Integrating Seafloor Mapping & Benthic Integrating Seafloor Mapping & Benthic Ecology into Fisheries Management in the Ecology into Fisheries Management in the

Gulf of MaineGulf of Maine

April 15April 15thth Breakout Group Summary Breakout Group Summary

Group 2—Conference Rm.Jonathan Grabowski

Mark Anderson Michelle Bachman

Peter Colosi Matt NixonBrian Todd Larry Ward

Steven Fromm Chad Demarest

Summary of fisheries management needs Summary of fisheries management needs for seafloor geophysical & habitat for seafloor geophysical & habitat

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Top Priorities:Top Priorities:

1. Building better political will1. Building better political willInvolve the industryInvolve the industryUtilize new opportunities Utilize new opportunities

e.g., offshore wind, LNG, oil e.g., offshore wind, LNG, oil exploration, etc. exploration, etc.

Summary of fisheries management needs Summary of fisheries management needs for seafloor geophysical & habitat for seafloor geophysical & habitat

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2. Enhance coordination 2. Enhance coordination between govt agencies, between govt agencies, council and stakeholderscouncil and stakeholders

Summary of fisheries management needs Summary of fisheries management needs for seafloor geophysical & habitat for seafloor geophysical & habitat

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With a better articulation of With a better articulation of what we need we could be what we need we could be more proactive in collecting more proactive in collecting

the bottom habitat and other the bottom habitat and other important data layers so that important data layers so that

we aren’t just focusing on we aren’t just focusing on habitat impacts but also habitat impacts but also

thinking about fish thinking about fish production, etc. production, etc.

Summary of fisheries management needs Summary of fisheries management needs for seafloor geophsyical & habitat for seafloor geophsyical & habitat

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3. Map of the entire Gulf of 3. Map of the entire Gulf of Maine Maine

Would the high quality habitat Would the high quality habitat information serve the information serve the population dynamics/stock population dynamics/stock assessment groups?assessment groups? Can’t achieve level 4 EFH Can’t achieve level 4 EFH without knowledge of existing without knowledge of existing habitathabitat

Summary of fisheries management needs Summary of fisheries management needs for seafloor geophysical & habitat for seafloor geophysical & habitat

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3. Map of the entire Gulf of 3. Map of the entire Gulf of Maine Maine

examples exist from examples exist from nearshore & inshore fisheries, nearshore & inshore fisheries, but we are a long ways from but we are a long ways from achieving this for offshore achieving this for offshore speciesspecies

More realistic approach:More realistic approach:

Identify hotspots to be groundtruthed and Identify hotspots to be groundtruthed and model remaining areasmodel remaining areas Be careful about introducing biasBe careful about introducing bias

Final ThoughtFinal Thought

Spatial resolution of the fishing Spatial resolution of the fishing effort and oceanographic data effort and oceanographic data serving to quantify natural serving to quantify natural disturbance far outstrips what we disturbance far outstrips what we have for habitat maps; don’t have have for habitat maps; don’t have the resolution of seafloor maps the resolution of seafloor maps that we now have for the other that we now have for the other data inputsdata inputs

Group 1 Discussion Notes taken by Tracy Hart (rotating Group 1 Discussion Notes taken by Tracy Hart (rotating facilitator):facilitator):

(~1/2 hour of the discussion)(~1/2 hour of the discussion) High-resolution habitat maps can help achieve effort reductions. Less time/area fished equals less habitat disturbance. Ex. High-resolution habitat maps can help achieve effort reductions. Less time/area fished equals less habitat disturbance. Ex. In Canada. Improved fishing industry knowledge of target habitats led to large effort reductions and less habitat damage In Canada. Improved fishing industry knowledge of target habitats led to large effort reductions and less habitat damage with the same catch levels (controlled by Total Allowable Catch).with the same catch levels (controlled by Total Allowable Catch).

Use of closure areas is troubling b/c they target important fishing bottoms, but this is where you want people to fish. Not Use of closure areas is troubling b/c they target important fishing bottoms, but this is where you want people to fish. Not in sub-optimal habitat. in sub-optimal habitat.

