1.5.5.3
ECOREGION
SUBJECT
Special request, Advice June 2013
General advice
Assessment of the list of VME indicator species and elements
Advice summary
1) Taxa should be considered by habitat type and/or at the taxonomic level of family rather than listing all the
likely species that would be indicators of VMEs in the NEAFC Regulatory Area (RA). A table of relevant
families and habitat types is provided.
2) Three maps of VME elements in the NEAFC RA at depths less than 2000 m, including the Mid-Atlantic
Ridge, the Rockall–Hatton area, and isolated seamounts, are provided. Canyon-like features and steep flanks
and slopes are known only from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and the Rockall–Hatton area. There is not sufficient
information to map all knolls.
3) There are only five known or inferred vent sites within the NEAFC RA. The vent sites, other than the one
inferred site on the Reykjanes Ridge, are below 2000 m depth and are not likely to be impacted by fishing
activities. It is advised that the site on the Reykjanes Ridge be closed to bottom-contacting gear.
Request
1) ICES is requested to assess whether the list of VME indicator species is exhaustive and suggest possible
addition to that list. The basis for the assessment should be the FAO Guidelines specifying taxa and habitats
that may be relevant. ICES should focus on taxa (species or assemblages of species) that tend to form dense
aggregations of assumed particular functional significance. NAFO SC has in 2012 conducted a similar
assessment and revision and to the extent scientifically valid harmonization with NAFO lists would be
beneficial.
2) ICES is furthermore asked to map VME elements (i.e. geomorphological features) in the NEAFC RA. This
would include seamounts and knolls at fishable depths (with summits shallower than 2000m), canyons, and
steep flanks. Also in this exercise, harmonization with NAFO SC evaluations would be beneficial.
3) ICES is specifically requested to advise NEAFC on the occurrence of hydrothermal vents and measures
applicable to protect hydrothermal vents and associated communities in the RA.
ICES advice
1) VME indicator species
ICES advises that in the NEAFC RA, VME indicators should be considered by habitat type and/or at the taxonomic
level of family rather than by an exhaustive list of all likely species that could be indicators of VMEs. This approach
avoids the risk of excluding or misidentifying any potential species, while ensuring that VMEs are appropriately
recognised.
Table 1.5.5.3.1 lists seven VME habitat types for the Northeast Atlantic with the taxa that are most likely to be found in
these habitats. For comparison and harmonization the equivalent set of species from the NAFO list is also presented. All
the habitats listed in Table 1.5.5.3.1 should contain significant aggregations of the representative taxa, and those taxa
will most commonly meet the criteria of long-lived, functional significance or fragility. For the most part the families in
both NEAFC and NAFO areas are comparable, but there are differences at species level.
ICES Advice 2013, Book 1
1
Table 1.5.5.3.1
List of deep-water VMEs and their characteristic taxa. NAFO species have been aligned with the
proposed VME habitat type for NEAFC and their representative taxa. In some VME habitat types,
no species were listed by the NAFO Scientific Council.
P ROPOSED NEAFC VME H ABITAT T YPE
1. Cold-water coral reef
A. Lophelia pertusa reef
B. Solenosmilia variabilis reef
R EPRESENTATIVE NEAFC
TAXA
C ORRESPONDING NAFO S PECIES
Lophelia pertusa
Lophelia pertusa*
Solenosmilia variabilis
Solenosmilia variabilis*
ANTHOTHELIDAE
ANTHOTHELIDAE
Anthothela grandiflora*
CHRYSOGORGIIDAE
Chrysogorgia sp.
Metallogorgia melanotrichos
Iridogorgia sp.
ISIDIDAE, KERATOISIDINAE
Acanella arbuscula
Acanella eburnea
Keratoisis ornata*
Keratoisis sp.*
Lepidisis sp.
PLEXAURIDAE
Swiftia sp.*
Paramuricea grandis
Paramuricea placomus*
Paramuricea sp.
Placogorgia sp.
Placogorgia terceira
ACANTHOGORGIIDAE
Acanthogorgia armata*
CORALLIIDAE
Corallium bathyrubrum
Corallium bayeri
PARAGORGIIDAE
Paragorgia arborea*
Paragorgia johnsoni
PRIMNOIDAE
Calyptrophora sp.
