Draft Fisheries Assessment – North-East Faroe-Shetland Channel NCMPA: Fisheries management measures within Scottish Offshore Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)

These assessments look at the fishing activity occurring within each offshore MPA and SAC and assess the potential impacts of this activity on the protected features within each site. This assessment is for North-East Faroe-Shetland Channel NCMPA


2. Part A assessment – fisheries screening

2.1 Fisheries screening overview

Part A of this assessment considers whether the fishing activity would be capable of affecting the protected features of a NCMPA or any ecological or geomorphological process on which the conservation of any protected feature is dependent. This section looks at the pressures exerted by the fishing activity occurring in the site (within the assessment period) in relation to the sensitivities of the protected features. Activities potentially capable of affecting the protected feature were identified where there was both a medium-high risk of a pressure arising from the fishing activity and if any of the features were considered sensitive to that pressure. These pressure-features interactions were then taken forward to the fisheries assessment stage (Part B) to determine whether the fishing activity in question would or might hinder the achievement of the conservation objectives.

For each activity assessed in Part A, there were two possible outcomes for each identified pressure-feature interaction:

  1. The pressure-feature interactions were not included for Part B:
    1. If the feature is not exposed to the pressure, and is not likely to be in the future; or
    2. If the effect/impact of the pressure is non-existent or insignificant.
  2. The pressure-feature interactions were included for assessment in Part B:
    1. If the feature is exposed to the pressure, or is likely to be in the future; and
    2. If the pressure is capable of affecting the feature; or
    3. If it is not possible to determine whether the pressure is capable of affecting the feature.

Part B of the assessment considers the potential for activities to affect the feature by assessing the impact of fishing gears identified in Part A. This involves determining the potential level of interaction between the feature and the fishing activity, assessing the potential impact on the feature, and subsequently if fishing activities would or might hinder the achievement of the conservation objectives for the site.

Consideration of exposure to and the effect of a pressure on a protected feature of the NCMPA includes the consideration of exposure to and the effect of that pressure on any ecological or geomorphological process on which the conservation of the protected feature is wholly or in part dependant.

The JNCC Conservation Advice package and Fisheries Management Options Paper has been used to inform this assessment. These are the most recent assessment package and options paper available. Where appropriate, this advice has been supplemented by information on pressures associated with fishing activity from the JNCC Marine Pressures-Activities Database (PAD) v1.5 2022 and the Feature Activity Sensitivity Tool (FeAST).

2.2 Activities taking place within North-East Faroe-Shetland Channel NCMPA

To screen out fishing activities that were not taking place within the site or likely to take part in the future, VMS data within North-East Faroe-Shetland Channel NCMPA from 2015 – 2019 were analysed to identify the gear types being used in the site and the aggregated gear method (Table 1). The fishing gears screened out at this stage were not taken forward to Part B of the assessment.

Table 1. Gear types recorded from the site based on VMS-linked point logbook data (UK vessels only) from 2015 – 2019.
Gear type Specialised gear type Gear code Aggregated gear method
Towed Bottom otter trawl OTB Demersal trawls
Towed (pelagic) Mid-water trawl (single) OTM Pelagic fishing

Although pelagic trawling fishing occurs within the site, this is not considered capable of affecting the protected features as this fishing activity does not have contact with the seabed and therefore not taken forward further in this assessment.

2.3 Potential pressures exerted by site fishing activities on protected features

The potential pressures that could be exerted by fishing activities considered capable of affecting the protected features (demersal trawls) were determined using information on activity-pressure relationships in the JNCC Marine Pressures-Activities Database (PAD) v1.5 2022. The potential pressures that could be exerted by demersal trawls are summarised in Table 2.

