The Impact of fishing vessels on the Arctic Marine environment © Steffen Malskaer/DMI test The Impact of fishing vessels on the Arctic Marine environment Dr Simon Walmsley CSci CMarSci FIMarEST, AIEMA. Chief Marine Advisor WWF-UK. Unique, impacts, fish vessels examples and draw conclusions.

The Arctic is a unique area among Earth's ecosystems. test The Arctic is a unique area among Earth's ecosystems. Deep ocean covered by a drifting pack ice and surrounded by continents and archipelagos, AND is the planet's largest and least fragmented inhabited region. Climate change reducing sea ice levels –sea ice min, Opening up sea routes north of Russia and Canada. Special report on Oceans and Cryosphere (IPCC, 2019), Arctic sea ice is declining in every month of the year, and is getting thinner. Unprecedented rate of change

test Examples of uniqueness Food chain The edge of the sea ice is the rainforest of the Arctic: Algae live under the ice, Fed on by zooplankton which often inhabit sea ice margins Bowhead whales feed on zooplankton. Can live for 200 years, uniquely adapted for life in the Arctic with their bow head allowing them to break through 20cms of ice to breathe. Pacific walruses example. Speed of change, Non adaption, reduce other impacts best chance. © Maxim Chakilev

By-catch, sharks, Cetaceans, seabirds Ghost nets / plastic pollution test Although presentation on vessel impacts, just to outline impacts from fishing Activities. And the cross over re MARPOL Annex V Talk about Fishing impacts more generally but before I do to note IUU exasperates this as can take place without concern for safety/well being of crew let alone the environment.  IUU estimated to be worth US$10-23.5 billion annually, major driver profitability Direct physical damage to sensitive habitats, Sedimentation (nearby mobile gear activity on corals) By-catch, sharks, Cetaceans, seabirds Ghost nets / plastic pollution Source: ABC News

test Trend for fishing vessels operating in the Arctic is increasing: Fishing vessels are the majority re vessel type and sail the most Nautical miles covered 59% increase from 2013, corresponding PAME data also shows Fishing vessels have the most incidents of vessel type in Arctic waters. Highlighting this is the still current Northguider incident, In December 2018 the Northguider ran aground in a sensitive nature reserve on Svalbard, home to marine mammals and seabirds. The trawler is still grounded will remain for another winter underlining the difficulties re Emergency response. The vessel had about 300 t of diesel removed, if there had of been a spill in heavy ice cover such petroleum products would likely remain in place for an extended period rather than degrading and dissipating

test We have introduced a series of papers to IMO MSC re fishing vessels outlining significant diesel /fuel oil spills .Just highlighting some examples Like the Atlantic Charger which also stretched the capability of SAR, and making he point that safety environ innately linked.

Other impacts include Spread of invasive species biofouling. test Last example the Petrozavodsk, 2009, spilled up to 60 tonnes of fuel oil and other pollutants in an area with major sea bird populations impacted Ecologically significant guillemot colonies, again posed real difficulty in removal Other impacts include Spread of invasive species biofouling. Ghost nets / plastic pollution contaminant spills (diesel, oil, lubricants, refrigerants), particularly significant re protected areas for example from grounded vessels Emissions GHGs/BLACK CARBON etc.

Discussion/conclusions test Discussion/conclusions Increased Fishing vessel risk nav in a changing climate to conclude Acceding to CTA/ legal basis of application re the PC and generally address root causes of IUU. © Elisabeth Kruger / WWF-US