 3.0 kno s (a e age swep a ea c. 0.07 km2). S a ion posi ions a e
based on andom alloca ion wi h a bu e zone a ound each s a ion.
In 2016 an addi ional su ey ou side he s anda d su ey a ea was conduc ed in Mel ille Bay, No hwes
G eenland using Cosmos awl.
All awls a e equipped wi h awl senso s (Fu uno Ma po ) sending li e in o ma ion abou dep h,
empe a u e, bo om con ac , and pi ch and oll o mos e ec i e awling. Fo all s a ions me ada a
3
(posi ion, dep h, bo om empe a u e, wi e leng h, gea ype e c.) a e en e ed di ec ly in o GINR’s Access
da abase.
Upon comple ion o a awl se , he ca ch is mo ed on o a con eyo , isually so ed, and eco ded in a
ca ch da abase. Fish and sh imp species a e weighed and measu ed, while he emaining ca ch o
p ima ily ben hic in e eb a es is iden i ied o he lowes possible axon and weighed. We ollowed he
ecommenda ion o Bliche e al. (2015) and implemen ed he INAMon ben hos p o ocol o sampling,
so ing, species iden i ica ion, pho o documen a ion, p ese a ion o ocus axa and da a en y in o he
s anda d ou ines on bo om awl su eys. Fo his pu pose 2 o 4 ben hos axonomy specialis s om he
INAMon ne wo k a ended each su ey. By doing so, all s eps in he p ocess om sampling o da a en y
could be comple ed onboa d, wi h he esul o being able o e ie e a comple e da ase sho ly a e he
ending o su eys.
Fig. 2. Le : Cosmos awl wi h a la ge byca ch o Geodia sponges. Righ : Example o small byca ch so ed in axonomic g oups.
O e all, we comple ed 1506 sampling s a ions be ween 2015 and 2019, o which 981 we e om Cosmos
awl, 525 om Al edo awl (Fig. 3). Besides addi ional beam awl sampling (see Bliche e al. 2017),
isual su eys wi h a owed ideo sled and bo om- igge ed d op came a has also been ca ied ou a
a ge ed loca ions in a pa ne ship wi h Ins i u e o Zoology a Zoological Socie y o London and o he s
(Yesson e al. 2016, Gougeon e al. 2017, Long e al. 2020) Howe e , o he pu pose o p oducing a
geog aphical o e iew o obse a ions o VME indica o axa, only awl byca ch da a a e included in his
epo . All in o ma ion is s o ed in GINR’s ‘Malo us’ da abase (MS Access).
4
Fig. 3. O e iew o bo om awl s a ions on GINR’s s ock assessmen su eys conduc ed in 2015-19.
VME indica o axa and habi a ypes
Fo his epo we ha e combined NAFO’s and NEAFC’s lis s o VME indica o axa (ICES 2013) wi h he
addi ions in (Buhl-Mo ensen e al. 2019). Fo he desc ip ion o VME habi a ypes we use he NEAFC
de ini ions wi h he addi ion o he sponge ca ego y, Deep A c ic Sponge Agg ega ion, and he di ision o
he NEAFC’s Sea Pen Field in o Subli o al and Ba hyal subca ego ies as sugges ed in Buhl-Mo ensen e
al. (2019) (Supplemen a y able). Only VME indica o axa ha ha e been obse ed as byca ch in GINR’s
bo om awl samples a e included.
5
Mapping VME awl da a
Ou obse a ions o VME indica o axa and VME habi a ypes in G eenland wa e s was mapped using
QGIS 2.18 so wa e. The maps display he ca ch weigh o VME indica o axa in awl hauls a s a ion le el
as compiled om da abase eco ds. Ca chabili y o ben hic in e eb a es in deme sal awls is gene ally
low. The e o e, he eco ded ca ch weigh s do no ep esen he ac ual biomass p esen on he seabed
bu should ins ead be ega ded as a ela i e measu e o abundance. Fo he biomass maps, di e en alue
anges we e used, as ca ches o some axa we e much smalle han o he s, wi h ca ch weigh s a ying
om <0.0001 kg o se e al ons. The awl se s a e p esen ed as s a ions using he poin coo dina es a
he beginning o each ow a he sea bo om. Fo he maps in his epo , we ha e no dis inguished
be ween he wo awl ypes (bu see Fig. 3). Bo h NAFO and NEAFC ha e se h eshold alues o ca ches
o VME indica o axa in he comme cial ishe y, abo e which speci ic ac ions needs o be aken (NAFO
2017, NEAFC 2014, Table 1). These h esholds ep esen o al byca ch weigh pe haul i espec i e o awl
ype o swep a ea. As such, ou ca ch weigh alues can be compa ed o he NAFO and NEAFC Encoun e
Th eshold alues o VME indica o axa, bu i should be kep in mind ha comme cial awl hauls usually
las se e al hou s. Also, he ques ion o he applicabili y o common h eshold alues ac oss all axa has
been ques ioned. The h eshold o sponges is mos ele an o massi e sponges such as Geodia spp.