Parastenella atlantica
Primnoa resedaeformis*
Thouarella grasshoffi
Narella laxa
2. Coral garden
A. Hard-bottom coral garden
i. Hard-bottom gorgonian and
black coral gardens
CHRYSOGORGIIDAE
ISIDIDAE,
KERATOISIDINAE
PLEXAURIDAE
ACANTHOGORGIIDAE
CORALLIIDAE
PARAGORGIIDAE
PRIMNOIDAE
SCHIZOPATHIDAE
ii. Colonial scleractinians on
rocky outcrops
Lophelia pertusa
Solenosmilia variabilis
iii.
Non-reefal
aggregations
Enallopsammia rostrata
Madrepora oculata
Enallopsammia rostrata
Madrepora oculata*
CHRYSOGORGIIDAE
CHRYSOGORGIIDAE
Radicipes gracilis*
CARYOPHYLLIIDAE
FLABELLIDAE
---------
scleractinian
B. Soft-bottom coral gardens
i. Soft-bottom gorgonian and
black coral gardens
ii. Cup-coral fields
2
ICES Advice 2013, Book 1
P ROPOSED NEAFC VME H ABITAT T YPE
iii. Cauliflower coral fields
3. Deep-sea sponge aggregations
A. Ostur sponge aggregations
R EPRESENTATIVE NEAFC
TAXA
NEPHTHEIDAE
GEODIIDAE
ANCORINIDAE
PACHASTRELLIDAE
B. Hard-bottom sponge gardens
----AXINELLIDAE
----MYCALIDAE
POLYMASTIIDAE
TETILLIDAE
C. Glass sponge communities
ROSSELLIDAE
PHERONEMATIDAE
4. Seapen fields
ANTHOPTILIDAE
PENNATULIDAE
FUNICULINIDAE
HALIPTERIDAE
KOPHOBELEMNIDAE
PROTOPTILIDAE
UMBELLULIDAE
VIRGULARIIDAE
5. Tube-dwelling anemone patches
ICES Advice 2013, Book 1
CERIANTHIDAE
C ORRESPONDING NAFO S PECIES
----GEODIIDAE
Geodia barretti*
Geodia macandrewii*
Geodia phlegraei*
ANCORINIDAE
Stelletta normani*
Stelletta sp.
Stryphnus ponderosus*
PACHASTRELLIDAE
Thenea muricata*
ACARNIDAE
Iophon piceum*
AXINELLIDAE
Axinella sp.*
Phakellia sp.*
ESPERIOPSIDAE
Esperiopsis villosa*
MYCALIDAE
Mycale (Mycale) lingua*
POLYMASTIDAE
Polymastia sp.*
Weberella bursa*
Weberella sp.
TETILLIDAE
Craniella cranium*
ROSELLIDAE
Asconema foliatum*
----ANTHOPTILIDAE
Anthoptilum grandiflorum
PENNATULIDAE
Pennatula aculeata*
Pennatula grandis
Pennatula sp.
FUNICULINIDAE
Funiculina quadrangularis*
HALIPTERIDAE
Halipteris cf. christii*
Halipteris finmarchica*
Halipteris sp.*
KOPHOBELEMNIDAE
Kophobelemnon stelliferum*
PROTOPTILIDAE
Distichoptilum gracile
Protoptilum sp.*
UMBELLULIDAE
Umbellula lindahli
VIRGULARIIDAE
Virgularia cf. mirabilis*
Pachycerianthus borealis*
3
P ROPOSED NEAFC VME H ABITAT T YPE
6. Mud- and sand-emergent fauna
R EPRESENTATIVE NEAFC
TAXA
BOURGETCRINIDAE
ANTEDONTIDAE
HYOCRINIDAE
XENOPHYOPHORA
SYRINGAMMINIDAE
7. Bryzoan patches
-----
C ORRESPONDING NAFO S PECIES
BOURGETCRINIDAE
Conocrinus lofotensis
ANTEDONTIDAE
Trichometra cubensis
HYOCRINIDAE
Gephyrocrinus grimaldii
----EUCRATEIDAE
Eucratea loricata
* Species common to the NEAFC and the NAFO areas.
