1. Descriptor 3
Spain
DG ENV meeting
Paris, April 2012

2. The Spanish Law 41/2010 of Marine Protection determines that Spain has to present data of descriptor 3 for five subareas.
ICES
ICCAT
ICCAT
CGPM
ICCAT
CGPM
ICES
ICCAT
ICCAT

3. Good Environmental Status (GES )
The criteria on good environmental status (GES) established by the European Commission regarding the Descriptor 3 is the following:
“Populations of all commercially exploited fish and shellfish are within safe biological limits, exhibiting a population age and size distribution that is indicative of a healthy stock” (Commission Decision 2010/477/UE).

4. Definition of GES from decission 2010/477/UE
Criteria and indicators of Descriptor 3
Criteria
Definition of GES from decission 2010/477/UE
Indicator
Used in IE
3.1. Level of fishing activity
F ≤ Fmsy F
YES
Catches/biomass index NO
3.2. Population reproductive capacity
SSB ≥ SSBmsy
SSB
Biomass index
3.3. Age of the population and size distribution
“Healthy populations are characterized by a high proportion of old and large individuals”
(There are no reference values)
Proportion of fish of size higher than the size of first sexual maturity.
Maximum average size of all species from studies of research vessels.
Percentil 95 of size distribution of fishes from studies of research vessels.
Size of first sexual maturity as a reflect of genetic adverse effects on the population.

5. Species selection criteria in each subarea
Selected species
Species selection criteria in each subarea
1. Contribution to total landings in each local area ≥1%.
2. Contribution to total landings <1% and:
Are assessed species or will be assessed.
Are representative local species.
Are species included in the WDF and DCF.

6. Selected species

7. Selected species Noratlántica 32 97 88 11 86,94 Sudatlántica 40 93 68
Area
Nº selected stocks
*Local representativity %
*Representativity
Indicators (primary and secondary) %
Nº stocks used in definition of IE
*Representativity IE %
Noratlántica 32 97 88 11
86,94
Sudatlántica 40 93 68 8
13,76
Estrecho-Alborán 24 90 80 7
34,3
Levante-Balear 27 75 70
46,6
Canarias 16 76
72.3 3 12
Total
139
*Representativity in term of the percentage of contribution to total landings in the area.

8. Initial Evaluation of current status (IE)
It is based on stocks with primary indicators. It is focused only on: Criteria 3.1 (level of fishing activity). Criteria 3.2 (reproductive capacity of the stock). Indicators of Criteria 3.3 (age of population) are not used.
To cuantify current status of each area, it is proposed, for each criteria 3.1 and 3.2:
Definition of GES.
Measure of IE regarding to GES between 0 (worst case) and 1 (best case).
Two values of IE:
1. Based on FMSY or SSBMSY. When IE is equal to 1, IE=GES.
2. Based on F (averaged historical data) and SSB (averaged historical data).
It is used when reference points are not available.

9. level of fishing activity
Definitions of Good Environmental Status (GES ) and Initial Evaluation (IE )
Criteria 3.1:
level of fishing activity
GES: Interpreting Fmsy as a target instead as a limit, it will be expected that the values of F vary around Fmsy, along the historic serie. Hence:
Definition GES
At least 50% of stocks are in green and none in red
Definition IE
Reference Fmsy
Reference historic serie
0 = “worst”
1 = “best”
0 = “far”
1 = “near”

10. Reproductive capacity GES: SSB ≥ SSBmsy or a precautionary biomass.
Definitions of Good Environmental Status (GES ) and Initial Evaluation (IE )
Criteria 3.2:
Reproductive capacity
GES: SSB ≥ SSBmsy or a precautionary biomass.
It is impossible to reach for all species simultaneously, due to interactions beetween species.
Definition GES
At least 50% of stocks are in green and none in red
Definición del BEM
Definition IE
SSB/SSBmsy
SSB/SSBhistoric serie
0 = “worst”
1 = “best”
0 = “far”
1 = “near”

11. From initial evaluation (IE ) of individual criteria to initial evaluation of Descriptor 3 with respect to GES
The joined IE for descriptor 3 is:
where (a, b) are weigths that assume bigger values for criteria 3.1; maintaining F at consistent levels with FMSY, SSB will reach consistent levels with SSBMSY.
IE = a · criteria b · criteria 3.2

12. Initial evaluation regarding GES
Fmsy and SSBmsy available
Subarea
3.1. fishing preassure
3.2. reproductive capacity
Initial evaluation regerding GES: 0=”worst”, 1=”best”
actual
recent
Noratlántica
0,7
0,6
0,8
0.8
0,73
0,65
Sudatlántica
0,67
0,33
0,42
Estrecho-Alborán
0,36
0,14
Levante-Balear
Canarias 1
0.6
0,83
0,96
0,66 ** * ● ** ● * ** ●
Representativity
*** high
** medium
* low
● very low

13. Initial evaluation regarding the historic period
The reference is the average of historic values of F and SSB
Subarea
3.1. fishing preassure
3.2. reproductive capacity
Initial evaluation regarding the historic period: 0=”far”-1=”near”
actual
recent
Noratlántica
0,94 1
0,75
0,88
0,95
Sudatlántica
0,93
0,71
0,90
Estrecho-Alborán
0,5
0,25
0,17
0,08
Levante-Balear
0,41
0,67
0,70
Canarias
0,86
0,97
Representativity
*** high
** medium
* low
● very low ** ** * ** ●

14. Difficulties related to the Spanish Descriptor 3
Spanish results of the initial evaluation of current status must be
Commisssion Decission defines as GES target that all the stocks will be at F ≤ Fmsy and SSB ≥ SSBmsy.
There are many stocks without reference levels.
The initial evaluation is based only over the 29% of the commertial selected species.
Some of the selected species used in the definition of the initial evaluation are not the most representative of each subarea.
We can´t implement the Marine Strategy Framework for descriptor 3 in the Canary subarea with the available information.
6. To be at F ≤ Fmsy and SSB ≥ SSBmsy depends on the coordinate actions of the Member States sharing the fishing of stocks managed by the Councils and Commisions, and not only on the individual action of Spain.
interpreted with care, taking into account the following constraints:

15. to follow the advice from ICES, ICCAT and CGPM,
GES targets
Under these conditions, the general GES target for the Spanish Marine
to follow the advice from ICES, ICCAT and CGPM,
that, accordingly with the actual Commission Policy, already manage
stocks with the explicit or implicit objective of MSY.
The targets that depends on the Spanish action must be:
Affordable at 2015.
Realistic in economic terms (Spanish Government has restricted its funds in research programs due to the CRISIS).
Strategy Framework for Descriptor 3 is:

16. GES targets
These objectives are focused on extending the information of
Monitoring species to extend the number of stocks to define the IE with sampling programs and surveys (problems of mixing species in commertial catches, for all subareas).
Research in simple assessment models for non assessed stocks (multispecies assessment for Mediterranean spp., BIODYN).
Look for reference values: proxies of Fmsy and SSBmsy with alternative models (AIM for 11 spp. and cefalopods in Mediterranean sea).
Development of secondary indicators and criteria 3.3 from survey data that will offer a more focused vision of each subarea (project IEO to analyse relationships between criteria 3.1 & 3.2 with 3.3 for ICES species).
Optimize spatial, temporal and batimetric distribution of surveys.
commertial stocks to improve the representativity of the results of the IE/GES:

17. THANK YOU!