11 Sep 2007 - Halifax,
Canada – A new WWF study assesses the impact
of fishing on three fragile coldwater coral
“hotspots” off the Canadian province of
Newfoundland and Labrador, providing the
scientific basis for Canadian and European
governments to protect sensitive coral habitat
in the Northwest Atlantic.
Based on scientific surveys by Canadian
researchers, the study — Cold-water corals
off New Foundland and Labrador: Distribution
and fisheries impacts — illustrates the
distribution of corals and assesses coral
bycatch (where fishing gear becomes accidentally
entangled in corals) in the six most common
deep-water-fisheries off Newfoundland and
Labrador.
Three “hotspots” were identified as potential
areas for protection. These include the:
southwest slope of the Grand Banks; Northeast
Newfoundland Shelf edge; and Hudson Strait.
“Our research demonstrates that no matter
what type of fishing gear is used, bottom-contact
fishing in coral habitat damages corals,”
said lead author Dr Evan Edinger.
“It is very important that any areas established
to protect corals exclude all bottom directed
fishing activities.”
Cold-water corals are long-lived animals
that live along continental slopes, seamounts
and mid-ocean ridges. They form an important
part of deep-sea ecosystems and provide
habitat for other invertebrates and fish
species. Cold-water corals can be easily
damaged by fishing or other seafloor activities,
and may take centuries to grow back, if
at all.
Coral protection
The study builds on a growing global movement
to protect cold-water corals and seamounts.
In 2006, the United Nations General Assembly
called on fisheries management agencies,
like the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization
(NAFO), to implement vulnerable habitat
protection measures by December 2008.
At an upcoming meeting of the NAFO nations
have an opportunity to advocate strict conservation
measures for coldwater corals.
“Canada, Spain, Portugal and Russia are
the countries that have the greatest potential
to damage these globally important concentrations
of corals,” said WWF-Canada Vice President
Dr Robert Rangeley.
“Their fleets are among the largest operating
off Newfoundland and fish in and around
the areas identified as hotspots. This also
means they have the greatest opportunity
to protect them.”
At the NAFO meeting, to be held in Lisbon,
Portugal, from 24 to 28 September, WWF recommends
that Canada immediately protects known coral
concentrations in the two coral “hotspots”
entirely within its jurisdiction: the Northeast
Newfoundland Shelf edge and the Hudson Strait
WWF also calls on Canada and NAFO to:
• immediately protect known coral concentrations
in the shared jurisdiction of the southwest
slope of the Grand Banks “hotspot”
• “freeze the footprint” by closing all
areas that are currently not being fished
until coral concentrations and other vulnerable
areas have been identified and protected
• develop and implement a comprehensive
strategy to identify and protect coral concentrations
and other vulnerable areas off Newfoundland
and Labrador
Kyle Ferguson, Communications Manager
WWF-Canada