2) Maps of VME elements
ICES has mapped three areas with VME elements (geomorphological features likely to contain VMEs): the MidAtlantic Ridge, the Rockall–Hatton area, and a set of isolated seamounts.
Mid-Atlantic Ridge
ICES advises that the Mid-Atlantic Ridge be regarded as one continuous combination of VME elements, southwards
from the boundary of the Icelandic EEZ to the boundary of the EEZ north of the Azores (Figure 1.5.5.3.1). It is a chain
of pinnacles, knolls, seamounts, ridges, and troughs that together make up one contiguous VME element. ICES has not
attempted to provide a boundary for the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.
4
ICES Advice 2013, Book 1
Figure 1.5.5.3.1
The extent of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge from the Azores in the south to Iceland in the north showing
peaks shallower than 2000 m depth. The NEAFC RA area is shown as a red boundary.
Rockall–Hatton area
ICES advises that the Rockall–Hatton area contains VME elements. These include some of the areas already closed to
fishing due to the certain presence of VMEs. ICES has mapped the following VME elements outside the currently
protected areas (Figure 1.5.5.3.2).
•
•
•
•
•
South Rockall Escarpment and Lorian Bank is an area of steep flanks, rising from 2000 m to the top of
Lorian Bank at a depth of 800 m.
Fangorn Bank is a knoll of very high rugosity, rising from 2000 m to around 1500 m.
Edora’s Bank Western Approach consists of two seamounts in this area known as the Eridor Seamounts,
both with summits above 2000 m and a steep flanked ridge running toward Edora’s Bank that is above
2000 m. A third seamount known as Rohan Seamount lies south of Edora’s Bank, with the summit at or
just below 2000 m.
The South Hatton Knoll has records of VME indicator species.
The southwest corner of Lousy Bank is the lower slope of a seamount.
ICES Advice 2013, Book 1
5
Figure 1.5.5.3.2
The Rockall–Hatton area, showing areas containing geomorphological features (black circles and
polygons) that can be considered VME elements at depths shallower than 2000 m (black contour)
that are currently open to bottom fisheries. Also shown are areas currently closed by NEAFC to
bottom fishing. Background multibeam bathymetry courtesy of Irish Geological Survey, Instituto
Español de Oceanografía (IEO) (Spain), and DTI (UK), with depth contours based on Gebco.
Isolated seamounts
ICES advises that all isolated seamounts (outside the Mid-Atlantic Ridge) whose summits are shallower than 2000 m
depth, be regarded as VME elements. Some of these seamounts might be grouped into broad areas (e.g. immediately
SW of the Azores EEZ), but equally they could be regarded as individual features (Figure 1.5.5.3.3).
6
ICES Advice 2013, Book 1
Figure 1.5.5.3.3
3)
Isolated seamounts outside the Mid-Atlantic Ridge with summits shallower than 2000 m depth.
The NEAFC RA area is shown as a red boundary.
Hydrothermal vents
There are only five known or inferred vent sites within the NEAFC RA (Figure 1.5.5.3.4). The vent sites, other than the
one inferred site on the Reykjanes Ridge, are deeper than 2000 m and are hence unlikely to be impacted by fishing
activities. The exact location of the site on the Reykjanes Ridge is not known, but due to the likely fragility of habitats
and organisms it is advised that all bottom-contacting fishing gear should be prohibited from the area.
ICES Advice 2013, Book 1
7
Figure 1.5.5.3.4
Confirmed or inferred hydrothermal vents in the North Atlantic. Three vents are clustered SW of
the Azores (circled). The NEAFC RA area is shown as a red boundary.
Background:
1) VME indicator species in the NEAFC and NAFO Regulatory Areas
FAO provides criteria for species indicative of VMEs. These are:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
unique or rare;
functionally significant;
fragile;
have unusual life-history traits, such as being long-lived, slow growing, late maturing, recruit unpredictably;
contribute to the structural complexity of the ecosystem.
