DOCSLIB.ORG

Status of Deep Sea Corals in US Waters

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Status of Deep Sea Corals in US Waters Status of Deep Sea Corals in US Waters With Recommendations for Their Conservation and Management ii “Deep sea ecosystems support bizarre and beautiful life forms, some of them hundreds or even thousands of years old. They are being clear-cut by bottom trawl fishing. Today’s fisheries are squandering the riches of the deep sea and if they are not stopped we will lose them forever. No industry has the right to destroy the heritage of humanity.” Professor Callum Roberts, professor of marine conservation at the University of York in England and a Pew Fellow in Marine Conservation Executive Summary This report focuses on 5 taxa of survival of deep sea corals, as well as The ocean—especially the deep deep sea corals found in US waters, oil and gas exploration and extrac- ocean—is the last frontier of explora- stony corals, gold corals, black corals, tion, coral collection and a number tion, exploitation and management gorgonian corals and hydrocorals. of other human activities that contact on our planet. With demand for They come in various shapes and the seafloor. Impacts from pollu- seafood and petroleum products sizes, from massive reefs miles long to tion, climate change and invasive exacting an ever-increasing toll on the single bushy shaped individuals many species are poorly known but real deep sea, damage to deep sea corals feet tall. Our understanding of their threats. The effects of most of these is a growing worldwide conservation distribution is expanding, but is cur- activities are relatively unstudied concern. Recent deep sea exploration rently limited and varies greatly across and there is almost no monitoring of has revealed spectacularly diverse the different marine waters of the seafloor ecosystems anywhere in the seafloor communities. The deep sea USA. The vast majority of the sea- USA. Nevertheless, bottom trawl- corals that structure these communi- floor has not been surveyed for deep ing is currently the greatest threat to ties provide shelter, feeding habitats, sea corals. What scientists do know deep sea corals because it is capable and breeding and nursery grounds to suggests that deep sea coral concen- of significant, long-lasting damage in many species, including commercially trations are very localized, although just one pass of the gear, and it takes important fishes. Conserving these they are widely distributed through- place over extensive areas where there extremely long-lived animals (some out the USA. They are commonly are corals. are documented to be over 1,500 found in areas with hard seafloor sub- Current ocean management is years old) is also important because strates and appropriate currents, such insufficient to protect these vulner- of their potential use in research and as the seaward edge of the continental able and unique deep sea habitats. medicine. In this report we provide shelf (shelf break), around the edges Fisheries management can provide an overview of where these deep sea of submarine canyons, and on banks some protection under existing laws, corals are found in US waters, what and seamounts. by either closing areas to fishing or activities threaten them, and what A number of human activi- through the designation of essential current management actions are used ties pose a threat to deep sea corals. fish habitat (EFH) for commer- to protect them. We conclude with Bottom fishing, especially bottom cially managed species. Several of the limitations to current management trawling, threatens the health and fishery management councils have and recommendations for improv- recently designated deep sea corals as ing deep sea coral conservation. EFH and restricted bottom fishing and/or bottom trawling in some cases. Where areas have been designated, Oceans Commission in 2003, and trawling unless it can be shown that enforcement and monitoring are the US Commission on Ocean trawling will not damage seafloor critically needed. Oculina Bank, des- Policy in 2004—which find bottom habitats. Second, a national mandate ignated as a Habitat Area of Particular fishing, especially bottom trawling, is to protect deep sea corals is neces- Concern in 1984, in an action years a major threat to seafloor communi- sary through either amendment to ahead of its time, is now over 90% ties and deep sea corals. These studies the Magnuson-Stevens Act or new destroyed because no attention to recommend stricter protection of legislation. Third, government should enforcement followed the designation. vulnerable deep sea coral habitats. devote substantial resources to