No fishing zone to protect coral

“No fishing” zone to protect coral

BBC NEWS 10th February 2003

The UK Government is to seek a "no fishing"
zone to protect a coral field off the north coast
of Scotland.

Coral reefs are important parts of marine ecosystems

Fisheries Minister Elliot Morley will pursue new emergency powers to safeguard the Darwin Mounds in the north Atlantic.

Discovered in 1998, the Darwin Mounds are a collection of sandy and cold-water coral stacks 120 miles off mainland Britain, some 1,000m below the surface.

Concerns have been growing over the effects of deep-sea trawling on the rare habitat, and pressure has been mounting for the government to take action.

Elliot Morley: Coral concerns

The area has been increasingly fished in recent years for species such as round-nosed grenadier and orange roughy by French and Irish fishermen.

A report last year by the conservation group WWF said damage was still being caused by nets, despite a government commitment to protect them.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs () confirmed the minister would explore new provisions laid out in the Common Fisheries Policy on 1 January with EU colleagues.

'Protect eco-systems'

A spokesman said: "The secretary of state made a commitment some time ago to protect this area and this is what we intend to do.

"The new provisions allow states to take action to protect eco-systems, where before action could only be taken to protect fisheries."

The corals are an oasis of marine life, hosting species such as sponges, starfish, sea urchins, crabs and deep sea fish.

Compared to the barren seabed around them, the mounds have been likened to a tropical rain forest surrounded by desert.

Please see the associated BBC News items listed below:

10th February 2003 ~ Science/Nature Map details coral vulnerability

18th June 2002 ~ Science/Nature Human waste attacks coral

26th February 2002 ~ Science/Nature Trawlers 'smashing' cold-water corals

14th February 2002 ~ Boston 2002 Ten richest coral areas pinpointed

11th September 2001~ Science/Nature Coral reefs 'much rarer than thought'

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