scholarly journals Combined Abundance of All Vulnerable Marine Ecosystem Indicator Taxa Inadequate as Sole Determiner of Vulnerability, Antarctic Peninsula

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susanne J. Lockhart ◽  
John Hocevar
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Southern Ocean ◽  
Fisheries Management ◽  
Cold Water ◽  
Benthic Communities ◽  
Marine Ecosystem ◽  
Precautionary Approach ◽  
Indicator Taxa ◽  
Vulnerable Communities ◽  
Antarctic Marine

In order to achieve conservation objectives and preserve the biodiversity of the Southern Ocean, a variety of ecosystems must be protected. This holds especially true for the benthic communities of this region that are characteristically mosaic in their spatial distributions. As such, disparate communities cannot be comprehensively assessed by a single blanket methodology. Herein, evidence appropriate to the diverse characteristics of the communities encountered during a submarine expedition demonstrates the particular vulnerability of four sites that exemplify VMEs as defined by the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) and the UN’s Fisheries and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Three sites are identified as VMEs based on highly significant abundances of indicator taxa. A fourth is identified based on a high density of cold-water coral taxa, many of which were not observed in abundance at the sites that were triggered as vulnerable by a significantly high abundance of all indicator taxa. The VME at this latter site was richly diverse in coral taxa, many of which are considered particularly vulnerable to climate change, as well as critical for their potential for genuine blue carbon sequestration. As of November, 2018, all four sites are now registered with CCAMLR as VMEs and thus, are afforded protection from all bottom fishing activities. However, if consideration isn’t given to the composition and/or diversity of VME indicator taxa present, in addition to overall abundance/density, some of the most vulnerable communities are left at risk. A blanket threshold for all VME taxa adhered to in fisheries management of the Southern Ocean, and other high seas areas, is grossly insufficient. Without taking a more precautionary approach to identifying and protecting VMEs, CCAMLR will not be able to meet its conservation objectives and may even be putting Antarctic fisheries at risk.

CCAMLR’s precautionary approach to management focusing on Ross Sea toothfish fishery

2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 333-340 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stuart Hanchet ◽  
Keith Sainsbury ◽  
Doug Butterworth ◽  
Chris Darby ◽  
Viacheslav Bizikov ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fisheries Management ◽  
Management System ◽  
Ross Sea ◽  
Stock Assessment ◽  
Precautionary Approach ◽  
Adaptive Feedback ◽  
Stock Biomass ◽  
Stock Assessments ◽  
Antarctic Marine ◽  
Spawning Stock

AbstractSeveral recent papers have criticized the scientific robustness of the fisheries management system used by the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), including that for Ross Sea toothfish. Here we present a response from the wider CCAMLR community to address concerns and to correct some apparent misconceptions about how CCAMLR acts to promote conservation whilst allowing safe exploitation in all of its fisheries. A key aspect of CCAMLR’s approach is its adaptive feedback nature; regular monitoring and analysis allows for adjustments to be made, as necessary, to provide a robust management system despite the statistical uncertainties inherent in any single assessment. Within the Ross Sea, application of CCAMLR’s precautionary approach has allowed the toothfish fishery to develop in a steady fashion with an associated accumulation of data and greater scientific understanding. Regular stock assessments of the fishery have been carried out since 2005, and the 2013 stock assessment estimated current spawning stock biomass to be at 75% of the pre-exploitation level. There will always be additional uncertainties which need to be addressed, but where information is lacking the CCAMLR approach to management ensures exploitation rates are at a level commensurate with a precautionary approach.

scholarly journals Distribution of Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems at the South Sandwich Islands: Results From the Blue Belt Discovery Expedition 99 Deep-Water Camera Surveys

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna-Leena Downie ◽  
Rui P. Vieira ◽  
Oliver T. Hogg ◽  
Chris Darby
Keyword(s):  
Marine Protected Area ◽  
Benthic Communities ◽  
Marine Ecosystem ◽  
Latitudinal Gradients ◽  
The South ◽  
Indicator Taxa ◽  
Scotia Sea ◽  
Benthic Environment ◽  
South Sandwich Islands ◽  
A Chain