Table 2. Potential pressures from the JNCC Marine Pressures-Activities Database (PAD) v1.5 2022 and their risk profiling of pressures score, based on the general risk the pressures pose to the environment under normal conditions. Pressures are considered to pose medium/high risk (dark blue), low risk (light blue), or are not relevant to the activity (white).
PAD Pressure Demersal trawls
Abrasion/disturbance of the substrate on the surface of the seabed Medium-high
Barrier to species movement Not relevant
Changes in suspended solids (water clarity) Medium-high
Collision BELOW water with static or moving objects not naturally found in the marine environment (e.g., boats, machinery, and structures) Low
Deoxygenation Low
Hydrocarbon & PAH contamination. Includes those priority substances listed in Annex II of Directive 2008/105/EC. Low
Introduction of light Low
Introduction or spread of invasive non-indigenous species (INIS) Low
Litter Low
Nutrient enrichment Low
Organic enrichment Low
Penetration and/or disturbance of the substrate below the surface of the seabed, including abrasion Medium-high
Physical change (to another seabed type) Low
Physical change (to another sediment type) Low
Removal of non-target species Medium-high
Removal of target species Medium-high
Smothering and siltation rate changes (Light) Medium-high
Synthetic compound contamination (incl. pesticides, antifoulants, pharmaceuticals). Includes those priority substances listed in Annex II of Directive 2008/105/EC. Low
Transition elements & organo-metal (e.g. TBT) contamination. Includes those priority substances listed in Annex II of Directive 2008/105/EC. Low
Underwater noise changes Low
Visual disturbance Low

2.4 Significance of effects/impacts to protected features

To determine whether each pressure is capable of effecting the site’s features (Table 3), the sensitivity assessments and risk profiling of pressures from the JNCC Advice on Operations conservation advice package and JNCC Marine Pressures-Activities Database (PAD) v1.5 2022 were used.

Table 3 identifies the pressures from particular gears that could be capable of affecting each feature. Where a pressure from a particular gear is identified as not being capable of affecting the feature, justification is provided. To ensure the effects of fishing activities in-combination with other activities (including other fishing activities) are fully assessed, the pressures from fishing activities which were not identified as being capable of affecting a feature but which do interact with the features are considered in the in-combination aspect of the assessment (Part C).

Table 3. Extract of the Advice on Operations for North-East Faroe-Shetland Channel, showing the pressures from specific activities and the potential sensitivity of the protected features. Pressures are categorised as Not relevant (white), Not assessed (white) , Sensitive (light blue), Not sensitive (white), or Insufficient evidence(white). Further details on these categories is available in the associated methods document.
Potential pressures Protected features
Offshore subtidal sands and gravels Deep-sea sponge aggregations Offshore deep-sea muds
Abrasion/disturbance of the substrate on the surface of the seabed Sensitive Sensitive Sensitive
Barrier to species movement Not assessed Not assessed Not assessed
Changes in suspended solids (water clarity) Not sensitive Not sensitive Not sensitive
Collision BELOW water with static or moving objects not naturally found in the marine environment (e.g., boats, machinery, and structures) Not relevant Not relevant Not relevant
Deoxygenation Not relevant Not relevant Not relevant
Hydrocarbon & PAH contamination. Includes those priority substances listed in Annex II of Directive 2008/105/EC. Sensitive Sensitive Sensitive
Introduction of light Not relevant Not assessed Not assessed
Introduction or spread of invasive non-indigenous species (INIS) Not sensitive Not assessed Not assessed
Litter Not assessed Not assessed Not assessed
Nutrient enrichment Not sensitive Not assessed Not sensitive
Organic enrichment Sensitive Sensitive Sensitive
Penetration and/or disturbance of the substrate below the surface of the seabed, including abrasion Sensitive Sensitive Sensitive
Physical change (to another seabed type) Sensitive Sensitive Sensitive
Physical change (to another sediment type) Not assessed Not assessed Not assessed
Removal of non-target species Sensitive Sensitive Sensitive
Removal of target species Not relevant Not relevant Not relevant
Smothering and siltation rate changes (Light) Sensitive Sensitive Sensitive
Synthetic compound contamination (incl. pesticides, antifoulants, pharmaceuticals). Includes those priority substances listed in Annex II of Directive 2008/105/EC. Sensitive Sensitive Sensitive
Transition elements & organo-metal (e.g. TBT) contamination. Includes those priority substances listed in Annex II of Directive 2008/105/EC. Sensitive Sensitive Sensitive
Underwater noise changes Not sensitive Not sensitive Not sensitive
Visual disturbance Not relevant Not relevant Not relevant

Considering both the information on pressure activity association (Table 2) and the sensitivity of the features (Table 3), pressures that have the potential to affect the feature are summarised in Table 4.

