INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY CALLS FOR URGENT ACTION TO PROTECT THE DEEP

International scientific community calls for urgent action to protect the deep from destruction of bottom trawling. As the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3) opens in Nice, leading marine scientists from across the world are calling on governments to deliver on long-standing commitments to protect fragile deep-sea ecosystems, including seamounts, from the devastation of bottom trawling. 

Awe-inspiring underwater worlds, seamounts act as spawning and nursery grounds, sources of food, places of rest, and waypoints in the open ocean for whales, sharks, and countless other species.

However, bottom trawling continues to destroy these ancient, fragile and vital ecosystems of the deep, permitted by a handful of countries that should instead be taking action to deliver on a United Nations (UN) Resolution adopted nearly 20 years ago.

Under a series of UN Resolutions, vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs), including seamounts, should be protected from destructive activities. Concern about bottom trawling on seamounts was first raised at the UN in 2004 and a General Assembly resolution was passed in 2006 to stop the practice, which States have yet to implement and enforce.

In an open letter, signed by international scientists, States are urged to take immediate action to protect these extraordinary underwater mountains. The letter outlines the growing scientific evidence highlighting and affirming seamounts’ ecological importance as biodiversity hotspots, as recently shown in David Attenborough’s landmark documentary Ocean.

Dr. Lissette Victorero, Science Advisor at the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition (DSCC), said:

“Never before have we known so much about seamounts and their importance for biodiversity, their vulnerability, and their essential role in keeping our ocean healthy. We have also seen first-hand the undeniable evidence of the impact of bottom trawling on these ecosystems, which can take anywhere from centuries to millennia to recover.

“This letter is a call to action from the scientific community. States have the tools required to stop this destruction and save thousands of years of history from being wiped out by bottom trawling. The science is clear: the time for action is now.”

The international community has made repeated commitments to protect seamounts and other VMEs from destructive fishing activities, starting with the landmark UNGA resolution 61/105 in 2006. However, implementation remains inconsistent and fragmented.

Mirella von Lindenfels, Director of IPSO, said:

“Two decades after Resolution 61/105, it’s clear that promises alone are not enough. Action is overdue, and the fate of the deep ocean hangs in the balance. We call on all States to fully implement their commitments, close the governance gaps, and stop authorising destructive deep-sea bottom trawling in these irreplaceable, critical areas.”

The proclamation, led by the DSCC, is supported by the International Programme on the State of the Ocean (IPSO), and the Marine Conservation Institute. It builds on an original appeal by scientists which began the campaign to protect seamounts over 20 years ago.

Persistent gaps in international ocean governance, particularly in areas beyond national jurisdiction prompted the negotiation of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdictions (BBNJ) Agreement. While the Agreement moves toward ratification and entry into force, a process that will inevitably take time, nations can honour their commitments made in 2006 and urgently protect VMEs, including seamounts, from destructive fishing practices.

Dr. Lance Morgan, President of the Marine Conservation Institute:

“These underwater mountains are biodiversity powerhouses, home to unique communities and vital habitats that are often older than our most ancient forests. Protecting seamounts is not optional, it’s imperative in order to deliver on existing obligations.”

The full proclamation and signatories can be viewed on the IPSO website:

https://stateoftheocean.org/seamountsproclamation/