The Working Group on Deep-water Ecology (WGDEC) deals with the biology and conservation of deep-sea habitats in the North Atlantic. Working Group experts collate new information on the distribution of Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs) and fishing activities within ICES ecoregions (including the NEAFC Convention Area) and the NAFO Convention Area for use in ICES advisory processes. This information assists the development of new methods to improve the understanding of deep-sea ecosystems and informs the implementation of management tools to afford the protection of VMEs.
The working group met to review new information on the occurrence and distribution of VMEs, VME indicator taxa and VME elements that were submitted in response to the ICES VME data call in January 2024. This includes new data from the NEAFC Convention Area, as well as sub-areas of the Regulatory Area that are closed to fishing for other purposes than VME protection. WGDEC also reports on new information on the occurrence and distribution of VMEs within European Union (EU) waters, in relation to the EU Deep-Sea Access Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2016/2336), and in line with the EU request to ICES in 2023.
New data on VMEs is available from areas within Celtic Seas and Barents Sea ecoregions. A total of 1038 presence records and 32 absence (non-detection) records were accepted into the ICES VME database. In 2024, no new VME habitat records and a total of nine new sponge VME indi-cator records for the NEAFC Regulatory Area portion of the Barents Sea ecoregion (RA3) were submitted to ICES VME database. No VME records were reported from other NEAFC areas in 2024. New VMS data was analysed by the Working Group on Spatial Fisheries Data (WGSFD), and outputs were used by WGDEC to assess whether fishing activity occurred in the vicinity of VMEs in the NEAFC Convention Area. A total of 80 new VME occurrence records and 30 ab-sences were reported within the 400-800 m depth zone of EU waters of the Celtic Sea ecoregion.
A further objective of the 2024 WGDEC meeting was to conduct a review of historical records to address data inconsistencies and spatial errors of holdings included in the ICES VME Database. Data inconsistencies require a robust quality control procedure and can be prevented by the con-tinued and correct use of data call templates. The database was subjected to consistency checks and records that may warrant further investigation were flagged. The process of engaging with data submitters to check selected records is currently underway.
The Working Group was presented with an overview of the life history, connectivity and ecology of certain VME indicator taxa to identify research priorities and to progress a future incorpora-tion of connectivity processes (biological, ecological and oceanographic) in the management of fishing activities and spatial planning in the Northeast Atlantic.
Finally, WGDEC formulated recommendations to begin the preparatory scope for dedicated workshops to address known limitations of the VME Index and the incorporation of species dis-tribution models into the ICES VME advice framework; and to review the impact of different fishing gears on VMEs and their effects on deepwater ecosystems.