NAFO’s list of taxa, used as indicators of VMEs in the Northwest Atlantic was drawn up by considering each of the
candidate VME indicator species in relation to the criteria outlined by the FAO guidelines.
It is important to appreciate that in the NEAFC RA, there are several biogeographic provinces, whereas the NAFO RA
consists of just one. A large number of taxa and some species are common to the NE and NW Atlantic (see Table
8
ICES Advice 2013, Book 1
1.5.5.3.1). For the most part, the families in both areas are comparable. There are some species and families that are not
on the NAFO list, but may represent VMEs in the NEAFC RA. These are cup corals, cauliflower coral gardens
dominated by soft corals of the family Nephtheidae, and fragile Xenophyophores. In the NAFO area there are species
listed which are not considered to be of relevance in the NEAFC RA, such as a species of sea lily (crinoid) in the family
Hyocrinidae that is currently unrecorded in NEAFC and bryozoan patches of the family Eucrateidae (Eucratea
loricata), which only occur in shallow waters.
2) VME elements
ICES applied NAFO’s VME element classification framework to features in the NEAFC RA. Table 1.5.5.3.2 lists five
VME elements (and the NAFO equivalent) identified by ICES that have a high likelihood of supporting VMEs. In some
cases there is evidence of VME indicators associated with these elements, but for other areas this cannot be verified at
the current time.
Table 1.5.5.3.2
List of VME elements known to occur in the NAFO and NEAFC Regulatory Areas (table
modified from NAFO SCS Doc 12/19, 2012).
Physical VME Indicator Elements
ICES/NEAFC
Examples from
Nomenclature
NEAFC RA
Isolated seamounts
Figure 1.5.5.3.2
Explanation
NAFO Nomenclature
Examples from NAFO
RA
Non-MAR
seamounts
Seamounts
Fogo Seamounts
(Division 3O, 4Vs)
Newfoundland
Seamounts (Division
3MN)
Corner Rise Seamounts
(Division 6GH)
New England
Seamounts (Division
6EF)
Steep-slopes and peaks
on mid-ocean ridges
Mid-Atlantic
Ridge
(Figure 1.5.5.3.1)
Steep ridges and
peaks support coral
gardens and other
VME species in
high density
Not present
Knolls
Hatton Bank,
Fangorn Bank
(within
Figure 1.5.5.3.3)
A typographic
feature that rises
less than 1000 m
from the seafloor
Knolls
Orphan Knoll (Division
3K)
Beothuk Knoll (Division
3 LMN)
Southeast Shoal Tail of
the Grand Bank
spawning grounds
(Division 3N)
Canyon-like features
Loury Canyon,
margin of
Edora’s Bank
(within
Figure 1.5.5.3.3)
A steep sided
‘catchment’ feature
not necessarily
associated with a
shelf, island or
bank margin
Canyons
Shelf-indenting canyon;
Tail of the Grand Bank
(Division 3N)
Canyons with head >400
m depth; South of
Flemish Cap and Tail of
the Grand Bank
(Division 3MN)
Canyons with heads
>200 m depth; Tail of
the Grand Bank
(Division 3O)
Steep flanks >6.4º
SE Rockall
(within
Figure 1.5.5.3.3)
from NAFO SCR
Doc 11/73
Steep flanks >6.4º
South and southeast of
Flemish Cap. (Division
3 LM)
ICES Advice 2013, Book 1
9
Description of VME elements within the NEAFC Regulatory Area
i.
The Mid-Atlantic Ridge as one contiguous VME element
The Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR) between Iceland and the Azores may be characterised as one contiguous VME element
with a complex topography, comprising the axial valley and flanks with hills and valleys of various depths and
configurations and including many steep and seamount-like structures. Due to the structural complexity, mapping of
individual VME elements has not been attempted. It is likely that most features shallower than 2000 m on the MAR are
potential VME elements, but it should be noted that much of the area has a covering of sediment. Some major fracture
zones occur where the ridge axis is broken and include deep east–west steep-walled canyon-like troughs. The major
double fracture is the Charlie-Gibbs Fracture zone at about 52˚N.
ii.
