Yup, that’s right, we’ve all heard that saying before. Unfortunately, for many people, ‘out of sight’ is just about everything in the oceans … including little-known but vitally important ecosystems known as deep sea coral reefs. These fragile ecosystems are being virtually swept away by fishing gear that scrapes along the bottom of the ocean to catch what few fish are left. These huge traps have weights on them that leave nothing standing (see the picture).

Think of it this way. Imagine you’re out hunting for rabbits and instead of using a shotgun, you use a huge bulldozer with a big net behind it and plow through a forest or grassland, scraping everything in your path - all the little squirrels, the majestic oaks, everything. You haul it up, take out the rabbits, and leave everything else behind … DEAD. A virtual desert in your wake.

Now, why do you care? Well, you may not, but you should. Deep sea coral reefs, like their shallow counterparts are vital habitats for many critically important commercial fish species. They also could provide the basis for new medicines unknown to science.

So what are we doing about it? A lot. In fact, here in the United States, EarthEcho is supporting the efforts of several outstanding organizations, such as Oceana and the Marine Conservation Biology Institute, to try and pass legislation to protect these coral reefs. Many people don’t want to protect them, they want to keep up the status quo. Can you guess who? That’s right! Fisherman and the politicians who pander to them. Well, let’s get one thing straight - we are only working to close down areas that may still have corals and haven’t traditionally been used for fishing.

In the long run, these areas can be healthy and help re-populate the areas where fishing has and will continue to happen. Not only that, but the huge towers of deep sea coral (sometime as large as huge oak trees and as old as 2,000 years!!!) can continue their role in making our planet a place we can call home for generations to come.

Check out www.mcbi.org for more information.

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