“Until recently, there has been very little research in the deep South Atlantic Ocean. With the UN High Seas Treaty on the horizon, the designation of Marine Protected Areas in these vast and isolated areas is becoming a reality. As a result, it’s crucial we have accurate maps of where species live so that we can sustainably manage our oceans, ensuring their future conservation.”
Amelia Bridges
Research Fellow
“We do not have good maps of where different ecosystems are found in the deep sea. This research shows that our methods can help fill those vast data gaps, enabling us to better map life in the deep sea. This is critical because maps form the basis of decisions on where we allow human activities like bottom trawling to take place, and where we protect.”
Kerry Howell
Professor of Deep-Sea Ecology
“This work represents a significant enhancement in our ability to sustainably manage fisheries in the High Seas. By providing maps of where Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs) are likely to occur, we can inform area-based management. This could, for example, enable us to prohibit fishing activity in areas where VMEs are highly likely to occur, and make informed decisions on areas which had previously been closed as a precaution due to lack of information.”
- The full study – Bridges et al: Filling the data gaps: Transferring models from data-rich to data-poor deep-sea areas to support spatial management – is published in the Journal of Environmental Management, DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.118325.
Marine Conservation Research Group
Marine news from the University of Plymouth
- Escape the vapes: scientists call for global shift to curb consumer use of disposable technologies 25 April 2024
- Academic invited to help develop China’s offshore renewable energy revolution 24 April 2024
- Community beach clean-ups could beat high-tech solutions for clearing plastic pollution 23 April 2024
- International experts issue renewed call for Global Plastics Treaty to be grounded in robust science 18 April 2024
- Seychelles beach cleans demonstrate potential for citizen science to tackle marine litter 17 April 2024
- Retention ponds can deliver a substantial reduction in tyre particle pollution 12 April 2024