Deep-sea coral reefs provide homes for many other species like this basket star, fish and soft corals. Image courtesy of the NERC funded Deep Links Project – University of Plymouth, University of Oxford, NGS, JNCC.
“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.”
Dr 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.”
Professor 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

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