High Seas Conservation

The high seas are the wild west of the world’s oceans. There is little rule of law in these remote waters, which are largely out of sight and out of mind. More than 98% of the world's marine species live in, on, or just above the seafloor.

One of MCBI’s core functions is to maintain and protect biological diversity on the seafloor within countries exclusive economic zones and on the high seas. As a founding member of the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition (DSCC) — an international group of 60 conservation organizations — we called on the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to secure a moratorium on high-seas bottom trawling and protect vulnerable seafloor habitats, such as seamounts and deep-sea coral communities. MCBI is working to conserve and protect these fragile and unique deep-sea ecosystems before they are destroyed forever.

Crewmen on the New Zealand bottom trawler Waipori dump a large piece of Paragorgia coral dragged up from the deep seabed in their net. (Photo: Greenpeace/Pullman)

The moratorium campaign started as a result of MCBI's Scientists' Statement on Protecting the World's Deep-Sea Coral and Sponge Ecosystems. This historic proclamation — signed by 1,452 scientists from 69 countries — signifies unprecedented concern by experts in marine sciences and conservation biology.

MCBI has been actively involved in high seas conservation through lobbying efforts, scientific research, and meetings. Below are some of MCBI's achievements:

Science Support to DSCC: MCBI Marine Biogeographer John Guinotte has produced maps, statistics and science related materials to DSCC partners to aid in discussions on high seas governance, such as an analysis of the Southern Indian Ocean Deepwater Fishers’ Association (SIODA) proposed Benthic Protected Areas.

UN Meetings: MCBI Ocean Policy Analyst Steven Lutz, attended the latest UNICPOLOS (United Nations Open-ended Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea) meeting in New York (12-16 June 2006).

Science Tour: MCBI President Elliott Norse was one of eight leading scientists who traveled through Europe in 2005 meeting with key European decision makers. Their purpose was to underline the call for an immediate UNGA moratorium on high seas bottom trawling as the only viable, short-term measure that can halt the destruction of these vulnerable deep-sea habitats.

Gear Shift Meeting: In 2005 MCBI Chief Scientist Lance Morgan attended the Gear Shift Meeting in Halifax, Nova Scotia, working with DSCC members to curtail bottom trawling.

MCBI publications for DSCC:

• MCBI (2005). Debunking claims of sustainability: high seas bottom trawl red herrings. Deep Sea Conservation Coalition, New York.
• Morgan, L.E., E.A. Norse, A.D. Rogers, R.L. Haedrich, S.M. Maxwell (2005). Why the world needs a time-out on high seas bottom trawling. Deep Sea Conservation Coalition, New York.
• Maxwell, S., H. Ehrlich, L. Speer, and W. Chandler (2005). Medicines from the deep: the importance of protecting the high seas from bottom trawling. A Natural Resource Defense Council issue paper. Natural Resource Defense Council and Marine Conservation Biology Institute, New York.