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media release WWF – the global environment network - today exposed the UK government’s failure to keep its promise to protect unique cold water corals, the Darwin Mounds, situated off Scotland’s northern coastline, from being destroyed by deep-water fishing.
WWF is still waiting for the government to act on an eighteen-month-old promise by Margaret Beckett, Secretary of State for DEFRA, to save the corals [1]. In the mean time, the Darwin Mounds, which are known to be thousands of years old, continue to be smashed by deep-water fishing nets from fishing trawlers [2]. "Up close, the Darwin Mounds are as beautiful and as rich in marine wildlife as the Great Barrier Reef,” said Helen McLachlan, marine policy officer for WWF Scotland. “We are extremely frustrated that the government has promised time and time again to protect these amazing reefs but nothing has happened. Ministers north and south of the border need to take the marine environment more seriously.”
Although the UK government would have to go through the European Commission to protect the Darwin Mounds, WWF has learned that the Commission is broadly supportive of the idea. In a response to a European Parliamentary Question about the Darwin Mounds (dated 14 February 2002) Mr Fischler, President of the European Commission, wrote, “the Commission is ready to consider any substantiated request from the UK government that could justify emergency measures…”
“Margaret Beckett promised back in 2001 to protect the Darwin Mounds and, so far, no protection has been authorised, despite the Commission giving a green light to a proposal for emergency measures,” added McLachlan. “If this inaction continues, the UK’s equivalent of the Great Barrier Reef could end up being destroyed before we can truly appreciate its wonders.”
Only discovered in 1998, the Darwin Mounds are a unique collection of cold-water coral (Lophelia Pertusa) mounds at a depth of 1000 metres and about 185km northwest of Scotland. They are made up of hundreds of coral reefs up to 5m (16ft) high and 100m (328 ft) wide covering an area of approximately 100km2. The reefs support a wide diversity of marine life, such as sponges, starfish, sea urchins, crabs and deep-sea fish such as the blue ling, round-nosed grenadier and the orange roughy [3]. WWF is calling on the government to act now to save the Darwin Mounds by:
WWF Scotland is a supporting organisation of the Scottish Environment LINK Everyone Campaign [4] - calling for political parties in Scotland to prioritise the protection of the seas and coasts by committing to a Minister for the Seas for Scotland.
“The plight of the Darwin Mounds is a clear example of why we need to see our politicians in Scotland pushing marine issues up the political agenda. A Minister for the Seas would ensure a more co-ordinated approach by the Executive in pressing the UK government and the European Union into taking action to safeguard the health of Scotland’s seas for the benefit of future generations,” said McLachlan.
Editor's notes
2. The most recent study of the area, carried out in 2000, clearly showed linear channels have been cut into the Darwin Mounds by trawler nets. Photographic evidence shows smashed and fragmented corals. After this initial research in 2000, fishing activity has continued in the region, which may have resulted in further damage to these fragile deep-water corals.
3. Deep-water trawling for a range of species such as roundnose grenadier, orange roughy, black scabbard, is carried out by a number of countries. Only four species have been set quotas, the largest allocations for which are given to French vessels.
4. WWF Scotland is a supporting organisation of the 'everyone' campaign - an initiative from Scottish Environment LINK. Some 26 organisations with nearly half a million supporters, are combining forces to push the environment up the political agenda in the run up to the Scottish Parliamentary elections on 1 May. Already, an opinion poll by System 3 published by the campaign on 26th February, shows that the environment is likely to be a decisive issue for the majority of voters during this May's Scottish elections. The campaign features demands for a better environment with specific measures for clean air, healthy seas, safe food, less landfill, protection for wildlife and wild places, reduction in climate changing gases. It also features a campaigning website for supporters to target candidate MSPs directly. For further information and background briefings go to www.everyonecan.org
A photograph of the coral found on the Darwin Mounds is available from jgrant@wwfscotland.org.uk
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