achiev- Our National Marine Sanctuary Similarly, the President’s 2004 Ocean ing a better scientific understanding Program, the main federal program Action Plan emphasized deep sea of where deep sea coral communities charged with protecting ocean coral conservation and called for are found, their ecological roles and ecosystems, does not manage fish further identification and protection threats to them, especially bottom- and therefore does not regulate the of deep sea coral areas. Despite these contact fishing gears. Last, managers impacts of fishing on deep sea corals encouraging signs, progress towards must develop a comprehensive frame- or seafloors within its boundaries. increased deep sea coral protection work to manage all human activities The Minerals Management Service, has been slow to occur. Recent based on their compatibility with which oversees energy production, actions by fishery management different ocean habitats (i.e., ecosys- can mitigate impacts to deep sea councils to designate essential fish tem-based management and ocean corals by establishing buffer zones habitat and to freeze the current zoning). Until we make protecting around deep sea coral communities, footprint of bottom trawling are ecosystems, rather than exploiting but has yet to do so. progress for deep sea coral conserva- resources, the overarching goal of The findings of this report, the tion. But those areas that have been management, we will continue to first to address the status of deep sea comprehensively protected are small fall short of protecting deep sea cor- corals in US waters, echo and reinforce in relation to the need. als, sustaining healthy fisheries, and recent conclusions by the National The recommendations of this maintaining the oceans’ productivity Research Council in 2002, the Pew report are first, that fishery manage- and biological diversity. ment councils and national marine sanctuaries must use existing tools to protect deep sea corals, and curtail any further expansion of bottom Authors: Contents Lance E. Morgan Chih-Fan Tsao 7 Chapter 1: Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea John M. Guinotte 7 What are Deep Sea Corals? 10 Why Should We Be Concerned about Deep Sea Corals? Copyright © 2006 Lance E. Morgan, 10 Chih-Fan Tsao, John M. Guinotte. Longevity and Vulnerability A product of Marine Conservation 11 Medical and Scientific Value Biology Institute. 12 Deep Sea Corals as Habitat Suggested citation: 13 Habitat for Invertebrates Morgan, L.E., C.-F. Tsao, J.M. Guinotte 13 Habitat for Fishes (2006). “Status of Deep Sea Corals in US Waters, with Recommendations for their 15 Summary Conservation and Management.” 64 pp. Marine Conservation Biology Institute, 17 Chapter 2: Deep Sea Corals in US Waters Bellevue, WA. 17 Distribution of Deep Sea Corals Front cover photo: A close-up of bamboo 20 Stony Corals (Scleractinia) coral polyps on a seamount off New England 21 Gold Corals (Zoanthidea) Photo credit: Deep Atlantic Stepping Stones Science Party, IFE, URI-IAO, and NOAA 22 Black Corals (Antipatharia) 22 Gorgonian Corals (Alcyonacea) Inside front cover photo: An assemblage of sponges and corals in the Aleutian 24 Hydrocorals (Stylasterina) Islands, Alaska 25 Deep Sea Coral and Sponge Assemblages Photo credit: A. Lindner, NMFS 25 Summary This page: A close-up of a gorgonian coral ( Iridogorgia sp.) on a seamount off New England. The feeding polyps are all lined up on one side of the branches. Photo credit: the Deep Atlantic Stepping Stones Science Party, IFE, URI-IAO, and NOAA Printed on recycled paper. ISBN 1-891276-53-0 27 Chapter 3: Threats to Deep Sea Corals 39 Chapter 4: Current Management of Deep Sea Corals 27 Bottom Trawl Fishing 39 NMFS and Regional Fishery Management Councils 29 New England and Mid-Atlantic Regions 40 New England and Mid-Atlantic Regions 30 South Atlantic Region 40 South Atlantic Region 30 Gulf of Mexico Region 41 Gulf of Mexico Region 31 Caribbean Region 41 Caribbean Region 31 North Pacific Region 41 North Pacific Region 32 Pacific Region 42 Pacific Region 32 Western Pacific Region 43 Western Pacific Region 32 Other Commercial Fishing Gears 43 National Marine Sanctuary Program 33 Recreational Fishing 44 Minerals Management Service 33 Oil and Gas Exploration and Extraction 45 Undetermined Habitat Value of Corals Limits Protection 34 Coral Exploitation and Trade 47 Current Protection for Deep Sea Corals is Inadequate 35 Invasive Species 47 Summary 36 Increasing Atmospheric CO2 36 Changing Seawater Chemistry 49 Chapter 5: Status and Recommendations for Deep Sea Coral Protection 36 Warming Waters 49 Current Status of Deep Sea Corals 36 Other Threats 50 Recommendations to Improve Deep Sea