Vulnerable marine ecosystems in the South Pacific Ocean region

Kevin Mackay

doi:10.15468/vofary

Vulnerable marine ecosystems in the South Pacific Ocean region

Citation

NIWA (2016). Vulnerable marine ecosystems in the South Pacific Ocean region. National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA), Wellington, New Zealand, 202873 records, Online http://nzobisipt.niwa.co.nz/resource.do?r=vme_inverts released on February 3, 2016. https://doi.org/10.15468/vofary accessed via GBIF.org on 2024-12-15.

Description

Vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs) are any ecosystem that are highly vulnerable to one or more kinds of fishing activity or other disturbance, and are identified by the vulnerability of their components (e.g. habitats, communities or species). The South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (SPRFMO) Convention includes specific provisions to protect VMEs. SPRFMO has defined ten benthic invertebrate taxa that are regarded as indicators of VMEs. They are: Porifera (sponges); Actiniaria (anemones); Alcyonacea (soft corals); Gorgonacea (sea fans); Pennatulacea (sea pens); Scleractinia (stony corals); Antipatharia (black corals); Stylasteridae (hydrocorals); Crinoidea (sea lilies); and Brisingida (armless stars). For management purposes, it is important to know where VMEs are known or likely to occur, based on the best available scientific and technical information. The likely presence of VMEs can be identified using habitat suitability models for indicator taxa, ideally across the entire SPRFMO area. This is the aim of the South Pacific VME project. Records of VME indicator taxa extracted for the SPRFMO area and the New Zealand EEZ from OBIS (Online Biogeographic Information System: www.iobis.org) together with other online data sources, and data from research institutes (e.g., NIWA, CSIRO) and fisheries agencies (e.g. MPI, AFMA) were used for the project. These data were compiled and groomed prior to use in the habitat suitability modelling. Data in this dataset represent records of the VME indicator taxa as extracted from the variety of data sources listed above and may include records that are outside of the SPRFMO area.

Additional info

marine, harvested by iOBIS

Taxonomic Coverages

VME indicator taxa for the South Pacific Ocean, as identified by Parker et al. (2009) Parker, S.J.; Penney, A.J.; Clark, M.R. (2009). Detection criteria for managing trawl impacts on vulnerable marine ecosystems in high seas fisheries of the South Pacific Ocean. Marine Ecology Progress Series 397: 309–317.

Porifera
rank: phylum
Actiniaria
rank: order
Antipatharia
rank: order
Scleractinia
rank: order
Alcyonacea
rank: order
Crinoidea
rank: class
Gorgonacea
rank: order
Pennatulacea
rank: order
Stylasteridae
rank: family
Brisingida
rank: order

Geographic Coverages

South Pacific Ocean

Bibliographic Citations

Rowden, A.A.; Guinotte, J.M.; Baird, S.J.; Tracey, D.M.; Mackay, K.A.; Wadhwa, S. (2013). Developing predictive models for the distribution of vulnerable marine ecosystems in the South Pacific Ocean region. New Zealand Aquatic Environment and Biodiversity Report No. 120. 70 p. -
Rowden A.A.; Clark M.R.; Lundquist C.J.; Guinotte J.M.; Anderson O.F.; Julian K.A.; Mackay K.A.; Tracey D.M.; Gerring P.K. (2015). Developing spatial management options for the protection of vulnerable marine ecosystems in the South Pacific Ocean region. New Zealand Aquatic Environment and Biodiversity Report No. 155. 76 p. -
Anderson, O.F., Guinotte, J., Rowden, A.A., Clark, M.R., Mormede, S., Davies, A.J. (2016). Field validation of habitat suitability models for Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems in the South Pacific Ocean: implications for the use of broad-scale models in fisheries management. Ocean and Coastal Management, 120: 110-126. -

Contacts

Kevin Mackay
originator
position: Marine Data Manager
NIWA
Private Bag 14-901
Wellington
6241
New Zealand
homepage: http://www.niwa.co.nz

Kevin Mackay
metadata author
position: Marine Data Manager
NIWA
Private Bag 14-901
Wellington
6241
New Zealand
homepage: http://www.niwa.co.nz

Ashley Rowden
administrative point of contact
position: Principal Scientist - Marine Ecology
NIWA
Private Bag 14-901
Wellington
6241
New Zealand
NZ
homepage: http://www.niwa.co.nz