Oceanography The Official Magazine of
The Oceanography Society
Volume 23 Issue 01

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Volume 23, No. 1
Pages 190 - 199

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Can We Protect Seamounts for Research? A Call For Conservation

By Telmo Morato , Tony J. Pitcher, Malcolm R. Clark, Gui Menezes, Fernando Tempera , Filipe Porteiro , Eva Giacomello, and Ricardo S. Santos 
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Article Abstract

Extractive processes such as fishing and mining are degrading seamount ecosystems considerably, raising serious concerns about the impacts of these practices on global ocean biodiversity and key fluxes. Despite the data collected to date, we remain ignorant of the quantitative details of many of these issues. To address this limitation, we call for the closure of selected seamounts for research purposes. These research seamounts will act as baselines for recovery, and should be earmarked for monitoring and fundamental research. We describe an innovative bio-observatory at Condor Seamount in the Azores as one possible model.

Citation

Morato, T., T.J. Pitcher, M.R. Clark, G. Menezes, F. Tempera, F. Porteiro, E. Giacomello, and R.S. Santos. 2010. Can we protect seamounts for research? A call for conservation. Oceanography 23(1):190–199, https://doi.org/10.5670/oceanog.2010.71.

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