In NAFO’s Regulatory Area, 27 areas have been identified as being vulnerable to bottom contact gears and subsequently closed to bottom fishing. In 2023, the NAFO Commission decided to submit all NAFO seamount closure areas, and the sponge VME fishery closures 1 to 6, for inclusion in the World Database on Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures or OECMs.

Seamount Areas

NAFO first closed seamount areas in its Regulatory Area to bottom fishing in 2007, but has since both revised, and extended, boundaries of the closures in addition to adding new areas. The last revision of seamount area closures, by NAFO, was in 2022. The seamount areas submitted as OECMs include the New England, Corner Rise, Fogo and Newfoundland Seamount Chains, the Orphan Knoll and a cluster of 7 individual seamounts in the northern part of the NAFO Regulatory Area.

NAFO Seamount Areas submission

Sponge Areas

The six sponge areas in the NAFO Regulatory Area, submitted as OECMs, have been closed to bottom fishing activities by NAFO since 2010, with some subsequent adjustments to boundaries. Although the areas included are distinct from one another, they are also considered to be ecologically connected. The areas included are Tail of the Bank, Flemish Pass/Eastern Canyon, Beothuk Knoll, Eastern Flemish Cap, Northern Flemish Cap and Sackville Spur.

NAFO Sponge Areas submission