(Os u ), bu seems oo high o o he ligh e sponges, e.g. glass sponges (Mu illo e al. 2020). The same
seem o be he case o co al h esholds ha a o only he la ges ypes, such as Pa ago gia a bo ea
(bubblegum co al), while o he species, can be ound in high densi ies on he sea loo , enough o quali y
as VME habi a , wi hou exceeding h eshold alues in awl hauls (Long e al. 2020).
The e o e, he maps p esen ed in his epo should be used o indica e whe e VME indica o axa and
VME habi a ypes a e p esen in ela i ely high and low densi ies. High-densi y a eas, o a eas wi h
p esence o unique o a e habi a s o axa, may need special conside a ion by managemen au ho i ies.
The in o ma ion can be used di ec ly in VME assessmen s, i.e. as a basis o a VME designa ion, o as
means o iden i ying geog aphical a eas whe e mo e de ailed esea ch is needed.
In ha espec , i is ele an o men ion he limi a ions in he geog aphical co e age, which is de ined by
he amewo k o GINR’s bo om awl su eys as desc ibed abo e. And while a eas ou side he exis ing
oo p in o comme cial ishe ies a e well ep esen ed wi hin he su ey a ea, he s a ion lay-ou s a egy
does indeed cause some a eas and dep hs o be unde - ep esen ed o absen in he da a se (see Fig. 3
and Discussion).
Fishe ies managemen o ganiza ion
Encoun e h eshold o mo e-on equi emen (pe haul)
No hwes A lan ic Fishe ies O ganiza ion (NAFO)
Sponges: 300 kg
Sea pens: 7 kg
Co als (o he ): 60 kg
No h Eas A lan ic Fishe ies Commission (NEAFC)
Sponges: 400 kg pe haul
Co als: 30 kg
Table 1. Encoun e h eshold alues o ac i a e mo e-on equi emen in he comme cial awl ishe y in NAFO and NEAFC.
12
VME habi a ype – Co als
The ca ch weigh o iden i ied axa belonging o six di e en VME habi a ypes a e plo ed: 1) Ha d
Bo om Go gonians and Black Co als, 2) So Bo om Go gonians, 3) Cauli lowe Co al Field, 4) Seapen
Field Ba hyal, 5) Seapen Field Subli o al, 6) Cup Co al Field, e e ing o he lis o axa in he
supplemen a y able.
13
Fig. 9. The Ha d-Bo om Go gonians and Black Co als
habi a ype is ep esen ed by i e di e en species
(supplemen a y able), mainly ound >300m dep h. The
only species exceeding 1 kg ca ch weigh is he
bubblegum co al, Pa ago gia a bo ea, which is
obse ed be ween 64 and 66°N in bo h Wes and Eas
G eenland wa e s (up o >200 kg). Black co al
Pa amu icea sp. is obse ed equen ly a dep hs
>1000m in an a ea sou h o 64°N in Wes G eenland.
The emaining indica o species belonging o his
habi a ype a e only caugh spo adically. Le pho o
show Pa ago gia a bo ea wi h la ge Geodia sp. sponge
in a ocky habi a a c. 570m dep h o Toqqusaq Bank
(c. 64°30’N) in Wes G eenland. This occu ence is no
documen ed wi h awl byca ch samples.
14
Fig. 10. Bamboo co al, Acanella a buscula is he only
VME indica o o he So -Bo om Go gonians habi a
ype ound in he su ey a ea. I is exclusi ely obse ed
in Wes G eenland be ween 63 and 66°N a dep hs
>500m mos equen ly in he a eas sou h and no h o
an exis ing ishing g ound o G eenland halibu .
Example s ill pho o om he a ea show Acanella
a buscula (whi e a ow), cup co al Flabellum
alabas um, and he Clado hizidae sponge,
Chond ocladia g andis.
