press release

11 June 2003

Gland, Switzerland - WWF today welcomed the Norwegian government's announcement to protect a newly discovered cold water coral reef. The conservation organization said the decision came just in time, as parts of the 2 kilometre-long reef have been badly damaged from trawling activity.

Discovered and mapped only last summer, the Tisler Reef lies along the Norway-Sweden border at 74 to 155 metres deep. Thought to be more than 1000 years old, it is the only known reef for yellow lophelia corals. These corals provide important habitats for many other animals, including sea fans, sponges, worms, starfish, sea urchins, and crustaceans. They also serve as important spawning and nursery grounds for several fish species, including some commercial ones such as redfish. According to WWF, cold water corals have received almost no protection so far, and scientists fear that 30 to 50 per cent of these corals have already been lost from the impacts of bottom trawling, marine pollution, and oil and gas exploration. To date, Norway is the only country to have implemented protection measures for cold water corals in European waters.

"Much attention has been focused on the protection of tropical corals for their importance to fisheries, biodiversity and for the economic benefits they bring to people, but cold water corals are by no means less important," said Simon Cripps, Director of WWF's Endangered Seas Programme. "Increased research and better protection are highly needed to prevent these fragile and slow-growing habitats from being irreparably damaged."

WWF is asking Ministers at this June's Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment (OSPAR) in Bremen, Germany to ban trawling in all cold water coral reefs in the North-East Atlantic, and for an exclusion of oil and gas prospecting and development in the vicinity of reefs designated for protection.

The announcement of the protection of the Tisler Reef by Norwegian Minister of Fisheries Svein Ludvigsen came during a ceremony to acknowledge Norway's global leadership in the protection of cold water corals. It was recognized as a Gift to the Earth, WWF’s highest award for a globally significant conservation achievement. Previously, the country had protected four additional reefs from trawling activity, including the Røst Reef, the world's largest known cold water coral reef, earlier in 2003.

"Norway wants to see the destruction of cold water coral reefs ended," said Norwegian Minister of the Environment Børge Brende. "We have taken the first steps to stop the destruction of our own reefs, and more steps will follow. I call on other nations to increase their activities to protect their coral reefs against both the direct and indirect threats."

For further information:
Olivier Van Bogaert, WWF-International, tel: +41 22 364 9554
Peter Bryant, WWF Endangered Seas Programme, tel: +41 22 364 9028

More:
* WWF Proposals for Marine Protected Areas in the North-East Atlantic

* WWF Offshore Directory: cold water corals

* Web story about cold water corals

* Facts about the OSPAR-HELCOM Ministerial Meeting (23-27 June) in Bremen



		Europe's fragile cold water corals receive protection in Norway
		11 June 2003 Gland, Switzerland - WWF today welcomed the Norwegian government's announcement to protect a newly discovered cold water coral reef. The conservation organization said the decision came just in time, as parts of the 2 kilometre-long reef have been badly damaged from trawling activity. Discovered and mapped only last summer, the Tisler Reef lies along the Norway-Sweden border at 74 to 155 metres deep. Thought to be more than 1000 years old, it is the only known reef for yellow lophelia corals. These corals provide important habitats for many other animals, including sea fans, sponges, worms, starfish, sea urchins, and crustaceans. They also serve as important spawning and nursery grounds for several fish species, including some commercial ones such as redfish. According to WWF, cold water corals have received almost no protection so far, and scientists fear that 30 to 50 per cent of these corals have already been lost from the impacts of bottom trawling, marine pollution, and oil and gas exploration. To date, Norway is the only country to have implemented protection measures for cold water corals in European waters. "Much attention has been focused on the protection of tropical corals for their importance to fisheries, biodiversity and for the economic benefits they bring to people, but cold water corals are by no means less important," said Simon Cripps, Director of WWF's Endangered Seas Programme. "Increased research and better protection are highly needed to prevent these fragile and slow-growing habitats from being irreparably damaged." WWF is asking Ministers at this June's Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment (OSPAR) in Bremen, Germany to ban trawling in all cold water coral reefs in the North-East Atlantic, and for an exclusion of oil and gas prospecting and development in the vicinity of reefs designated for protection. The announcement of the protection of the Tisler Reef by Norwegian Minister of Fisheries Svein Ludvigsen came during a ceremony to acknowledge Norway's global leadership in the protection of cold water corals. It was recognized as a Gift to the Earth, WWF’s highest award for a globally significant conservation achievement. Previously, the country had protected four additional reefs from trawling activity, including the Røst Reef, the world's largest known cold water coral reef, earlier in 2003. "Norway wants to see the destruction of cold water coral reefs ended," said Norwegian Minister of the Environment Børge Brende. "We have taken the first steps to stop the destruction of our own reefs, and more steps will follow. I call on other nations to increase their activities to protect their coral reefs against both the direct and indirect threats." For further information: Olivier Van Bogaert, WWF-International, tel: +41 22 364 9554 Peter Bryant, WWF Endangered Seas Programme, tel: +41 22 364 9028 More: * WWF Proposals for Marine Protected Areas in the North-East Atlantic * WWF Offshore Directory: cold water corals * Web story about cold water corals * Facts about the OSPAR-HELCOM Ministerial Meeting (23-27 June) in Bremen