. Cold-water Coral Reefs: out of sight - no longer out of mind. UNEP-WCMC Biodiversity Series 22. Cold-water coral reefs new information on the distribution, abundance, habitat and biology of cold-water corals and their associated species in Atlantic Canada. Scotjan Shelf, northwest Atlantic The Scotian Shelf off Nova Scotia provides habitat for octocoral ecosystems, with Primnoa resedaeformis, Paragorgia arborea and Acanthogorgia armata occurring predominantly at depths between 190 and 500 m. These corals are frequently caught as bycatch by bottom- tending fishing gear such as trawls, longlin
. Cold-water Coral Reefs: out of sight - no longer out of mind. UNEP-WCMC Biodiversity Series 22. Cold-water coral reefs new information on the distribution, abundance, habitat and biology of cold-water corals and their associated species in Atlantic Canada. Scotjan Shelf, northwest Atlantic The Scotian Shelf off Nova Scotia provides habitat for octocoral ecosystems, with Primnoa resedaeformis, Paragorgia arborea and Acanthogorgia armata occurring predominantly at depths between 190 and 500 m. These corals are frequently caught as bycatch by bottom- tending fishing gear such as trawls, longlines and gillnets. In 1997, a review of the distribution and status of corals off Nova Scotia was published by the Ecology Action Centre (Breeze et al., 1997). Three major areas on the outer continental shelf and slope are currently under research by the Canadian DFO and Dalhousie University: the Gully, a large submarine canyon on the Scotian Shelf that supports the highest diversity of coral species found in Atlantic Canada (Mortensen and Buhl-Mortensen, in press); the Northeast Channel, with a high density of gorgonian corals; and the Stone Fence, which harbours the first documented L. pertusa reef in Atlantic Canada (Figure Paragorgia arborea colony as accidental bycatch from the Scotian Shelf The Gully Marine Protected Area (2004) The DFO is in the final regulatory stages of designating the Gully as the first marine protected area in Atlantic Canada under the Oceans Act (1997) and this process is due to be concluded by mid-2004. Draft regulations were released for public comment in December 2003. The MPA will include general prohibitions against all damaging activities in order to protect every species in this ecosystem, including deep-sea corals. All activities, including research, will be strictly controlled in the canyon. To date, few indications of fisheries damage to corals have been observed. The halibut longline fishery will be permitted to continue within a port
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Keywords: ., bhlconsortium, bookcollectionbiodiversity, bookcont, bookyear2004
