The Deep Sea Conservation Coalition today said the decision by Australian fishing company Austral to be part of an industry proposal to close parts of the Southern Indian Ocean from bottom trawl fishing shows they are aware of the need to protect deep-sea life from the destruction caused by bottom trawling, but warned this alone will not solve the problem. “It sounds like a large area but it is a tiny fraction of the South Indian Ocean – maybe as little as 2 per cent” said Lyn Goldsworthy, Australian representative of the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition. “It’s effectiveness in addressing deep sea destruction will depend on significance of the areas involved. It could be areas already fished out. It may cover areas that are unfishable. And it may not cover all the areas under threat – particularly fishable seamounts.
Continue reading Trawl ban a drop in the ocean