Scottish Offshore Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) - fisheries management measures: fisheries assessment – East of Gannet and Montrose Fields 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 an 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:

The pressure-feature interactions were not included for Part B:

If the feature is not exposed to the pressure, and is not likely to be in the future; or

If the effect/impact of the pressure is non-existent or insignificant.

The pressure-feature interactions were included for assessment in Part B:

If the feature is exposed to the pressure, or is it likely to be in the future; and

If the pressure is capable of affecting the feature; or

If it is not possible to determine whether 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 for East of Gannet and Montrose Fields NCMPA have been used to inform this assessment. This is the most recent assessment package and options paper available.

Where appropriate, this advice has been supplemented by information on feature sensitivity from MarLIN and 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 East of Gannet and Montrose Fields NCMPA

To screen out fishing activities that were not taking place within the site or likely to take part on the future, vessel monitoring system (VMS) data within East of Gannet and Montrose Fields 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 data from 2015 – 2019.

Gear Type

Towed

• Specific Gear Type: Bottom otter trawl
• Gear code: OTB
• Aggregated Gear Method: Demersal trawls
• Multi-rig trawls
• Gear code: OTT
• Aggregated Gear Method: Demersal trawls
• Pair trawl
• Gear code: PTB
• Aggregated Gear Method: Demersal trawls
• Nephrops trawls
• Gear code: TBN
• Aggregated Gear Method: Demersal trawls
• Bottom trawls (not specified)
• Gear code: TB
• Aggregated Gear Method: Demersal trawls
• Anchor seine
• Gear code: SDN
• Aggregated Gear Method: Demersal trawls
• Scottish fly/seine
• Gear code: SSC
• Aggregated Gear Method: Demersal trawls

Towed (pelagic)

• Mid-water trawl (single)
• Gear code: OTM
• Aggregated Gear Method: Pelagic fishing
• Mid-water (pair)
• Gear code: PTM
• Aggregated Gear Method: 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 activity on protected features

The potential pressures that could be exerted by fishing activities considered capable of affecting protected features (demersal trawls and demersal seines) were determined using 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 a medium/high risk (dark blue), low risk (light blue), or are not relevant to the activity (white).

PAD Pressure

Transition elements and organo-metal (e.g. TBT) contamination. Includes those priority substances listed in Annex II of Directive 2008/105/EC

• Demersal trawls: Low
• Demersal seines: Low

Hydrocarbon & PAH contamination. Includes those priority substances listed in Annex II of Directive 2008/105/EC.

• Demersal trawls: Low
• Demersal seines: Low

Synthetic compound contamination (incl. pesticides, antifoulants, pharmaceuticals). Includes those priority substances listed in Annex II of Directive 2008/105/EC.

• Demersal trawls: Low
• Demersal seines: Low

Deoxygenation

• Demersal trawls: Low
• Demersal seines: Low

Nutrient enrichment

• Demersal trawls: Low
• Demersal seines: Low

Organic enrichment

• Demersal trawls: Low
• Demersal seines: Low

Physical change (to another seabed type)

• Demersal trawls: Low
• Demersal seines: Low

Physical change (to another sediment type)

• Demersal trawls: Low
• Demersal seines: Low

Abrasion/disturbance of the substrate on the surface of the seabed

• Demersal trawls: Medium-high
• Demersal seines: Medium-high

Penetration and/or disturbance of the substrate below the surface of the seabed, including abrasion

• Demersal trawls: Medium-high
• Demersal seines: Medium-high

Changes in suspended solids (water clarity)

• Demersal trawls: Medium-high
• Demersal seines: Medium-high

Smothering and siltation rate changes (Light)

• Demersal trawls: Medium-high
• Demersal seines: Medium-high

Litter

• Demersal trawls: Low
• Demersal seines: Low

Underwater noise changes 

• Demersal trawls: Low
• Demersal seines: Low

Introduction of light 

• Demersal trawls: Low
• Demersal seines: Low

Barrier to species movement

• Demersal trawls: Not relevant
• Demersal seines: Not relevant

Collision below water with static or moving objects not naturally found in the marine environment (e.g. boats, machinery and structures)

• Demersal trawls: Low
• Demersal seines: Low

Visual disturbance

• Demersal trawls: Low
• Demersal seines: Low

Introduction or spread of invasive non-indigenous species (INIS)

• Demersal trawls: Low
• Demersal seines: Low

Introduction or spread of invasive non-indigenous species (INIS)

• Demersal trawls: Low
• Demersal seines: Low

Removal of target species

• Demersal trawls: Medium-high
• Demersal seines: Medium-high

Removal of non-target species

• Demersal trawls: Medium-high
• Demersal seines: Medium-high

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 from the 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 being capable of affecting a 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 feature are considered in the in-combination aspect of the assessment (Part C). 

