1. The importance of the deep-sea environment

The largest and least explored environment on the planet is the deep sea. Scientists frequently explain that we know more about the moon than the depths of our own oceans – but what we do know is astounding. The deep-sea zone begins around 200 metres (650 feet) down, where most light cannot penetrate, and ends at the bottom of the ocean, an average depth of 4,000 metres (over 2 miles). This zone is home to coral reefs as much as 8,500 years old, sharks, and fish unchanged since the age of the dinosaurs, and many organisms that potentially hold new treatments for cancer, arthritis, and other diseases. Scientists estimate there are at least 750,000 undiscovered marine species worldwide, most of which are in the deep sea.

2. The impact of fishing on deep-sea ecosystems

Destructive fishing gear combined with the high vulnerability of deep-sea species means that deep-sea fishing is tantamount to mining: the resource is extracted at a heavy environmental price (PDF) and, once removed, is gone forever. In the worst case, deep-sea bottom trawlers scour the sea floor with giant nets, grinding away important bottom habitats while indiscriminately catching everything in their path. A study published in 2009 found that deep-sea trawling off the coast of Ireland is likely to have caused an average 70 percent decline in the abundance of deep-sea species up to a depth of 1,500 metres (almost 5,000 feet). Additionally, declines in fish abundance were observed as far down as 2,500 metres, indicating that the impacts of deep-sea fishing even extend below the level at which actual fishing occurs.

3. Deep-sea fish are more vulnerable

Deep-sea fish have evolved a unique suite of biological characteristics to adapt to their otherwise inhospitable environment and, as a result, are more vulnerable to fishing pressure than shallow-water species. Most deep-sea fish are slow growing, long-lived and reproduce late in life; some species are known to live 150 years or more. Many species of commercial interest tend to aggregate for feeding and spawning around the peaks of seamounts. This behaviour makes them easy targets for sophisticated fishing technology and prone to rapid depletion and overfishing (PDF).

4. The EU’s deep-sea fish catch

In 2010, the European Union reported a catch of over 45,000 tonnes of deep-sea fish in the northeast Atlantic. This figure, however, is likely to be lower than the actual EU catch. The EU only keeps statistics on 46 deep-sea species, yet some 70 species are caught in deep-sea fisheries in the northeast Atlantic. The EU catch represented 75 percent of the total catch of these 46 deep-sea species by all countries combined in the northeast Atlantic that year. The value of this catch was approximately €101 million, about 1.3 percent of the total EU landings for all fisheries.

5. EU countries catching the most

In 2010, 10 EU countries reported catching deep-sea species in the northeast Atlantic, but three countries alone accounted for 89 percent of the total EU catch: Spain, France, and Portugal.

6. The key species

In 2008, catches by EU fleets of just five deep-sea species yielded 68 percent of total revenue for the deep-sea fishing industry. Wreckfish alone accounted for over one fifth of the value of deep-sea fisheries, while black scabbardfish, European conger, and red seabream each constituted another 10–13 percent. The value of roundnose grenadier was 15 percent of the total.

7. The status of deep-sea stocks

Many techniques that would be used to study shallow-water fishes cannot be applied to deep-water species. Consequently, the information necessary to perform reliable stock assessments is unavailable (PDF). In other words, scientists cannot predict how many fish can be sustainably removed from our deep oceans. Further, the basic catch data that fishermen provide to scientists is often unreliable. Scientific authorities have noted that there are serious problems (PDF) of misreporting and non-reporting of the real catch. And yet, even this data indicates we should greatly reduce the level of deep-sea fishing. According to the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea – the main scientific advisory body for fisheries in the northeast Atlantic – the available information indicates that all deep-sea species are fished “outside safe biological limits”.

8. The EU’s commitments regarding deep-sea fisheries

The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has repeatedly debated the need to protect biodiversity in the deep sea from the harmful impacts of deep-sea fishing. As a result, it adopted two resolutions in 2006 and 2009 that commit all nations conducting deep-sea fishing on the high seas to prevent significant adverse impacts on vulnerable deep-sea species and ecosystems. The EU responded to these resolutions by committing to expeditiously implement them within its own waters as well as in international waters where it fishes – such as those of the North Atlantic. Although, the EU has proposed or supported closing a number of high seas areas with vulnerable deep-sea corals, and adopted a number of deep-sea area closures to bottom fishing within EU waters, it has yet to fulfill its United Nations commitment to manage all deep sea fisheries sustainably.

9. EU regulation of deep-sea fisheries

The EU first introduced measures for vessels targeting deep-water species in 2003. Since then, fishing for certain deep-water species has been regulated in two ways: by limiting the catch; and by limiting the capacity of vessels that target deep-water species. The measures currently in place have been far from effective in safeguarding our oceans from the adverse impacts of deep-sea fishing. Catch limits have only been set for 25 of the 46 deep-water species the EU monitors, and for the main target species such as grenadiers and black scabbardfish even these limits are often set too high. Most deep-water fisheries, in particular the deep-water bottom trawl fisheries, catch a broad mixture of species, so the catching of nontarget species is unavoidable, including endangered species of deep-sea sharks, even though there is a zero quota for most species of deep-sea sharks. The practice of ‘discarding’ – throwing away less desirable fish or the fish for which the quota has been reached – is widespread and frequently occurs in deep-sea fisheries (PDF), with up to 50 percent or more of the catch being wastefully discarded16. Additionally, an abundance of evidence points to rampant misreporting or non-reporting of catches. Without accurate catch data, scientists and managers cannot manage these fisheries effectively.

10. What needs to be done?

The EU agreed at the United Nations to prohibit deep-sea fishing until these fisheries are managed to “ensure the long-term sustainability of deep-sea fish stocks and non-target species”. Consistent with its obligations under international law, the EU needs to honour its commitment to safeguard the deep ocean. Accordingly, the European Commission, the Council of Fisheries Ministers, and the European Parliament must act to accomplish this through a sweeping reform of the EU’s Deep-Sea Access Regime. The Pew Environment Group is calling for the following elements to be incorporated into a new deep-sea access regime:

• management consistent with scientific advice;
• full regulation of EU deep-sea fishing operations;
• prior environmental impact assessments;
• full observer coverage; and
• clear penalties for non-compliant Member States.

For further information please contact Elsa Lee: ELee@pewtrusts.org