The study committee members met for the first time to review stakeholder feedback for the project and discuss the timeline, objectives and methodology for each phase of the project.
The first phase will examine the extent of trawling and habitats, compiling for as much of the world as possible data on the area trawled, and the habitats trawled. Particular attention will be paid to identifying data on the expansion in areas trawled, and the distribution of trawl footprint across different habitat types. The group made the decision that they would only look at mobile bottom contact gear (often referred to as trawling but includes dredges) on continental shelves and not attempt to consider shelf slope and deep sea trawling due to a general shortage of data.
The second phase will compile and evaluate the impact of trawling on the abundance and diversity of biota, looking especially at the key factors of intensity of trawling and type of habitat trawled. Questions to be addressed include: how does the effect of bottom fishing on benthic biota vary with gear type? With habitat type? To what extent is there an interaction between gear type and habitat with respect to the effect of bottom fishing on benthic biota?
Phase III will conduct a risk analysis of the impacts of trawling on alternative habitats, regions and fisheries. Questions to address include: what are risks by gears/ fisheries/ locations? How do risks compare among regions, fisheries etc?
Phase IV will look at the medium and long term impact of trawling on the productivity and sustainable yield of different target species. Primary question to address is how does bottom fishing affect the productivity of demersal fish species?
Phase V will identify and test a range of management options and industry practices that may improve the environmental performance of trawl fisheries; with a view to defining ‘best practice’. For each option or practice, the impact on biota, sustainable food production, ecosystems and ecosystem services will be evaluated, along with changes in fuel consumption and other costs and impacts.