Coral Conservation 36 Cable Laying 52 1. Use and Enforce Existing Laws 37 Waste Disposal and Pollution 53 2. Establish a National Mandate to Protect Deep Sea Corals 37 Mineral Extraction 53 3. Expand Scientific Research 37 Bioprospecting 54 4. Implement Ecosystem-Based Management 37 Summary 57 Conclusions 58 Literature Cited 64 Appendix 64 Acknowledgments Exploration of deep sea corals in recent decades provides us with images and knowledge of spectacularly diverse seafloor communities. Voyage to the by researchers document deep sea degradation, commercial fishing Bottom of the Sea corals damaged or crushed by fishing fleets are moving further out into gears. We are destroying a treasure deeper waters (Christensen et al. The ocean— especially the deep that we have yet to fully understand. 2003, Roberts 2002). Industrialized ocean— is the last frontier we are Until we comprehend the complexity fleets are now using advanced exploring and exploiting on our and interconnectivity of marine technologies (e.g., synthetic fishing planet.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Final Master Document Draft EFH EIS Gulf
    Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Generic Essential Fish Habitat Amendment to the following fishery management plans of the Gulf of Mexico (GOM): SHRIMP FISHERY OF THE GULF OF MEXICO RED DRUM FISHERY OF THE GULF OF MEXICO REEF FISH FISHERY OF THE GULF OF MEXICO STONE CRAB FISHERY OF THE GULF OF MEXICO CORAL AND CORAL REEF FISHERY OF THE GULF OF MEXICO SPINY LOBSTER FISHERY OF THE GULF OF MEXICO AND SOUTH ATLANTIC COASTAL MIGRATORY PELAGIC RESOURCES OF THE GULF OF MEXICO AND SOUTH ATLANTIC VOLUME 1: TEXT March 2004 Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council The Commons at Rivergate 3018 U.S. Highway 301 North, Suite 1000 Tampa, Florida 33619-2266 Tel: 813-228-2815 (toll-free 888-833-1844), FAX: 813-225-7015 E-mail: [email protected] This is a publication of the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council pursuant to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Award No. NA17FC1052. COVER SHEET Environmental Impact Statement for the Generic Essential Fish Habitat Amendment to the fishery management plans of the Gulf of Mexico Draft () Final (X) Type of Action: Administrative (x) Legislative ( ) Area of Potential Impact: Areas of tidally influenced waters and substrates of the Gulf of Mexico and its estuaries in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida extending out to the limit of the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) Agency: HQ Contact: Region Contacts: U.S. Department of Commerce Steve Kokkinakis David Dale NOAA Fisheries NOAA-Strategic Planning (N/SP) (727)570-5317 Southeast Region Building SSMC3, Rm. 15532 David Keys 9721 Executive Center Dr.
    [Show full text]
  • Fronts in the World Ocean's Large Marine Ecosystems. ICES CM 2007
    - 1 - This paper can be freely cited without prior reference to the authors International Council ICES CM 2007/D:21 for the Exploration Theme Session D: Comparative Marine Ecosystem of the Sea (ICES) Structure and Function: Descriptors and Characteristics Fronts in the World Ocean’s Large Marine Ecosystems Igor M. Belkin and Peter C. Cornillon Abstract. Oceanic fronts shape marine ecosystems; therefore front mapping and characterization is one of the most important aspects of physical oceanography. Here we report on the first effort to map and describe all major fronts in the World Ocean’s Large Marine Ecosystems (LMEs). Apart from a geographical review, these fronts are classified according to their origin and physical mechanisms that maintain them. This first-ever zero-order pattern of the LME fronts is based on a unique global frontal data base assembled at the University of Rhode Island. Thermal fronts were automatically derived from 12 years (1985-1996) of twice-daily satellite 9-km resolution global AVHRR SST fields with the Cayula-Cornillon front detection algorithm. These frontal maps serve as guidance in using hydrographic data to explore subsurface thermohaline fronts, whose surface thermal signatures have been mapped from space. Our most recent study of chlorophyll fronts in the Northwest Atlantic from high-resolution 1-km data (Belkin and O’Reilly, 2007) revealed a close spatial association between chlorophyll fronts and SST fronts, suggesting causative links between these two types of fronts. Keywords: Fronts; Large Marine Ecosystems; World Ocean; sea surface temperature. Igor M. Belkin: Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, 215 South Ferry Road, Narragansett, Rhode Island 02882, USA [tel.: +1 401 874 6533, fax: +1 874 6728, email: [email protected]].