Pressures that are not relevant to demersal trawls and demersal seines, (pressures that are not exerted by that fishing activity: ‘not relevant to the activity’ in Table 4) do not need to be considered further in the assessment. According to the PAD methods document (Robson et al., 2018), pressures with low risk profiles (i.e. ‘low’ risk profile for the activity: Tables 2 & 4) generally do not occur at a level of concern and should not require consideration as part of an assessment, unless there are evidence-based case or site-specific factors that increase the risk, or there is uncertainty on the level of pressure on a receptor. Pressures with ‘medium-high’ risk profiles are commonly induced by the activity at a level that needs to be considered further as part of an assessment.

Of all the pressures considered, four have medium-high risk profiles (PAD) and have medium-high sensitivity: abrasion/disturbance of the substrate on the surface of the seabed; penetration and/or disturbance of the substrate below the surface of the seabed, including abrasion; removal of non-target species and smothering and siltation rate changes (light). These four pressures are exerted by demersal trawls and subsequently considered to have the potential to affect the protected features.

To ensure the effects of fishing activities in-combination with other activities (including other fishing activities) are fully assessed, the pressures from fishing activities which were not identified as capable of affecting the feature but which do interact with the features are considered in the in-combination aspect of the assessment (Part C).

Table 4 Summary of pressures that have the potential to affect the feature, based on pressure-activity associations (Table 2) and sensitivity of the protected features (Table 3). Pressures with the potential to affect the feature are in dark blue.
Potential pressure Demersal trawls
Abrasion/disturbance of the substrate on the surface of the seabed Yes – the pressure has a Medium-high risk profile and the features are sensitive to this pressure
Barrier to species movement No - not relevant to the activity
Changes in suspended solids (water clarity) No – although the pressure has a medium-high risk profile, the feature is not sensitive
Collision BELOW water with static or moving objects not naturally found in the marine environment (e.g., boats, machinery, and structures) No - low risk profile for activity
Deoxygenation No - low risk profile for activity
Hydrocarbon & PAH contamination. Includes those priority substances listed in Annex II of Directive 2008/105/EC. No – although the features are sensitive to this pressure, the pressure has a low risk profile for the activity
Introduction of light No - low risk profile for activity
Introduction or spread of invasive non-indigenous species (INIS) No - low risk profile for activity
Litter No - low risk profile for activity
Nutrient enrichment No - low risk profile for activity
Organic enrichment No - low risk profile for activity
Penetration and/or disturbance of the substrate below the surface of the seabed, including abrasion Yes – the pressure has a Medium-high risk profile and the features are sensitive to this pressure
Physical change (to another seabed type) No - low risk profile for activity
Physical change (to another sediment type) No - low risk profile for activity
Removal of non-target species Yes – the pressure has a Medium-high risk profile and the features are sensitive to this pressure
Removal of target species No – although the pressure has a medium-high risk profile it is not relevant to the feature
Smothering and siltation rate changes (Light) Yes – the pressure has a Medium-high risk profile and the features are sensitive to this pressure
Synthetic compound contamination (incl. pesticides, antifoulants, pharmaceuticals). Includes those priority substances listed in Annex II of Directive 2008/105/EC. No – although the features are sensitive to this pressure, the pressure has a low risk profile for the activity
Transition elements & organo-metal (e.g. TBT) contamination. Includes those priority substances listed in Annex II of Directive 2008/105/EC. No – although the features are sensitive to this pressure, the pressure has a low risk profile for the activity
Underwater noise changes No - low risk profile for activity
Visual disturbance No - low risk profile for activity

2.5 Part A conclusion

Considering the information on pressures and sensitivity above, demersal trawls have the potential to affect: offshore subtidal sands and gravels; offshore deep sea mud; and deep sea sponge aggregations within North-East Faroe-Shetland Channel NCMPA. This is through abrasion/disturbance of the substrate on the surface of the seabed; removal of non-target species; penetration and/or disturbance of the substrate below the surface of the seabed, including abrasion; and smothering and siltation rate changes (light). These four pressures are considered to have the potential to affect the protected features and are taken through to Part B of the assessment.

Contact

Email: marine_biodiversity@gov.scot

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