VME elements in the Rockall–Hatton area
The Rockall–Hatton area is a topographically complex area that has numerous VME elements within it, including
seamounts, banks, steep flanks, and knolls shallower than 2000 m. Several of these have been previously identified by
ICES as sites of VMEs, e.g. the upper section of Hatton Bank, Edora’s Bank, and several areas in the northwest and
southwest of Rockall Bank. NEAFC has closed bottom fisheries in these areas. However, there are additional areas that
ICES has identified as containing VME elements (Figure 1.5.5.3.3). The Fangorn Bank has a single longline bycatch
record of black coral; there are no other records of VME indicator species from these additional areas.
iii.
Isolated seamounts (with summit shallower than 2000 m)
Seamounts by definition rise 1000 m or more from the surrounding seafloor. Isolated seamounts are distributed
throughout the NEAFC RA (Table 1.5.5.3.3).
10
ICES Advice 2013, Book 1
Table 1.5.5.3.3
L ATITUDE
( DECIMAL )
36.4246
36.0525
36.4796
35.989
36.4723
36.3057
36.4544
36.4507
36.4875
36.328
36.9826
36.6708
37.0739
37.0222
37.0316
37.0182
37.0541
43.4153
43.4194
43.59
44.7278
44.7219
44.4216
44.5803
44.9656
44.0997
45.1114
43.994
44.5156
44.5443
45.0443
44.6221
52.4838
56.0755
52.5106
59.9183
54.9042
54.5966
57.8537
54.8042
55.42
43.5762
43.574
43.5941
44.5381
43.4113
43.0192
44.1213
44.6749
43.0233
43.3909
41.3219
41.3236
43.971
43.5406
45.0787
43.7909
44.6842
44.0691
44.1033
41.4425
42.4846
43.6296
42.5894
41.9835
44.5478
43.5319
42.8153
44.2914
Seamounts with summit shallower than 2000 m from the NEAFC area (from Morato et al., in
press).
L ONGITUDE
( DECIMAL )
-33.8668
-33.7383
-33.8358
-33.6681
-33.7754
-34.3175
-33.4795
-33.378
-34.0619
-33.9304
-34.8651
-38.0743
-35.5123
-35.1158
-35.1771
-35.0318
-35.3837
-32.2388
-37.6799
-38.672
-34.3646
-34.0554
-40.2322
-33.9406
-40.9232
-38.9873
-39.4312
-36.5227
-40.4651
-40.5186
-40.9905
-40.9294
-41.0124
-37.3454
-40.5756
-34.1654
-25.285
-25.4485
-26.5802
-22.2819
-30.3948
-22.4496
-22.3927
-22.4984
-25.2685
-26.7975
-24.7639
-22.1207
-24.3592
-25.0386
-14.1022
-20.1974
-20.173
-21.7314
-22.2267
-13.4134
-22.9436
-25.4386
-21.8688
-21.9925
-21.2099
-19.0334
-23.7155
-26.1673
-19.9793
-25.0516
-23.0083
-21.5212
-22.9451
ICES Advice 2013, Book 1
S UMMIT DEPTH
(M)
434
802
936
968
985
1011
1098
1106
1131
1229
1717
1774
1869
1958
1968
1972
1986
895
943
1058
1240
1379
1491
1607
1729
1798
1855
1861
1885
1904
1940
1951
1558
1754
1823
1962
1533
1645
1681
1724
1842
958
961
993
1098
1124
1226
1231
1234
1297
1316
1407
1407
1529
1588
1682
1714
1747
1750
1798
1801
1801
1823
1859
1872
1888
1915
1981
1983
H EIGHT
(M)
2036
1355
1507
1111
1483
1263
1281
1253
921
1342
984
1637
1110
1063
1095
970
1022
2601
2926
3194
2228
1716
2736
1612
2187
2321
2077
2084
2157
2108
1912
2216
1980
961
1714
976
1478
1081
1108
1623
1127
1952
2033
1971
1780
1942
2214
2169
1742
2072
3715
1947
1993
1832
1620
2506
1562
1150
1462
1330
1713
2425
1256
1479
2052
941
1052
1371
1747
B ASAL AREA
( KM 2 )
934
981
1111
1099
867
1119
783
841
449
488
1145
1088
914
792
878
560
688
841
1147
1413
1263
877
1584
999
1504
1161
1328
1074
1504
1408
1600
1252
1130
784
1372
698
1137
1264
883
1036
969
1568
1568
1600
1600
652
716
936
1274
979
988
1291
1303
1408
1472
1382
1317
1207
1363
965
1297
1520
1335
1029
1327
779
724
1365
1206
11
43.3793
