Preliminary evaluation of density levels of VME indicator taxa to define VMEs

Of the two officially approved methods of VME-defining frameworks in the NPFC, the Japanese-proposed method evaluates density of VME indicator taxa into three levels (Low, Medium, and High). As the lack of scientific evidence regarding these levels was pointed out by some NPFC Members, we examined the adequacy of each density level in this document. By using the segmented method of cumulative distributions for the density of each VME indicator taxa, we revealed that the current density levels were adequate, or even more precautional, than the calculated results for most taxa. Therefore, application of the current density levels would be recommended to define VMEs using the Japanese-proposed method from a precautional point of view.