Deep Dive: protecting coldwater corals off Nova Scotia
Transcript
Coral Conservation on the Scotian Shelf
Coldwater corals play an important role for many types of marine life. They act as spawning and breeding grounds, nurseries and shelter for many species, including commercial groundfish like pollock and redfish.
The protection of important cold-water coral areas is vital. Corals are very fragile and slow growing. They can be damaged, and if recovery is possible, it may take many years to decades.
Scientific discoveries over the past 20 years have helped Fisheries and Oceans Canada protect several areas off Nova Scotia with significant or unique coral habitats. These areas are called Marine Refuges, which are established under the Fisheries Act and include :
- The Corsair and Georges submarine canyons, where a variety of branching corals, such as bubblegum coral (Paragorgia arborea), can be found
- The Jordan Basin, where high densities of seacorn corals (Primnoa resedaeformis) cover the bedrock ridges
- Eastern Canyons, which is home to many types of cold-water corals and the only known location of a living Lophelia pertusa reef in Atlantic Canada
In these Marine Refuges, fisheries that use gear that would make contact with the ocean floor are prohibited to help reduce the impact from human activity on these special areas. These efforts can protect not only the corals, but also the variety of species that use these habitats. DFO also works with management authorities to ensure that other types of human activities do not harm the corals.
Research and monitoring will continue to reveal new potential conservation areas and help guide how we can protect these long-lived, vulnerable species for generations to come.
To learn more, visit our website.
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