    [Show full text]
  • Information Review for Protected Deep-Sea Coral Species in the New Zealand Region
    INFORMATION REVIEW FOR PROTECTED DEEP-SEA CORAL SPECIES IN THE NEW ZEALAND REGION NIWA Client Report: WLG2006-85 November 2006 NIWA Project: DOC06307 INFORMATION REVIEW FOR PROTECTED DEEP-SEA CORAL SPECIES IN THE NEW ZEALAND REGION Authors Mireille Consalvey Kevin MacKay Di Tracey Prepared for Department of Conservation NIWA Client Report: WLG2006-85 November 2006 NIWA Project: DOC06307 National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research Ltd 301 Evans Bay Parade, Greta Point, Wellington Private Bag 14901, Kilbirnie, Wellington, New Zealand Phone +64-4-386 0300, Fax +64-4-386 0574 www.niwa.co.nz © All rights reserved. This publication may not be reproduced or copied in any form without the permission of the client. Such permission is to be given only in accordance with the terms of the client's contract with NIWA. This copyright extends to all forms of copying and any storage of material in any kind of information retrieval system. Contents Executive Summary iv 1. Introduction 1 2. Corals 1 3. Habitat 3 4. Corals as a habitat 3 5. Major taxonomic groups of deep-sea corals in New Zealand 5 6. Distribution of deep-sea corals in the New Zealand region 9 7. Systematics of deep-sea corals in New Zealand 18 8. Reproduction and recruitment of deep-sea corals 20 9. Growth rates and deep-sea coral ageing 22 10. Fishing effects on deep-sea corals 24 11. Other threats to deep-sea corals 29 12. Ongoing research into deep-sea corals in New Zealand 29 13. Future science and challenges to deep-sea coral research in New Zealand 30 14.
    [Show full text]
  • 1 Creating a Species Inventory for a Marine Protected Area: the Missing
    Katherine R. Rice NOAA Species Inventory Project Spring 2018 Creating a Species Inventory for a Marine Protected Area: The Missing Piece for Effective Ecosystem-Based Marine Management Katherine R. Rice ABSTRACT Over the past decade, ecosystem-based management has been incorporated into many marine- management administrations as a marine-conservation tool, driven with the objective to predict, evaluate and possibly mitigate the impacts of a warming and acidifying ocean, and a coastline increasingly subject to anthropogenic control. The NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS) is one such administration, and was instituted “to serve as the trustee for a network of 13 underwater parks encompassing more than 600,000 square miles of marine and Great Lakes waters from Washington state to the Florida Keys, and from Lake Huron to American Samoa” (NOAA, 2015). The management regimes for nearly all national marine sanctuaries, as well as other marine protected areas, have the goal of managing and maintaining biodiversity within the sanctuary. Yet none of those sanctuaries have an inventory of their known species nor a standardized protocol for measuring or monitoring species biodiversity. Here, I outline the steps required to compile a species inventory for an MPA, but also describe some of stumbling blocks that one might encounter along the way and offer suggestions on how to handle these issues (see Appendix A: Process for Developing the MBNMS Species Inventory (PD-MBNMS)). This project consists of three research objectives: 1. Determining what species inventory efforts exist, how they operate, and their advantages and disadvantages 2. Determining the process of creating a species inventory 3.
    [Show full text]
  • Checklist of Fish and Invertebrates Listed in the CITES Appendices
    JOINTS NATURE \=^ CONSERVATION COMMITTEE Checklist of fish and mvertebrates Usted in the CITES appendices JNCC REPORT (SSN0963-«OStl JOINT NATURE CONSERVATION COMMITTEE Report distribution Report Number: No. 238 Contract Number/JNCC project number: F7 1-12-332 Date received: 9 June 1995 Report tide: Checklist of fish and invertebrates listed in the CITES appendices Contract tide: Revised Checklists of CITES species database Contractor: World Conservation Monitoring Centre 219 Huntingdon Road, Cambridge, CB3 ODL Comments: A further fish and invertebrate edition in the Checklist series begun by NCC in 1979, revised and brought up to date with current CITES listings Restrictions: Distribution: JNCC report collection 2 copies Nature Conservancy Council for England, HQ, Library 1 copy Scottish Natural Heritage, HQ, Library 1 copy Countryside Council for Wales, HQ, Library 1 copy A T Smail, Copyright Libraries Agent, 100 Euston Road, London, NWl 2HQ 5 copies British Library, Legal Deposit Office, Boston Spa, Wetherby, West Yorkshire, LS23 7BQ 1 copy Chadwick-Healey Ltd, Cambridge Place, Cambridge, CB2 INR 1 copy BIOSIS UK, Garforth House, 54 Michlegate, York, YOl ILF 1 copy CITES Management and Scientific Authorities of EC Member States total 30 copies CITES Authorities, UK Dependencies total 13 copies CITES Secretariat 5 copies CITES Animals Committee chairman 1 copy European Commission DG Xl/D/2 1 copy World Conservation Monitoring Centre 20 copies TRAFFIC International 5 copies Animal Quarantine Station, Heathrow 1 copy Department of the Environment (GWD) 5 copies Foreign & Commonwealth Office (ESED) 1 copy HM Customs & Excise 3 copies M Bradley Taylor (ACPO) 1 copy ^\(\\ Joint Nature Conservation Committee Report No.