But what if fishing bottoms overlap with important spawning, juvenile areas? But what if fishing bottoms overlap with important spawning, juvenile areas? And on Georges Bank, haddock came back in the closed areaAnd on Georges Bank, haddock came back in the closed area Primary limitation is political will in the U.S. Need enhanced dialog. In Europe multibeamed the whole area, now AUV’ing Primary limitation is political will in the U.S. Need enhanced dialog. In Europe multibeamed the whole area, now AUV’ing

to 1 cm resolution. In Canada multibeamed all but deepest areas. to 1 cm resolution. In Canada multibeamed all but deepest areas. Use political momentum of energy movement (LNG’s Cape Wind, etc.)Use political momentum of energy movement (LNG’s Cape Wind, etc.) Map of naturally disturbed areas that won’t be good for fishing. Flow and resistance of bottom. Map of naturally disturbed areas that won’t be good for fishing. Flow and resistance of bottom. Need fish productivity information.Need fish productivity information. Need maps of physiographic factors, e.g. a tonal map colored blue to red. Tell fishermen don’t fish in blue areas—not Need maps of physiographic factors, e.g. a tonal map colored blue to red. Tell fishermen don’t fish in blue areas—not

prime habitat/potential for gear damage, etc.prime habitat/potential for gear damage, etc. The problem is covering the size of the area in the Gulf of Maine. Therefore need proxies. This is what Vladimir Kostylev’s The problem is covering the size of the area in the Gulf of Maine. Therefore need proxies. This is what Vladimir Kostylev’s

model is searching for. model is searching for. Do deep first, then get to shallow areas. With a complete multibeam map you won’t believe what you can do with itDo deep first, then get to shallow areas. With a complete multibeam map you won’t believe what you can do with it Next best thing: Map hotspots. Next best thing: Map hotspots. Take fine scale studies and build a synoptic view of the whole area.Take fine scale studies and build a synoptic view of the whole area. Multibeam data and stocks are managed on large scaleMultibeam data and stocks are managed on large scale Broad scale=Vlad’s approach. Multibeam survey of whole area. Then AUV or sidescan MOSAIC. Then video/photos/grabsBroad scale=Vlad’s approach. Multibeam survey of whole area. Then AUV or sidescan MOSAIC. Then video/photos/grabs There is a lot of information on the Gulf of Maine but not a lot of spatially explicit informationThere is a lot of information on the Gulf of Maine but not a lot of spatially explicit information Takes money. Until there is polictical will and money, need proxies, i.e. Vlad approach. Takes money. Until there is polictical will and money, need proxies, i.e. Vlad approach.

Tracy’s Notes From Presentation:Tracy’s Notes From Presentation: Need to build better political will. Used scallop industry to fund and participate in mapping of scallop areas in Canada. Need to build better political will. Used scallop industry to fund and participate in mapping of scallop areas in Canada.

May not apply in U.S. Could use alternative energy opportunities?May not apply in U.S. Could use alternative energy opportunities? More coordination between entities. Could be more strategic instead of opportunistic about site selection for developmentMore coordination between entities. Could be more strategic instead of opportunistic about site selection for development Map of entire Gulf of Maine. In Canada, deep waters left would take 3 months to map. But probably never will bother. Map of entire Gulf of Maine. In Canada, deep waters left would take 3 months to map. But probably never will bother. Hard to integrate into stock assessment model if don’t even know about productivity, habitat. Examples exist from Hard to integrate into stock assessment model if don’t even know about productivity, habitat. Examples exist from

nearshore fisheries. nearshore fisheries. ID hotspots to be groundtruthed. Closed areas were chosen driven by the management not the biology. ID hotspots to be groundtruthed. Closed areas were chosen driven by the management not the biology. Resolution of fishing effort is much greater than what we have for habitat maps—will limit how we go forwardResolution of fishing effort is much greater than what we have for habitat maps—will limit how we go forward Olex—poor man’s multibeam. Good way of getting higher resolution info about seabed than topo maps will give you. Olex Olex—poor man’s multibeam. Good way of getting higher resolution info about seabed than topo maps will give you. Olex

cheaper and faster. Even with multibeam, layer in olex, then sidescan data, then groundtruth point samples. Gulf of maine cheaper and faster. Even with multibeam, layer in olex, then sidescan data, then groundtruth point samples. Gulf of maine coverage getting better and better. Way to get synoptic view of the gulf than is better than topographic. Data is from coverage getting better and better. Way to get synoptic view of the gulf than is better than topographic. Data is from fishing vessels. fishing vessels.

Steve Murawski at fine scale workshop. Stated that fishery dependent data may be more valuable than trawl survey data Steve Murawski at fine scale workshop. Stated that fishery dependent data may be more valuable than trawl survey data b/c of the volume of data. b/c of the volume of data.