The South Sandwich Islands (SSI) are a chain of volcanic islands located to the east of the Scotia Sea, approximately 700 km south-east of South Georgia. To date, knowledge of the SSI benthic environment remains limited. In this context, the Blue Belt Programme conducted a scientific survey in the SSI Marine Protected Area (MPA) during February/March 2019 to examine the biodiversity and distribution of benthic communities and their potential vulnerability to licensed longline research fisheries. Here we report results from analysis of multibeam echosounder (MBES) data and drop camera imagery data collected in selected locations around the SSI. A total of eight vulnerable marine ecosystem (VME) indicator morphotaxa were mapped along the slopes of the SSI, showing a substantial variation in taxon composition and frequency of occurrence, both along bathymetric and latitudinal gradients. Our results suggest that VME indicator taxa are mostly restricted to waters shallower than 700 m. As such, based on our present understanding of the region’s benthic environment the MPA, as currently established, offers effective protection for the majority of the VME indicator taxa.

scholarly journals Detection of Ecological Thresholds and Selection of Indicator Taxa for Epibenthic Communities Exposed to Multiple Pressures

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laurie Isabel ◽  
David Beauchesne ◽  
Chris McKindsey ◽  
Philippe Archambault
Keyword(s):  
Benthic Communities ◽  
Marine Ecosystem ◽  
Anthropogenic Pressures ◽  
Eastern Canada ◽  
Management Tools ◽  
Indicator Taxa ◽  
Multiple Pressures ◽  
Concentration Threshold ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Epibenthic Communities

The estuary and the Gulf of St. Lawrence (EGSL), eastern Canada form a vast inland sea that is subjected to numerous anthropogenic pressures. Management tools are needed to detect and quantify their effect on benthic communities. The aims of this study are to analyze the spatial distribution of epibenthic communities in the EGSL and quantify the impact of important pressures on them to identify indicator taxa. Epibenthic communities were sampled at 1314 EGSL sites between 2011 and 2018 by bottom trawling. Cluster analyses revealed the presence of six distinct epibenthic communities that seem to be strongly influenced by oxygen concentration. Threshold analyses confirm that oxygen is an important predictor of epibenthic community composition and distribution. A major oxygen threshold is observed around 50–100 μmol O2 L–1, resulting in a shift of community type. At these concentrations and below, opportunistic taxa dominate the community while sensitive taxa are absent or present at very low abundance. Biomass of the latter only starts to increase when oxygen concentrations reach 150 μmol O2 L–1. The species Actinostola callosa, Actinauge cristata, Ctenodiscus crispatus, and Brisaster fragilis were identified as good indicators for detecting this impact threshold forepibenthic communities. This study provides threshold-based indicator species that help to establish and monitor the ecological state of epibenthic communities in a marine ecosystem exposed to multiple pressures.

scholarly journals European initiatives for Antarctic collaboration

1992 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 369-369
Author(s):  
G. Hempel
Keyword(s):  
Southern Ocean ◽  
Marine Ecosystem ◽  
Production Rates ◽  
Ocean Productivity ◽  
Antarctic Marine ◽  
The Future ◽  
One Year ◽  
The Antarctic ◽  
Future Management

One year ago, at the Bremerhaven Colloquium, we celebrated the end of BIOMASS. Its primary and inspiring goal had been to reach a “deeper understanding” of the structure and functioning of the Antarctic Marine Ecosystem as a basis for the future management of potential living resources. Fifteen years of intense studies in the Southern Ocean have produced a great wealth of information and some increase in understanding. We are now far more cautious before making sweeping statements on Southern Ocean productivity. We doubt that the question, “How much krill is in the Southern Ocean?” can ever be answered. Instead, we think in terms of regional stocks and of their production rates; we are interested in the fluxes between the compartments of the ecosystem and we consider variability more important than averages and steady rates.

A MODEL FOR MOBILE SOCIAL WORK WITH FAMILIES AT RISK

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (6) ◽  
pp. 2067-2073
Author(s):  
Iliyan Rizov
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Vulnerable Communities ◽  
Specific Activities

The report presents a model for mobile social work with families, which develops in Roma communities (Varna Municipality and Aksakovo Municipality) for 10 years. This model seeks to resolve the problem about inefficiency of institutions in their work to reduce the number of abandoned children and to increase child well-being in vulnerable communities. There are presented specific activities and results, what show a way of support of the process for deinstitutionalization of childcare.

