An exposure-response methodology for assessing the impacts of bottom-fishing gear on benthic marine ecosystems

人们越来越有兴趣评估和减轻渔具对海底的影响，因为这些生境在维持鱼类和贝类产量方面发挥着重要作用。不幸的是，我们对深海生态系统如何应对不同类型的捕捞干扰的知识仍然存在重大差距。如果不能解决这些差距，可能会使许多加拿大底层渔业面临失去进入美国、欧洲和亚洲重要出口市场的风险，因为这些市场的消费者和零售商越来越需要经过生态认证的海鲜产品。定量估计渔具对海底生境的影响是生态认证评估的一个重要组成部分；然而，目前还没有进行这些评估的现行程序或方法，特别是在加拿大西海岸。我们建议开发一种暴露-响应方法来评估底层捕捞渔具对海底栖息地的潜在影响。我们将通过结合底层捕捞努力强度和生境(暴露)的空间制图和形成生境的物种密度的潜水调查(反应)来开发暴露-反应模型。这种方法提供了一个灵活和适应性强的框架，建立了必要的信息来支持不列颠哥伦比亚省底层渔业的生态认证。此外，更好地了解底层栖息地对捕捞干扰的反应将有助于渔业设计减少或消除这些影响的作业变化。因此，加拿大和渔业将受益于更健康的生态系统和更可持续的渔业。

There is growing interest in assessing and mitigating the impacts of fishing gear on the seafloor because these habitats play an important role in maintaining fish and shellfish production. Unfortunately, major gaps still exist in our knowledge of how deep-sea ecosystems respond to different types of fishing disturbances. Failure to address these gaps may leave many Canadian bottom-fisheries at risk of losing access to important export markets in the United States, Europe, and Asia as consumers and retailers in these markets increasingly demand eco-certified seafood products. Quantitative estimates of fishing gear impacts on seafloor habitat are an important component of eco-certification assessments; however, there are no existing procedures or methods for performing these assessments, especially on Canada's west coast. We propose to develop an exposure-response approach to assessing the potential impacts of bottom-fishing gear on seafloor habitat. We will develop exposure-response models by combining spatial mapping of bottom-fishing effort intensity and habitat (the exposure) with submersible surveys of habitat-forming species density (the response). This approach provides a flexible and adaptive framework that builds the necessary information to support eco-certification of British Columbia's bottom-fisheries. In addition, a better understanding of how bottom habitat responds to fishing disturbances will help the fishing industry design operational changes that reduce or eliminate these impacts. Thus, Canada and the fishing industry will benefit from healthier ecosystems and more sustainable fisheries.