Fragile corals living in very deep water may be more abundant and at the same time more at-risk than once thought. The main threat comes from commercial fishing trawl nets and dredges, which scrub the ocean floor for finfish and shellfish. Some areas, such as the Oculina Bank off East Central Florida, have been closed to such equipment, because of well-documented problems. But scientists think there may be need for additional closures—or at least more studies.

The “Bottom Trawl and Deep Sea Coral Habitat Act of 2005,” running through Congress, aims to freeze trawling and dredging in U.S. waters until the fishing grounds are surveyed for the presence of coral habitat. The National Coalition for Marine Conservation, Oceana and Marine Conservation Biology Institute has supported the legislation, which was introduced in the Senate (S.1635) and House of Representatives (H.R.3778). For more information, visit www.mcbi.org

FS