    [Show full text]
  • Proposal for Inclusion of the Oceanic White-Tip Shark in Appendix I of The
    UNEP/CMS/COP13/Doc.27.1.8/Rev.2 CONVENTION ON MIGRATORY 20 February 2020 SPECIES Original: English 13th MEETING OF THE CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES Gandhinagar, India, 17 - 22 February 2020 Agenda Item 27.1 PROPOSAL FOR THE INCLUSION OF THE WHITE-TIP SHARK (Carcharhinus longimanus) ON APPENDIX I OF THE CONVENTION* Summary: The Federative Republic of Brazil has submitted the attached proposal for the inclusion of the Oceanic White-tip Shark (Carcharhinus longimanus) in Appendix I of CMS. Rev.2 contains the original version of the document with one amendment that was made in the Range States section. Other amendments that were presented in Rev.1 had been removed again. *The geographical designations employed in this document do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the CMS Secretariat (or the United Nations Environment Programme) concerning the legal status of any country, territory, or area, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The responsibility for the contents of the document rests exclusively with its author. UNEP/CMS/COP13/Doc.27.1.8/Rev.2 PROPOSAL FOR THE INCLUSION OF THE OCEANIC WHITE-TIP SHARK (Carcharhinus longimanus) ON APPENDIX I OF THE CONVENTION A. PROPOSAL Inclusion of all populations of Carcharhinus longimanus on Appendix I B. PROPONENT Brazil C. SUPPORTING STATEMENT 1. Taxonomy 1.1 Class: Chondrichthyes, subclass Elasmobranchii 1.2 Order: Carcharhiniformes, Requin sharks 1.3 Family: Carcharhinidae 1.4 Genus: Carcharhinus Species: Carcharhinus longimanus (Poey 1861) 1.5 Common name(s) English: oceanic white-tip shark French: requin blanc Spanish: tiburon oceanico Figure 1.
    [Show full text]
  • NMFS 2010 Essential Fish Habitat, TN186
    Essential Fish Habitat: A Marine Fish Habitat Conservation Mandate For Federal Agencies Gulf of Mexico Region National Marine Fisheries Service Habitat Conservation Division Southeast Regional Office 263 13th Avenue S. St. Petersburg, FL 33701 727/824-5317 REV. 09/2010 1 Executive Summary The 1996 amendments to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) set forth a new mandate for NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), regional fishery management councils (FMC), and other federal agencies to identify and protect important marine and anadromous fish habitat. The essential fish habitat (EFH) provisions of the Magnuson-Stevens Act support one of the nation’s overall marine resource management goals - maintaining sustainable fisheries. Essential to achieving this goal is the maintenance of suitable marine fishery habitat quality and quantity. The FMCs, with assistance from NMFS, have delineated EFH for federally managed species. As new fishery management plans (FMPs) are developed, EFH for newly managed species will be defined as well. Federal action agencies which fund, permit, or carry out activities that may adversely affect EFH are required to consult with NMFS regarding the potential impacts of their actions on EFH and respond in writing to NMFS or FMC recommendations. In addition, NMFS and the FMCs may comment on and make recommendations to any state agency on their activities that may affect EFH. Measures recommended by NMFS or an FMC to protect EFH are advisory, not proscriptive. On December 19, 1997, interim final rules, which specified procedures for implementation of the EFH provisions of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, were published in the Federal Register.
