Recommendation on the protection of vulnerable marine ecosystems in the NEAFC Regulatory Area (Rec. 19:2014).

This Recommendation of the North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission concerns protection of vulnerable marine ecosystems ("VMEs") (as defined by the FAO International Guidelines for the Management of Deep-Sea Fisheries in the High Seas) in the NEAFC area from fishing and related activities. The objective of this Recommendation is to ensure the implementation by NEAFC of effective measures to prevent significant adverse impacts of bottom fishing activities on VMEs known to occur or likely to occur in the NEAFC Regulatory Area based on the best available scientific information provided or endorsed by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES). This Recommendation concerns, among other things: regulation of bottom fishing activities, area closures, assessment of proposed exploratory bottom fishing activities, obligations of CCMs to ensure certain behaviour by fishing vessels flying its flag if such vessel encounters possible VMEs. Each Contracting Party proposing to undertake exploratory bottom fishing in the Regulatory Area shall submit to the Secretary, in addition to the Notice of Intent, a preliminary assessment of the known and anticipated impacts of the proposed bottom fishing activity as described in Annex 4. Observers on fishing vessels in the Regulatory Area who are deployed pursuant to Article 6.6 of this Recommendation shall observe the VME Data Collection Protocol as set out in Annex III to this Recommendation.