{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-regulation-2016-2336/annex-III",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-regulation-2016-2336/annex-III.json",
  "legislation": "eur/2016/2336",
  "legislation_title": "Regulation (EU) 2016/2336 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 December 2016 establishing specific conditions for fishing for deep-sea stocks in the north-east Atlantic and provisions for fishing in international waters of the north-east Atlantic and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 2347/2002",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-regulation-2016-2336",
  "path": "annex/III",
  "kind": "annex",
  "number": "III",
  "heading": "VME Indicator species",
  "text": "The following is a list of VME habitat types, with the taxa most likely to be found in those habitats which shall be considered as VME indicators.\nVME Habitat type\nRepresentative Taxa\n1.\nCold-water coral reef\n(a)\nLophelia pertusa reef\nLophelia pertusa\n(b)\nSolenosmilia variabilis reef\nSolenosmilia variabilis\n2.\nCoral garden\n(a)\nHard bottom garden\n(i)\nHard bottom gorgonian and black coral gardens\nAnthothelidae\nChrysogorgiidae\nIsididae, Keratoisidinae\nPlexauridae\nAcanthogorgiidae\nCoralliidae\nParagorgiidae\nPrimnoidae\nSchizopathidae\n(ii)\nColonial scleractinians on rocky outcrops\nLophelia pertusa\nSolenosmilia variabilis\n(iii)\nNon-reefal scleractinian aggregations\nEnallopsammia rostrata\nMadrepora oculata\n(b)\nSoft-bottom coral gardens\n(i)\nSoft-bottom gorgonian and black coral gardens\nChrysogorgiidae\n(ii)\nCup-coral fields\nCaryophylliidae\n(iii)\nCauliflower coral fields\nFlabellidae\nNephtheidae\n3.\nDeep-sea sponge aggregations\n(a)\nOther sponge aggregations\nGeodiidae\nAncorinidae\nPachastrellidae\n(b)\nHard-bottom sponge gardens\nAxinellidae\nMycalidae\nPolymastiidae\nTetillidae\n(c)\nGlass sponge communities\nRossellidae\nPheronematidae\n4.\nSea pen fields\nAnthoptilidae\nPennatulidae\nFuniculinidae\nHalipteridae\nKophobelemnidae\nProtoptilidae\nUmbellulidae\nVigulariidae\n5.\nTube-dwelling anemone patches\nCerianthidae\n6.\nMud- and sand-emergent fauna\nBourgetcrinidae\nAntedontidae\nHyocrinidae\nXenophyophora\nSyringamminidae\n7.\nBryzoan patches",
  "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eur/2016/2336/annex/III",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-11-01T14:45:17.022271+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}