Scientists urge deep-sea action

Leading scientists have called for governments around the world to end destructive fishing practices in order to prevent further damage to deep-sea ecosystems.

Practices such as ‘bottom-trawling’ decimates deep-sea coral reefs and marine species such as dolphins.

The call, from over 1000 pre-eminent marine experts, was published simultaneously at the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). The scientific community is calling for, along with a ban on bottom-trawling, more research into deep-sea coral and sponge communities.

"Bottom-trawling in the deep-sea is like clear-cutting a pristine ancient forest. Each trawl destroys everything in its path. In the interest of catching a few fish, hundreds of species -some of which have not even been identified - are destroyed," commented Thilo Maack of Greenpeace. "Governments at the Convention on Biological Diversity must pass a resolution recommending that the United Nations General Assembly adopt an immediate moratorium on high seas bottom trawling and put an immediate halt to this destructive activity," he added.