41.5813
42.6668
36.7903
36.6345
36.8565
36.7007
36.669
37.0303
36.2319
36.304
36.6783
36.5771
37.5095
37.3402
37.4694
-25.7231
-20.0606
-21.1705
-14.3063
-14.2357
-14.4412
-14.2756
-14.2468
-13.8794
-14.5563
-14.5609
-13.9654
-14.9466
-13.9323
-14.5041
-14.137
1985
1997
1999
120
153
162
188
192
846
925
1000
1197
1213
1335
1356
1456
1048
1535
1532
1714
2251
1593
1915
2081
1830
2287
2026
2192
1263
2393
1567
1721
997
1309
1360
1328
1270
1600
1552
1221
1520
1199
1268
538
1424
1269
1477
1107
iv. Knolls
Knolls are topographic features that rise less than 1000 m from the surrounding seafloor. The resolution of standard
regional-scale bathymetric data does not allow a comprehensive analysis of this class of VME element.
v.
Canyon-like features
Most canyons in the ICES area are found along the European continental margins and there appears to be very few in
the NEAFC RA that are not part of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge or Rockall–Hatton area.
vi.
Steep flanks and slopes
Using bathymetric data, NAFO has classified areas of 6.4° or steeper slopes as VME elements (Murillo et al., 2011).
However, existing regional-scale bathymetric data are not resolved to a fine enough scale to make a comprehensive
analysis of this class of VME element.
3) Hydrothermal vents
In the NEAFC RA, hydrothermal vents occur on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. While some have been visually surveyed and
studied, some remain unconfirmed and are inferred based on chemical plume detections in the overlying water column.
Three vent fields in the NEAFC RA are located southwest of the Azores, one lies north of the Azores, and one lies
south of Iceland on the Reykjanes Ridge (Figure 1.5.5.3.4 and Table 1.5.5.3.4). Only the vent on the Reykjanes Ridge is
at a depth shallower than 2000 m.
Table 1.5.5.3.4
Positions of known or inferred hydrothermal vents in the NEAFC RA.
A REA
V ENT NAME
L ONGITUDE ( DECIMAL )
Rainbow
L ATITUDE
( DECIMAL
36.21667
SW Azores
SW Azores
AMAR
36.3833
-33.65
SW Azores
S AMAR 1
36.083
-34.083
North Azores
Moytirra
45.4833
-27.85
Reyjkanes Ridge
Reykjanes Ridge, Area A
62.45
-25.433
-33.9
Measures to protect hydrothermal vents
In 2010, a workshop sponsored by the International Seabed Authority (ISA) was held to formulate general guidelines
for the conservation of vent and seep ecosystems at regional and global scales. A number of anthropogenic pressures
arising from indirect commercial activities, such as shipping, cable laying, and waste disposal may impact upon seeps
and vents. The most severe threats to natural ecosystem structure and function at vents and seeps were considered to be
the extractive industries (minerals, hydrocarbons) and bottom trawl fisheries (International Seabed Authority, 2011).
12
ICES Advice 2013, Book 1
Sources
ICES 2013. Report of the ICES/NAFO Joint Working Group on Deep-water Ecology (WGDEC). ICES CM
2013/ACOM: 28.
International Seabed Authority. 2011. Environmental Management of Deep-Sea Chemosynthetic Ecosystems:
Justification of and Considerations for a Spatially Based Approach. Available online at:
http://www.isa.org.jm/files/documents/EN/Pubs/TS9/index.html (accessed May 2013).
Morato, T., Kvile, K. Ø., Taranto, G. H., Tempera, F., Narayanaswamy, B. E.,. Hebbeln, D., Menezes, G., Wienberg,
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