Gulf's deep-sea coral granted new protections by federal regulators

[Judi Lynn]

Updated 1:08 PM; Posted 1:07 PM



Bubble gum coral photographed in the deep waters of the Gulf
of Mexico in June 2017.(Courtesy of the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative)

By Tristan Baurick [e-mail],
NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune

Federal fisheries regulators have approved a plan granting new protections to some of the Gulf of Mexico's oldest and most fragile stands of deep-sea coral.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council unanimously voted to designate about 480 square miles as Habitat Areas of Particular Concern, a status that would make them a priority for conservation and scientific study. The protected areas are broken up into 21 sites, most off the Louisiana coast.

The council's designations have been submitted to the National Marine Fisheries Service for review. Final approval is expected after a two-month public comment period.

Environmental groups had been lobbying for the protections for years. The Pew Charitable Trusts, which gathered 16,000 signatures in support, called the council's decision "a major milestone" for critically important marine habitat.

More:
https://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2018/07/gulfs_deep-sea_coral_granted_n.html