Table 3. Extract of the Advice on Operations for East of Gannet and Montrose Fields NCMPA, showing the pressures from specific activities and the potential sensitivity of the protected features. The habitats are categorised as having high sensitivity (dark blue), medium sensitivity (dark blue), sensitive (light blue), not sensitive (white), not relevant (white), not assessed (white), and unknown (white). Further details on these categories are available in the associated methods document.

Potential pressure

Abrasion/disturbance of the substrate on the surface of the seabed

• Ocean quahog aggregations (including Offshore subtidal sands and gravels as supporting habitat): Sensitive
• Offshore deep-sea muds: Sensitive

Changes in suspended solids (water clarity)

• Ocean quahog aggregations (including Offshore subtidal sands and gravels as supporting habitat): Not sensitive
• Offshore deep-sea muds: Not sensitive

Collision below water with static or moving objects not naturally found in the marine environment (e.g., boats, machinery, and structures)

• Ocean quahog aggregations (including Offshore subtidal sands and gravels as supporting habitat): Not relevant
• Offshore deep-sea muds: Not relevant

Deoxygenation

• Ocean quahog aggregations (including Offshore subtidal sands and gravels as supporting habitat): Not sensitive
• Offshore deep-sea muds: Sensitive

Hydrocarbon & PAH contamination. Includes those priority substances listed in Annex II of Directive 2008/105/EC.

• Ocean quahog aggregations (including Offshore subtidal sands and gravels as supporting habitat): Not assessed
• Offshore deep-sea muds: Not assessed

Introduction of light

• Ocean quahog aggregations (including Offshore subtidal sands and gravels as supporting habitat): Not relevant
• Offshore deep-sea muds: Not sensitive

Introduction or spread of invasive non-indigenous species (INIS)

• Ocean quahog aggregations (including Offshore subtidal sands and gravels as supporting habitat): Not assessed
• Offshore deep-sea muds: Not assessed

Litter

• Ocean quahog aggregations (including Offshore subtidal sands and gravels as supporting habitat): Not assessed
• Offshore deep-sea muds: Not assessed

Nutrient enrichment

• Ocean quahog aggregations (including Offshore subtidal sands and gravels as supporting habitat): Not sensitive
• Offshore deep-sea muds: Not sensitive

Organic enrichment

• Ocean quahog aggregations (including Offshore subtidal sands and gravels as supporting habitat): Not sensitive
• Offshore deep-sea muds: Sensitive

Penetration and/or disturbance of the substrate below the surface of the seabed, including abrasion

• Ocean quahog aggregations (including Offshore subtidal sands and gravels as supporting habitat): Sensitive
• Offshore deep-sea muds: Sensitive

Physical change (to another seabed type)

• Ocean quahog aggregations (including Offshore subtidal sands and gravels as supporting habitat): Sensitive
• Offshore deep-sea muds: Sensitive

Physical change (to another sediment type)

• Ocean quahog aggregations (including Offshore subtidal sands and gravels as supporting habitat): Sensitive
• Offshore deep-sea muds: Sensitive

Removal of non-target species

• Ocean quahog aggregations (including Offshore subtidal sands and gravels as supporting habitat): Sensitive
• Offshore deep-sea muds: Sensitive

Removal of target species

• Ocean quahog aggregations (including Offshore subtidal sands and gravels as supporting habitat): Not relevant
• Offshore deep-sea muds: Not sensitive

Smothering and siltation rate changes (Light)

• Ocean quahog aggregations (including Offshore subtidal sands and gravels as supporting habitat): Not sensitive
• Offshore deep-sea muds: Sensitive

Synthetic compound contamination (incl. pesticides, antifoulants, pharmaceuticals). Includes those priority substances listed in Annex II of Directive 2008/105/EC.

• Ocean quahog aggregations (including Offshore subtidal sands and gravels as supporting habitat): Not assessed
• Offshore deep-sea muds: Not assessed

Transition elements & organo-metal (e.g. TBT) contamination. Includes those priority substances listed in Annex II of Directive 2008/105/EC.

