The Working Group on the effects of extraction of marine sediments on the marine ecosystem (WGEXT) met in Reykjavik, 2–5 June 2014. Thirteen participants from eight ICES member countries attended the meeting. The objective of WGEXT is to provide a summary of data on marine sediment extraction (ToR A1), marine resource and habitat mapping, changes to the legal regime, and research projects relevant to the assessment of environmental effects (ToR A2). The data on marine sediment extraction will be reported on a yearly basis for OSPAR in an Interim Report. The other items will be addressed in the Final Report of the new ICES 3-year reporting period. In addition, WGEXT previously defined nine other ToRs which the group believe are important issues to be addressed. Data reports were reviewed from sixteen (of 20) member countries. Although four member countries did not provide reports, the available data is thought to provide a representative assessment of the overall total of material extracted from the member states. Contact was made with a new representative from Denmark, Laura Adding-ton, and WGEXT look forward to her contributing by correspondence at the next meeting. Work has been ongoing on eight of the ToRs (B – J). During 2013, questionnaires were sent to member countries for five of the ToRs (B, E, G, H and J), with responses received from several member states. Efforts will continue during 2014 to get responses from the remaining ICES countries. A template for a WGEXT database was proposed during the meeting and proposals for ongoing work during 2014 were agreed. ICES WGEXT agreed to meet again in Ostend, Belgium in April 2015 as guests of the Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research. |
