This part of the Atlantic comprises a wide range of benthic (seafloor) and pelagic (water column) ecosystems that live on the continental shelf and slope, the mid-ocean ridge and surrounding abyssal plains. Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (those that are particularly sensitive to disturbance by activities such as fishing) are primarily found on the shelf, slopes and ridges in Icelandic waters. The area is heavily influenced by major oceanographic features – the warm Atlantic water masses and the cold waters of the East Greenland Current and the East Iceland Current – which have a profound influence on the primary productivity and functioning of marine pelagic wildlife, such as whales, zooplankton and fish.

Boundary of the iAtlantic study region: 1. Subpolar Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR) open ocean ecosystem off Iceland

Region #1 preliminary boundaries were adequate for most species of interest, because it encompassed the distribution of most VME indicator species and the gr...