WHY SHOULD WE PROTECT CORALS?

Corals and sponges are animals that form complex seafloor structures-the foundation for some of the richest ecosystems in the ocean. Slow growing and incredibly sensitive to disturbance, corals that are plowed over or ripped up by the destructive fishing practice of bottom trawling may not recover for centuries. The loss of corals and sponges, in turn, takes away habitat for a host of species of sea creatures.

Commercial species supported by rich deep sea coral garden habitat include rockfish, Pacific Ocean perch, flatfish, Atka mackerel, golden king crab, shrimp, Pacific cod, pollock, greenling, Greenland turbot, and sablefish. Non-commercial species include sea stars, nudibranchs, octopuses, snails, crinoids, basket stars, sponges, and anemones.

Kelp bass with Gorgonian Coral. Monterey Bay Aquarium

For these and other species, corals form essential habitat by providing shelter, protection from currents and predators, and areas for breeding, spawning, nursing, feeding, and resting. When coral and sponge habitat is destroyed, the many species it supports also disappear.

The North Pacific Fishery Management Council has designated corals, sponges, and other living substrates as Habitat Areas of Particular Concern (HAPCs). HAPC designation is reserved for areas of highest conservation priority due to their ecological importance, vulnerability to fishing impacts, and rarity.

Garibaldi with Hydrocoral

In addition to providing the foundation for some of the most prolific ecosystems in the world, deep sea corals may also be important for pharmaceuticals and biotechnology. Corals are already being tested to produce antibiotics, pain killers and medications for cancer, AIDS, asthma, and heart disease.

Furthermore, corals are important recorders of climate change. Living hundreds to thousands of years, coral colonies allow researchers to study, discover, and confirm changes in the climate over the centuries.

When essential ancient coral habitat is indiscriminately destroyed by bottom trawling, an irreplaceable treasure is lost. It will not recover in our lifetime, if ever.