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Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat
Research Document - 2006/057
Impacts of Mobile Bottom Gears on Seafloor Habitats, Species, and Communities: A
Review and Synthesis of Selected International Reviews
By Rice, J.
Abstract
Since 2000, five major reviews of the impacts of mobile bottom-contacting
fishing gears on benthic species, communities, and habitats have been conducted
by international or independent science-based organizations. The bodies are the
International Council for Exploration of the Seas, The US National Academy of
Sciences, the National Marine Fisheries Service, the United Nations Food and
Agriculture Organization, and the American Fisheries Society.
This paper first summarizes the mandate and approach taken in each separate
review, and tabulated the conclusions and recommendations of each review
separately. These review-specific conclusions are evaluated in terms of any
qualifications placed on them in the original report, and their potential
relevance for Canadian fisheries. Next the paper cross-tabulates similar
conclusions and recommendations across the five source documents, looking for
generalities across studies but paying special attention to contradictory
conclusions across sources, and qualifications proposed by any one source which
have relevance for similar conclusions drawn from other sources.
From this cross-tabulation, 27 specific general conclusions and recommendations
are extracted in the final section of this document. These are partitioned into
conclusions about effects of mobile bottom-contacting gears on physical features
of the seafloor, effects of such gears on benthic species and communities,
considerations in the application of adoption of mitigation measures, and
recommendations for management of mobile bottom-contacting gears. Within each
group, conclusions or recommendations are ordered by the strength and breadth of
support across the five studies that were reviewed. The results of this
evaluation of international studies and reviews need to be combined with the
findings of Canadian studies, to provide a science basis for policy and
management of these gears in Canada.
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