Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems: Key Players for the Planet Health

The vulnerability of deep-sea biodiversity has been recognized by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) that due to this fact, asked States and Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs) to identify areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ) where vulnerable marine ecosystems (VME) occur, or are likely to occur, and to prevent significant adverse impacts (UNGA, 2006). The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations were then asked to develop guidelines for the management of deep-sea fisheries in the high seas (FAO, 2009). Those guidelines included criteria for defining what constitutes a VME: (1) uniqueness or rarity; (2) functional significance of the habitat; (3) fragility; (4) life history traits of component species that make recovery difficult; and (5) structural complexity. These criteria may apply to a wide variety of habitats and ecosystems of the deep-sea (e.g., hydrothermal vents, sponge aggregations or cold-water coral reefs). The VMEs concept was developed in the framework of fisheries. However, with the crescent use of deep-sea environments, we advocate that the concept should also be framed to other industries such as deep-sea mining, oil and gas, and use in future regulations. The criteria for defining VME is activity independent, and the prevention of significant adverse impact from other industries require information based on scientific knowledge. Moreover, with the new BBNJ, we also advocate that area-based management tools could be used in the future to protect vulnerable marine ecosystems and promote their conservation for the future of humankind. 

[DEEPREST (M2.2/DEEPREST/004/2022530 FCT/MCTES through national funds in the scope of the CEEC 517531 contract CEECIND/00101/2021 10.54499/2021.00101.CEECIND/CP1669/CT0001) and UIDB/05634/2020 and 518533 UIDP/05634/2020.]