Download AEBR 336 Exploration of a spatial decision-support tool for managing the impacts of bottom fishing on in-zone seafloor habitats.

The impacts of bottom trawling and dredging on seabed habitats and species is recognised as one of the top pressures on New Zealand’s marine ecosystems.

This report uses prioritisation software to explore spatial management options that can reduce the impacts of bottom trawling on seabed habitats and species.

The project focussed on protected species such as deep seas corals, and other rare, threatened, endemic or fragile species that are vulnerable to bottom trawling.

A diverse stakeholder group, including industry, environmental organisations, central government and regional government, attended five stakeholder workshops and informed the selection and parameterisation of hypothetical scenarios to reduce the impacts of bottom trawling.

More than 50 scenarios of different spatial management options were performed, showcasing how the software could be used to identify options that maximise benefits to benthic biodiversity and minimise costs to the fishing industry.

The analyses also assessed the current levels of protection provided by Benthic Protected Areas and seamount closures to protected seabed habitats and species.