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Bottom trawling in deep oceans destroys cold-water and deep-sea corals. Historically, industrial fishers avoided coral because their nets would get caught on the reefs. In the 1980s, "rock-hopper" trawls attached large tires and rollers to allow the nets to roll over rough surfaces.
A diversity of corals. Coral reef protection is the process of modifying human activities to avoid damage to healthy coral reefs and to help damaged reefs recover. The key strategies used in reef protection include defining measurable goals and introducing active management and community involvement to reduce stressors that damage reef health.
Deep-water coral Paragorgia arborea and a Coryphaenoides fish at a depth of 1,255 m (4,117 ft) on the Davidson Seamount. The habitat of deep-water corals, also known as cold-water corals, extends to deeper, darker parts of the oceans than tropical corals, ranging from near the surface to the abyss, beyond 2,000 metres (6,600 ft) where water temperatures may be as cold as 4 °C (39 °F).
Coral damage was also accelerated last year by the El Niño weather pattern, which heats ocean temperatures in this part of the world. Scientists from the University of Sydney tracked 462 coral ...
A brain coral currently in the process of being bleached attempts to recover after this years bleaching on Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023 at Cheeca Rocks in Islamorada.
Coral reefs are important buffers between the land and water and help to reduce storm damage and coastal erosion. [2] They provide employment, recreational opportunities and they are a major source of food for coastal communities. [2] It is estimated that $375 billion dollars come from ecosystem services provided by coral reefs each year. [3]
On January 19, 2021, NOAA issued the Final Instruction for expansion of Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary. This action protects 14 additional reefs and banks, slightly adjusts the boundaries of the sanctuary's original three banks and expands the sanctuary from 56 square miles (145 km 2) to a total of 160 square miles (415 km 2).
Deep water coral habitats are also threatened by human activities, particularly by indiscriminate trawling. These ecosystems have been little studied, but in the perpetual darkness and cold temperatures, animals grow and mature slowly and there are relatively fewer fish worth catching than in the sunlit waters above.