The summer diet of demersal fish at the South Shetland Islands

1997 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 407-413 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masanori Takahashi ◽  
Tetsuo Iwami
Keyword(s):  
Marine Ecosystem ◽  
Stomach Contents ◽  
Demersal Fish ◽  
South Shetland Islands ◽  
Fish Prey ◽  
Shetland Islands ◽  
Antarctic Marine ◽  
Dietary Component ◽  
Gobionotothen Gibberifrons ◽  
The Antarctic

The stomach contents of demersal fish in late January 1982 were analysed. Samples were taken at 100, 300 and 500 m depth south of Elephant Island, Bransfield Strait and north of Livingston Island, and at 800 m to the east of Smith Island. Fifty four taxa of fish belonging to 11 families were collected. The diets of 2101 fish representing 38 taxa were examined. These were classified into three categories, fish feeders, krill feeders and benthos feeders. Fish prey species fed on krill and/or benthos. Krill was a major dietary component for 32 (84.2%) out of 38 taxa. Gobionotothen gibberifrons was distributed at all 10 stations (100–800 m in depth) and its diet comprised krill and benthos. The present findings verify the importance of krill in the Antarctic marine ecosystem and indicate that krill is consumed by benthic fish at greater depths than previously reported.

The Southern Ocean benthic fauna and climate change: a historical perspective

1992 ◽  
Vol 338 (1285) ◽  
pp. 299-309 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Global Warming ◽  
Southern Ocean ◽  
Environmental Change ◽  
Benthic Communities ◽  
Benthic Fauna ◽  
Marine Fauna ◽  
Short Term Change ◽  
Term Change ◽  
Continental Ice Sheets

Environmental change is the norm and it is likely that, particularly on the geological timescale, the temperature regime experienced by marine organisms has never been stable. These temperature changes vary in timescale from daily, through seasonal variations, to long-term environmental change over tens of millions of years. Whereas physiological work can give information on how individual organisms may react phenotypically to short-term change, the way benthic communities react to long-term change can only be studied from the fossil record. The present benthic marine fauna of the Southern Ocean is rich and diverse, consisting of a mixture of taxa with differing evolutionary histories and biogeographical affinities, suggesting that at no time in the Cenozoic did continental ice sheets extend sufficiently to eradicate all shallow-water faunas around Antarctica at the same time. Nevertheless, certain features do suggest the operation of vicariant processes, and climatic cycles affecting distributional ranges and ice-sheet extension may both have enhanced speciation processes. The overall cooling of southern high-latitude seas since the mid-Eocene has been neither smooth nor steady. Intermittent periods of global warming and the influence of Milankovitch cyclicity is likely to have led to regular pulses of migration in and out of Antarctica. The resultant diversity pump may explain in part the high species richness of some marine taxa in the Southern Ocean. It is difficult to suggest how the existing fauna will react to present global warming. Although it is certain the fauna will change, as all faunas have done throughout evolutionary time, we cannot predict with confidence how it will do so.

MPAs in the Southern Ocean under CCAMLR

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 84-107
Author(s):  
Karen N. Scott
Keyword(s):  
Southern Ocean ◽  
Protected Area ◽  
Marine Protected Area ◽  
Ross Sea ◽  
Coastal Areas ◽  
Antarctic Marine ◽  
National Jurisdiction

Abstract In 2016, the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) designated the largest marine protected area (MPA) in the Ross Sea. Hailed as both a precedent and a prototype for MPAs in both Antarctica and in areas beyond national jurisdiction more generally, it is nevertheless proving challenging to implement. Moreover, further MPAs have yet to be designated in the region although a number are under negotiation. This article will evaluate the contribution made by CCAMLR to the implementation of SDG 14.5 (the conservation of at least 20 per cent of marine and coastal areas by 2020), its relationship to area-based protection under the 1991 Environmental Protocol, and highlight the challenges of establishing MPAs beyond the jurisdiction of states.

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