15
Fig. 11. Cauli lowe co als, Neph heidae, a e obse ed
ac oss almos he en i e su ey a ea. In Wes G eenland
ela i ely dense agg ega ions ha e been obse ed in he
slope a ea o Toqqusaq Banke (64–65°N) and wes o
he Sigguup Nunaa Peninsula (71–72°N). Bu he
denses agg ega ions a e obse ed on he Eas
G eenland slope be ween 65 and 66°N.
Example s ill shows he s uc u al complexi y o a
Cauli lowe Co al Field on ocky g ound a a dep h o
585m, on he con inen al slope o Toqqusaq Bank,
Wes G eenland (c. 64°30’N). Cauli lowe co als (whi e
a ow), Fea he s a s, Go gonians, Sponges and calci ied
b yozoans a e p esen wi h a ich associa ed auna.
Lase do s (g een) a e 20cm apa , he le -hand do is
pa ially obscu ed (Long e al. 2020).
16
Fig. 12. The Sea Pen Field Ba hyal habi a ype is
ep esen ed by An hop hilum g andi lo um and
Umbellula sp. wi h li le spa ial o e lap in obse a ions.
The habi a ype is ound a mud bo om and almos
exclusi ely >300m dep h. An hop hilum g andi lo um is
gene ally obse ed mo e sou he ly (<72°N) han
Umbellula sp. and only in Wes G eenland. Highes
ca ch weigh s o Umbellula sp. a e obse ed a locali ies
in no he n Ba in Bay in Wes G eenland, and a deep
ough connec ed o he Kange lussuaq jo d in Eas
G eenland.
Example s ill pho o shows An hop hilum g andi lo um
(whi e a ow), wi h sea anemone, b i le s a , and
sponges in he Da is S ai sill egion.
17
Fig. 13. The Sea Pen Field Subli o al habi a ype is
ep esen ed by Penna ula spp. and Halip e is
inma chica. Wi h a ew excep ions, ou awl byca ch
eco ds a e limi ed o an a ea in he Da is S ai sill
egion a 65-66°N and 600-800m dep h. Video su eys
ha e e ealed a dense occu ence o Halip e is
inma chica a wo deepe locali ies sou h o 64°N in he
same egion (Long e al. In p ep).
Example s ill pho o show Halip e is inma chica (whi e
a ow) oge he wi h bamboo co al Acanella a buscula
on ypical muddy subs a e.
18
Fig. 14. A single species, Flabellum alabas um,
ep esen he Cup Co al Field habi a ype. Flabellum
alabas um a e only caugh in he Da is S ai sill egion
a dep hs >500m.
Despi e low ca ch weigh s, ideo su eys ha e
documen ed local densi ies o >1 indi idual pe m2
(Long e al. In p ep), which unde lines he poo
e en ion in awls, and he ac ha he awl ca ch
weigh can only be ega ded as a ela i e measu e o he
ac ual abundance.
19
VME habi a ype – Fea he S a s
The ca ch weigh o iden i ied c inoid ( ea he s a s) axa is plo ed. The Mud- and sand-eme gen auna
habi a ype is ep esen ed by species om he wo NEAFC indica o amilies, An edonidae and
Bou gue ic inidae. I is no ed ha NAFO’s VME lis includes only T ichome a cubensis om he
An edonidae amily. We ha e no obse ed T ichome a cubensis in G eenland.
20
Fig. 15. Fea he s a s (C inoidea) ep esen he Mud-
and Sand-eme gen Fauna VME habi a ype. This name
is howe e no a good desc ip ion o he ea he s a
habi a s in G eenland, which a e mainly ound on ha d
g ound on he shel and slope. Fea he s a s a e mos
commonly p esen in he byca ch in Sou hwes
G eenland. Howe e , e y dense concen a ions o
ea he s a s ha e been obse ed u he no h, a ound
S o e Helle iskebanke and wes o Qeqe a suaq (c.
69°N). Example s ill pho o shows ocky habi a wes o
Qeqe a suaq, wi h dominance o Heliome a glacialis.
B i les a s, mainly Ophiopholis aculea a, a e also
p esen in la ge numbe s. Lase do s (g een) a e 20cm
apa .