    [Show full text]
  • Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems – Processes and Practices in the High Seas Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems Processes and Practices in the High Seas
    ISSN 2070-7010 FAO 595 FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE TECHNICAL PAPER 595 Vulnerable marine ecosystems – Processes and practices in the high seas Vulnerable marine ecosystems Processes and practices in the high seas This publication, Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems: processes and practices in the high seas, provides regional fisheries management bodies, States, and other interested parties with a summary of existing regional measures to protect vulnerable marine ecosystems from significant adverse impacts caused by deep-sea fisheries using bottom contact gears in the high seas. This publication compiles and summarizes information on the processes and practices of the regional fishery management bodies, with mandates to manage deep-sea fisheries in the high seas, to protect vulnerable marine ecosystems. ISBN 978-92-5-109340-5 ISSN 2070-7010 FAO 9 789251 093405 I5952E/2/03.17 Cover photo credits: Photo descriptions clockwise from top-left: Acanthagorgia spp., Paragorgia arborea, Vase sponges (images courtesy of Fisheries and Oceans, Canada); and Callogorgia spp. (image courtesy of Kirsty Kemp, the Zoological Society of London). FAO FISHERIES AND Vulnerable marine ecosystems AQUACULTURE TECHNICAL Processes and practices in the high seas PAPER 595 Edited by Anthony Thompson FAO Consultant Rome, Italy Jessica Sanders Fisheries Officer FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department Rome, Italy Merete Tandstad Fisheries Resources Officer FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department Rome, Italy Fabio Carocci Fishery Information Assistant FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department Rome, Italy and Jessica Fuller FAO Consultant Rome, Italy FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS Rome, 2016 The designations employed and the presentation of material in this information product do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) concerning the legal or development status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.
    [Show full text]
  • Symbionts and Environmental Factors Related to Deep-Sea Coral Size and Health
    Symbionts and environmental factors related to deep-sea coral size and health Erin Malsbury, University of Georgia Mentor: Linda Kuhnz Summer 2018 Keywords: deep-sea coral, epibionts, symbionts, ecology, Sur Ridge, white polyps ABSTRACT We analyzed video footage from a remotely operated vehicle to estimate the size, environmental variation, and epibiont community of three types of deep-sea corals (class Anthozoa) at Sur Ridge off the coast of central California. For all three of the corals, Keratoisis, Isidella tentaculum, and Paragorgia arborea, species type was correlated with the number of epibionts on the coral. Paragorgia arborea had the highest average number of symbionts, followed by Keratoisis. Epibionts were identified to the lowest possible taxonomic level and categorized as predators or commensalists. Around twice as many Keratoisis were found with predators as Isidella tentaculum, while no predators were found on Paragorgia arborea. Corals were also measured from photos and divided into size classes for each type based on natural breaks. The northern sites of the mound supported larger Keratoisis and Isidella tentaculum than the southern portion, but there was no relationship between size and location for Paragorgia arborea. The northern sites of Sur Ridge were also the only place white polyps were found. These polyps were seen mostly on Keratoisis, but were occasionally found on the skeletons of Isidella tentaculum and even Lillipathes, an entirely separate subclass of corals from Keratoisis. Overall, although coral size appears to be impacted by 1 environmental variables and location for Keratoisis and Isidella tentaculum, the presence of symbionts did not appear to correlate with coral size for any of the coral types.
    [Show full text]
  • Cirrhitidae 3321
    click for previous page Perciformes: Percoidei: Cirrhitidae 3321 CIRRHITIDAE Hawkfishes by J.E. Randall iagnostic characters: Oblong fishes (size to about 30 cm), body depth 2 to 4.6 times in standard Dlength. A fringe of cirri on posterior edge of anterior nostril. Two indistinct spines on opercle. A row of canine teeth in jaws, the longest usually anteriorly in upper jaw and half-way back on lower jaw; a band of villiform teeth inside the canines, broader anteriorly (in lower jaw only anteriorly). One or more cirri projecting from tips of interspinous membranes of dorsal fin. Dorsal fin continuous, with X spines and 11 to 17 soft rays, notched between spinous and soft portions; anal fin with III spines and 5 to 7 (usually 6) soft rays; pectoral fins with 14 rays, the lower 5 to 7 rays unbranched and usually enlarged, with the membranes deeply incised; pelvic fins with I spine and 5 soft rays. Principal caudal-fin rays 15. Branchiostegal rays 6. Scales cycloid. Swimbladder absent. Vertebrae 26. Colour: variable with species. cirri lower pectoral-fin rays thickened and unbranched Remarks: The hawkfish family consists of 10 genera and 38 species, 33 of which occur in the Indo-Pacific region; 19 species are found in the Western Central Pacific. Habitat, biology, and fisheries: Cirrhitids are bottom-dwelling fishes of coral reefs or rocky substrata; the majority occur in shallow water. They use their thickened lower pectoral-fin rays to wedge themselves in position in areas subject to surge. All species are carnivorous, feeding mainly on benthic crustaceans.
