WWF and the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation (SFF) have joined forces today to urge the European Commission and Member States to close an area of Rockall Bank (368 km west of North Uist in Scotland) to all fishing.
The fragile cold deepwater corals on Rockall bank, in desperate need of protection from certain damaging fishing practices, are also thought to be vital nursery grounds for important commercial fish such as haddock.
Rockall bank’s ancient cold-water corals (including Lophelia pertusa) are extremely rich in marine biodiversity, supporting hundreds of species including sponges, starfish, sea urchins, crabs and many young fish. All types of fishing gear are considered as potentially damaging to cold water coral formations, however, bottom trawling gear, such as that used for catching species such as blue ling and black scabbard fish, comes into direct contact with the corals and is seen as the biggest threat (ICES ACE 2005).
“The deepwater corals around Scotland’s coast are as rare, beautiful and fragile as any found in tropical climes and support an astonishing diversity of marine life. However they are virtually unprotected, with large areas being subjected to irreversible damage from fishing gear, particularly bottom trawling. We are calling for the EU to close to ALL fishing an area of Rockall bank to protect the ancient cold water corals there and the hundreds of species that depend upon them – before it is frankly too late,” said Helen McLachlan, Senior Marine Policy Officer WWF Scotland.
As well as the corals themselves and the up to 900 different species which are supported by them, it is thought these deepwater coral areas serve as an important nursery and feeding area for many of the fish species in the area. Thus by protecting the corals, fish stocks also benefit and in turn so too do the fisheries.
“Protecting the corals of Rockall bank is good for the haddock stocks as they are essential, safe feeding grounds for the young fish. If the fish have nowhere to feed and mature they won’t reach reproductive size and stocks won’t be sustainable. SFF is urging the EU to take prompt action to help conserve our fish stocks by closing all fishing in this area. Sustainable harvesting of the superb natural fish resources in the surrounding areas can then continue under a win-win agreement,” said Ian Gatt, SFF spokesperson.
WWF and SFF are urging the European Commission and Member States to close to fishing activity of any kind the northwestern area on the Rockall Bank as proposed by ICES 2005 (within EU waters) as a matter of urgency.
