By Jim Ayers, Vice President, Oceana
Oceana is pleased to join you in spirit for this year's West Marine Pacific Cup. As you begin your journey across the Pacific, you will be in the waters of the rich and productive California Current Large Marine Ecosystem. In some way, every day, Oceana's Pacific Team is also "in" those waters with you. Allow us to introduce ourselves!
A rockfish hides in the colorful living sea floor of Monteray Bay, courtesy of Geoff Shester
Oceana is an international ocean conservation organization dedicated to protecting and restoring the world's oceans. Our staff of marine scientists, economists, lawyers and advocates wins specific and concrete policy changes to reduce pollution and to prevent the irreversible collapse of fish populations, marine mammals and other sea life. Global in scope and dedicated to conservation, Oceana has campaigners based in North America (Washington, DC; Juneau, AK; Portland, OR; Monterey, CA), Europe (Madrid, Spain; Brussels, Belgium) and South America (Santiago, Chile). We have more than 300,000 members and e-activists in over 150 countries that have joined us in the battle to save our oceans. Let us tell you more about what we've done here in the Pacific.
Oceana's Pacific Team comprised of staff, interns, consultants, and supporters including sailors like you, focuses on the West Coast - from the Arctic to Baja. Specifically as you set sail, there is an important delineation you should know about. When you reach a depth of 700 fathoms, please make a toast to the corals, sponges, and other living seafloor of the Pacific because at that moment you will be sailing over Pacific seafloor that has never been touched by a bottom trawl. And thanks to Oceana, it never will be.
Corals, sponges, and other living seafloor habitat are important to healthy sustainable ocean ecosystems because they provide fish and other marine life with areas to breed and spawn, nurseries, protection from predators and currents, and feeding grounds. Like an oasis in the desert, living seafloor provides a rich biodiversity haven in the ocean where life abounds.
Cold water corals started receiving increased attention in 2002 when National Marine Fisheries Service scientists discovered the exquisite coral gardens of the Aleutians in Alaska. At the same time, the National Academy of Sciences released a report documenting the detrimental effects of bottom trawling on seafloor habitat—particularly on long-lived slow growing species like corals and sponges.
Bottom trawling is an industrial fishing method where huge nets drag the seafloor essentially clear cutting everything in the path of the nets. While it is an efficient way to catch fish, it is devastating to the seafloor habitat that fish need to grow and thrive. Recognizing this threat, Oceana's Pacific Team developed the Oceana Approach to protect living seafloor habitat while maintaining vibrant fisheries.
The Oceana Approach identified locations of corals, sponges, and other living seafloor animals and applied management actions to minimize the detrimental effects of bottom trawling on this lush and productive habitat. In addition to freezing the bottom trawl footprint to prevent expansion into pristine areas, the Approach protects known areas of biogenic habitat within the footprint, protects special areas such as seamounts and canyons, and calls for ongoing research and monitoring.
Three years and more than 40,000 public comments later, due to the diligence of Oceana with strong support from other environmental and fishing groups, the Fisheries Service is finally protecting the corals, sponges and other similar living seafloor habitat of the Pacific from senseless destruction. More than 150,000 square miles of Pacific Seafloor is now closed to destructive bottom trawling. Part of this closure starts at 700 fathoms. When you cross that line, you will be crossing one of the most significant conservation events for our oceans in the past decade. Give a cheer for the corals and have a safe sail!
We invite you onboard our voyage to protect the Pacific. To join us as a Friend of the Pacific, please email us at pacific@oceana.org [1]. We'd love to have you on our team.