21
Discussion
The ca ch da a p esen ed he e show ha a wide ange o VME indica o axa, he e in eg a ed in o VME
habi a ypes, a e dis ibu ed h oughou G eenland wa e s. Some seem concen a ed in es ic ed a eas
and/o dep h anges, while o he s ha e a b oade dis ibu ion. Some a e only obse ed a a ew locali ies.
As such, he da a p o ides a basis o poin ing ou a eas o speci ic conce n in a managemen con ex .
Howe e , i needs o be kep in mind ha such conclusions a e limi ed o GINR’s bo om awl su ey
a ea, and o bo om ypes ha a e awlable. This limi s he access o o example: 1) nea -sho e shallows
and o -sho e banks, 2) Dep hs >1500 me e s, 3) e y so and e y ough bo om, 4) s eep cli s. All o
which may p o ide sui able condi ions o some o he VME indica o axa desc ibed he e. In some cases,
his has been con i med by isual su eys ( ideo sled, d op came a), which also e eal he pa chy na u e
o he ben hic auna communi ies. This ecen ly esul ed in G eenland’s i s disco e y o ee - o ming
Desmophyllum pe usum (p e iously named Lophelia pe usa) on a s eep pa o he con inen al slope in
Sou h G eenland (Kenching on e al. 2017), and he documen a ion o a Cauli lowe co al ga den VME
candida e on he edge o Toqqusaq Bank in Sou hwes G eenland (Long e al. 2020).
Visual su eys ha e also con i med he low ca chabili y o comme cial- ype awls. The ca chabili y is
axon-speci ic and likely o be a ec ed by subs a e ype and ugosi y. The e o e, he in e p e a ion o
VME ca ch weigh s p esen ed he e should be done wi h cau ion. The absence o VME indica o axa in a
single awl haul does no necessa ily e lec an absence o hese axa on he sea bo om on he locali y.
Bu p esence da a a e indispu able and, gi en he la ge numbe o awl hauls on annual s ock assessmen
su eys, he app oach is conside ed e ec i e o documen ing b oad dis ibu ion ends and a eas wi h
unusual concen a ions o VME indica o axa.
O e lap wi h deme sal awl ishe ies
The in e go e nmen al ishe ies managemen bodies, NAFO and NEAFC, ha e adop ed FAO’s VME
de ini ion. The conce n abou he impac o bo om awling on ben hic habi a s is also clea ly o mula ed
in he sus ainabili y de ini ion o Ma ine S ewa dship Council (MSC 2014). In G eenland he o -sho e
ishe ies o G eenland halibu (Reinha d ius hippoglossoides) and cold-wa e p awns (Pandalus bo ealis)
in Wes G eenland a e MSC-ce i ied, bu in bo h cases a gene al lack o knowledge abou habi a
dis ibu ion and po en ial impac o awling has been acknowledged, and esea ch ini ia ed (e.g. Yesson
e al. 2016; Gougeon e al. 2017). Based on he o e iew maps o occu ences o indica o axa belonging
o p e-de ined VME habi a ypes p esen ed in his epo , he Da is S ai sill egion and he Eas
G eenland shel -slope egion a e iden i ied as a eas o po en ial in e ac ion. This has di ec implica ions
o he spa ial managemen o economically impo an awl fishe ies (see Fig. 1). An a ea in Wes
G eenland be ween 64°30'N and 68°N is cu en ly closed o awling o G eenland halibu (Go e nmen
o G eenland 2017), which will e ec i ely p e en impac on po en ial VME’s deepe han 600 me e s,
whe e awling o G eenland halibu no mally occu . Impac s o G eenland halibu awling in Da is S ai
sou h o 64°30’N and Ba in Bay no h o 68°N a e cu en ly being analyzed in a PhD s udy based on ideo
su eys (Long e al. In p ep). In he con ex o conc e e spa ial managemen , geog aphic scale is an
impo an ac o when assessing in e ac ions be ween ishe ies and habi a s. Wha could seem like an
o e whelming spa ial o e lap in la ge o e iews, may be less so when add essed a a highe geog aphic
esolu ion (wi h accu a e geo- e e enced in o ma ion). This is illus a ed wi h an example in Fig. 16
showing Os u Sponge Agg ega ions and awling densi y in Eas G eenland in wo maps o di e en scale.
The e o e, we ecommend managemen au ho i ies in G eenland o apply geo- e e enced in o ma ion in
ma ine spa ial planning, and o implemen a me hodology whe e he geog aphical scale and esolu ion is
