区域渔业管理组织/安排(RFMO/As)对国家管辖范围以外地区的深海渔业进行管理,需要确定脆弱海洋生态系统(VME)的区域。目前,渔业数据,包括拖网和延绳钓副渔获数据,许多区域渔业管理组织/安排使用这些信息来识别脆弱海洋生态系统。然而,此类数据的收集会产生影响,并且需要收集非侵入性数据以进行VME识别和监测。来自科学调查的图像数据满足了这一要求,但是目前还没有从图像中识别VME的既定框架。因此,本研究的目的是召集一个大型国际团队,以确定当前的VME评估方案,并建立初步的全球共识指南,以从图像中识别VME.初步评估显示,RFMO/A区域之间在被视为VME指标分类单元方面缺乏一致性,因此,如何定义VME的可变性。在某些情况下,专家们一致认为,可以从一张图片中识别出VME,最常见的是在巩膜珊瑚礁地区,密集的八珊瑚花园,多个VME物种共同出现,和化学合成生态系统。提出了一个决策流程图,该流程图对单个图像的粮农组织标准进行了实际解释。为了进一步评估与密度相关的流程图的步骤,收集数据以评估科学家是否认为不同地区的密度阈值相似.观察到的密度范围和被认为是VME的密度值因分类单元而异,但在很多情况下,与未被视为VME的图像相比,专家认为是VME的图像存在统计学差异.需要进一步的工作来开发面积指数,包括信心的衡量标准,并增加我们对密度和多样性水平与VME指示类群的关键生态系统功能相对应的理解。根据我们的结果,提出以下建议:1。有必要就哪些分类单元是VME指标建立全球共识。2.区域渔业管理组织/安排应考虑采用使用图像调查的准则,以替代(或补充)使用兼捕和拖网调查来指定脆弱海洋生态系统。3.影响评估中也应包括图像调查。还有4.所有影响海底的行业,不仅仅是渔业,应使用图像调查来检测和识别脆弱海洋生态系统。
Management of deep-sea
fisheries in areas beyond national jurisdiction by Regional
Fisheries Management Organizations/Arrangements (RFMO/As) requires identification of areas with Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs). Currently, fisheries data, including trawl and longline bycatch data, are used by many RFMO/As to inform the identification of VMEs. However, the collection of such data creates impacts and there is a need to collect non-invasive data for VME identification and monitoring purposes. Imagery data from scientific surveys satisfies this requirement, but there currently is no established framework for identifying VMEs from images. Thus, the goal of this study was to bring together a large international team to determine current VME assessment protocols and establish preliminary global
consensus guidelines for identifying VMEs from images. An initial assessment showed a lack of consistency among RFMO/A regions regarding what is considered a VME indicator taxon, and hence variability in how VMEs might be defined. In certain cases, experts agreed that a VME could be identified from a single image, most often in areas of scleractinian reefs, dense octocoral gardens, multiple VME species\' co-occurrence, and chemosynthetic ecosystems. A decision flow chart is presented that gives practical interpretation of the FAO criteria for single images. To further evaluate steps of the flow chart related to density, data were compiled to assess whether scientists perceived similar density thresholds across regions. The range of observed densities and the density values considered to be VMEs varied considerably by taxon, but in many cases, there was a statistical difference in what experts considered to be a VME compared to images not considered a VME. Further work is required to develop an areal extent index, to include a measure of confidence, and to increase our understanding of what levels of density and diversity correspond to key ecosystem functions for VME indicator taxa. Based on our results, the following recommendations are made: 1. There is a need to establish a global
consensus on which taxa are VME indicators. 2. RFMO/As should consider adopting
guidelines that use imagery surveys as an alternative (or complement) to using bycatch and trawl surveys for designating VMEs. 3. Imagery surveys should also be included in Impact Assessments. And 4. All industries that impact the seafloor, not just fisheries, should use imagery surveys to detect and identify VMEs.