• Ocean quahog aggregations (including Offshore subtidal sands and gravels as supporting habitat): Not assessed
• Offshore deep-sea muds: Not assessed

Underwater noise changes

• Ocean quahog aggregations (including Offshore subtidal sands and gravels as supporting habitat): Not relevant
• Offshore deep-sea muds: Not relevant

Visual disturbance

• Ocean quahog aggregations (including Offshore subtidal sands and gravels as supporting habitat): Not relevant
• Offshore deep-sea muds: Not sensitive

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; smothering and siltation rate changes (Light) and removal of non-target species (Table 4). These four pressures are subsequently considered to have the potential to affect the protected features. All four of these pressures are exerted by demersal trawls and demersal seines.

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 features (Table 3). Pressures with the potential to affect the feature are in dark blue.

Potential pressure

Transition elements and organo-metal (e.g. TBT) contamination. Includes those priority substances listed in Annex II of Directive 2008/105/EC

• Demersal trawls and Demersal seines: No - low risk profile for activity.

Hydrocarbon & PAH contamination. Includes those priority substances listed in Annex II of Directive 2008/105/EC.

• Demersal trawls and Demersal seines: No - low risk profile for activity.

Synthetic compound contamination (incl. pesticides, antifoulants, pharmaceuticals). Includes those priority substances listed in Annex II of Directive 2008/105/EC.

• Demersal trawls and Demersal seines: No - low risk profile for activity.

Deoxygenation

• Demersal trawls and Demersal seines: No – Ocean quahog aggregations are not sensitive and although offshore deep-sea mud is sensitive to this pressure, the pressure has a low risk profile for the activity.

Nutrient enrichment

• Demersal trawls and Demersal seines: No - low risk profile for activity and feature is not sensitive.

Organic enrichment

• Demersal trawls and Demersal seines: No – Ocean quahog aggregations are not sensitive and although offshore deep-sea mud is sensitive to this pressure, the pressure has a low risk profile for the activity.

Physical change (to another seabed type)

• Demersal trawls and Demersal seines: No – although the features are sensitive to this pressure, the pressure has a low risk profile for the activity.

Physical change (to another sediment type)

• Demersal trawls and Demersal seines: No – although the features are sensitive to this pressure, the pressure has a low risk profile for the activity.

Abrasion/disturbance of the substrate on the surface of the seabed

• Demersal trawls and Demersal seines: Yes – the pressure has a Medium-high risk profile AND the features are sensitive to this pressure.

Penetration and/or disturbance of the substrate below the surface of the seabed, including abrasion

• Demersal trawls and Demersal seines: Yes – the pressure has a Medium-high risk profile AND the features are sensitive to this pressure.

Changes in suspended solids (water clarity)

• Demersal trawls and Demersal seines: No – the pressure has a Medium-high risk profile, however offshore deep-sea mud and Ocean quahog aggregations are not sensitive to this pressure.

Smothering and siltation rate changes (Light)

• Demersal trawls and Demersal seines: Yes – the pressure has a Medium-high risk profile AND offshore deep-sea mud is sensitive to this pressure. Ocean quahog aggregations are however are not sensitive to this pressure.

Litter

• Demersal trawls and Demersal seines: No - low risk profile for activity.

Underwater noise changes

• Demersal trawls and Demersal seines: No – the pressure is not relevant to the feature.

Introduction of light

• Demersal trawls and Demersal seines: No - low risk profile for activity, offshore deep-sea mud is not sensitive to this pressure and this pressure is not relevant for Ocean quahog aggregations.

Collision below water with static or moving objects not naturally found in the marine environment (e.g. boats, machinery and structures)

• Demersal trawls and Demersal seines: No – the pressure is not relevant to the feature.

Visual disturbance

• Demersal trawls and Demersal seines: No - low risk profile for activity, offshore deep-sea mud is not sensitive to this pressure and this pressure is not relevant for Ocean quahog aggregations.

Introduction or spread of invasive non-indigenous species (INIS)

• Demersal trawls and Demersal seines: No - low risk profile for activity.

Removal of target species

• Demersal trawls and Demersal seines: No – the pressure has a Medium-high risk profile, however Ocean quahog aggregations are not exposed to this pressure as it is no longer targeted as a commercial fishery. Offshore deep-sea mud feature is also not sensitive to this pressure.

Removal of non-target species

• Demersal trawls and Demersal seines: Yes – the pressure has a Medium-high risk profile AND the features have high sensitivity to this pressure.

2.5 Part A Conclusion

Considering the information on pressures and sensitivity above, demersal trawls and demersal seines have the potential to affect offshore deep-sea muds, ocean quahog aggregations feature and supporting offshore subtidal sands and gravels features within East of Gannet and Montrose Fields NCMPA, through 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 considered to have the potential to affect the features are taken through to Part B of the assessment.