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.