    [Show full text]
  • Morphology and Significance of the Luminous Organs in Alepocephaloid Fishes
    Uiblein, F., Ott, J., Stachowitsch,©Akademie d. Wissenschaften M. (Eds), Wien; 1996: download Deep-sea unter www.biologiezentrum.at and extreme shallow-water habitats: affinities and adaptations. - Biosystematics and Ecology Series 11:151-163. Morphology and significance of the luminous organs in alepocephaloid fishes Y. I. SAZONOV Abstract: Alepocephaloid fishes, or slickheads (two families, Alepocephalidae and Platytroctidae), are deep-sea fishes distributed in all three major oceans at depths of ca. 100-5000 m, usually between ca. 500 and 3000 m. Among about 150 known species, 13 alepocephalid and all (ca. 40) platytroctid species have diverse light organs: 1) postcleithral luminous gland (all platytroctids); it releases a luminescent secredon which presumably startles or blinds predators and allows the fish to escape; 2) relatively large, regulär photophores on the head and ventral parts of the body in the alepocephalid Microphotolepis and in 6 (of 14) platytroctid genera. These organs may serve for countershading and possibly for giving signals to other individuals of the same species; 3) small "simple" or "secondary" photophores covering the whole body and fins in 5 alepocephalid genera, and a few such structures in 1 platytroctid; these organs may be used for Camouflage in the glow of spontaneous bioluminescence; 4) the mental light organ in 2 alepocephalid genera from the abyssal zone (Bathyprion and Mirognathus) may be used as a Iure to attract prey. Introduction Alepocephaloid fishes, or slickheads, comprise two families of isospondyl- ous fishes (Platytroctidae and Alepocephalidae). The group is one of the most diverse among oceanic bathypelagic fishes (about 35 genera with 150 species), and these fishes play a significant role in the communities of meso- and bathypelagic animals.
    [Show full text]
  • Natura 2000 Sites for Reefs and Submerged Sandbanks Volume II: Northeast Atlantic and North Sea
    Implementation of the EU Habitats Directive Offshore: Natura 2000 sites for reefs and submerged sandbanks Volume II: Northeast Atlantic and North Sea A report by WWF June 2001 Implementation of the EU Habitats Directive Offshore: Natura 2000 sites for reefs and submerged sandbanks A report by WWF based on: "Habitats Directive Implementation in Europe Offshore SACs for reefs" by A. D. Rogers Southampton Oceanographic Centre, UK; and "Submerged Sandbanks in European Shelf Waters" by Veligrakis, A., Collins, M.B., Owrid, G. and A. Houghton Southampton Oceanographic Centre, UK; commissioned by WWF For information please contact: Dr. Sarah Jones WWF UK Panda House Weyside Park Godalming Surrey GU7 1XR United Kingdom Tel +441483 412522 Fax +441483 426409 Email: [email protected] Cover page photo: Trawling smashes cold water coral reefs P.Buhl-Mortensen, University of Bergen, Norway Prepared by Sabine Christiansen and Sarah Jones IMPLEMENTATION OF THE EU HD OFFSHORE REEFS AND SUBMERGED SANDBANKS NE ATLANTIC AND NORTH SEA TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I LIST OF MAPS II LIST OF TABLES III 1 INTRODUCTION 1 2 REEFS IN THE NORTHEAST ATLANTIC AND THE NORTH SEA (A.D. ROGERS, SOC) 3 2.1 Data inventory 3 2.2 Example cases for the type of information provided (full list see Vol. IV ) 9 2.2.1 "Darwin Mounds" East (UK) 9 2.2.2 Galicia Bank (Spain) 13 2.2.3 Gorringe Ridge (Portugal) 17 2.2.4 La Chapelle Bank (France) 22 2.3 Bibliography reefs 24 2.4 Analysis of Offshore Reefs Inventory (WWF)(overview maps and tables) 31 2.4.1 North Sea 31 2.4.2 UK and Ireland 32 2.4.3 France and Spain 39 2.4.4 Portugal 41 2.4.5 Conclusions 43 3 SUBMERGED SANDBANKS IN EUROPEAN SHELF WATERS (A.
    [Show full text]