Marine ecosystems threatened by deep-sea trawling and acidification
photo by Moon Fish (source: Flickr Creative Commons)
The depletion of fish stocks in the world’s oceans and the use of increasingly sophisticated industrial fishing techniques are resulting in heavy damage to precious marine ecosystems. Trawling, once relegated to shallow waters with level sea floors, is now commonly used to fish deeper, including among coral reefs.
Deep-sea trawlers use giant, heavy-duty nets that are dragged over the seafloor at depths of more than a kilometre. The nets are fitted with rubber rollers called “rock hoppers”, which destroy the corals that provide habitats for fish and other marine organisms.
–Guardian
According to a piece in the Guardian, scientific surveys have revealed significant damage to the world’s coral reefs, which are veritable treasure troves of sea life, including many species still unknown to science. The Census for Marine Life, a ‘10-year scientific initiative to assess and explain the diversity, distribution, and abundance of life in the oceans,’ which found widespread damage to coral reefs the world over, has called for the establishment of a system of marine reserves. In these reserves harmful practices such as deep-sea trawling would be banned.
The London Times reports that Britain’s marine life is under particular threat from deep-sea trawling as well as ocean acidification. Dr Hall-Spencer of the Census for Marine Life stated in the Times that ‘Almost every coral reef and seamount I’ve been diving on has been severely damaged, particularly those off the west coasts of Scotland and Ireland.’
CO2 emissions also threaten sea life on a global level:
Corals that lie on seamount flanks, below the reach of nets, face a different threat: ocean acidification. As the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere rises, more gas becomes dissolved in the ocean, making it less alkaline. This reduces carbonate that corals use to build shells and other solid structures. The effect is especially marked in Arctic waters, as low temperatures amplify the effects.
–London Times
by Graham Land
Graham Land grew up in Washington, D.C., where he was part of the local hardcore punk scene. Through this unique musical movement he became involved in grass roots anti-racist activism, animal rights and Ecology. Since 2000 Graham has lived in Europe, earning an MA in history from Malmö University in Sweden and working as a musician, English teacher, sports therapist, customer service agent and writer. Graham has a podcast with author Saci Lloyd and is currently pretending to work on his first novel.
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Tags: acidification, census, coral, deep sea, ecosystem, fish, Guardian, life, marine, ocean, reefs, sea, threat, Times, trawling
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