This report was commissioned to assess the sensitivity of marine fish and shellfish species to a range of predefined pressures. A method is designed and applied to make assessments of the sensitivity of 29 marine species (6 elasmobranchs, 16 bony fish and 7 shellfish) to 40 anthropogenic pressures.
Of the assessments made, approximately two-thirds of the species-pressure combinations were assessed as being sensitive and one-third as not sensitive. Approximately 40% of the species-pressure combinations could not be assessed, either due to data deficiency, no direct effects or in a small number of cases the pressure not being relevant to the species.
The sensitivity assessments presented are simplifications of highly complex ecosystem responses to anthropogenic pressures. They should be treated as a high-level screening of generic, hypothetical responses of average populations in central niche conditions to the specific benchmarks and not an impact assessment. They do not consider local site-specific conditions, indirect effects of pressures (i.e. where the pressure could be acting on the species through the supporting habitat or resources), or cumulative or in-combination effects. All these factors should be considered when applying these assessments to specific sites and activities.
While there are limitations to these sensitivity assessments, valid inferences and screening of species which are likely to be sensitive to pressures are made. The sensitivity assessments provide a tool to help highlight species that will need careful consideration when determining appropriate activity levels and management of marine resources.
Please note the report was written and finalised in 2019.