The vast extent of the damage caused to Ireland's coral reefs by deep-water trawling will be revealed in previously unseen video footage at the BA Festival of Science in Dublin today.
Spectacular coral reefs can be found off the west coast of Ireland. "Some of these areas have yet to be explored, but even before we have had a chance to see their treasures, they are being bulldozed by deep-water trawling," Dr Jason Hall-Spencer, a marine biologist from the University of Plymouth, told The Irish Times.
His videos will reveal "trawler gear wrapped around the coral reef, with dead animals inside it", according to Dr Hall-Spencer.
"We've previously carbon dated [ coral] brought up by trawlers' nets as being 4,500 years old, but these images are the first direct evidence of the extent of the damage."
Some of the living corals in the reefs are hundreds of years old, including the "precious black corals" found in the deep sea of Ireland. Scientists are concerned that the reefs and their inhabitants are being destroyed at a much faster rate than they can be replaced by natural growth.
New technologies could help prevent further damage to the coral reefs, suggests Dr Hall-Spencer. "All boats over 15 metres in length in the European fleet are currently required by law to carry black boxes which allow them to be tracked," he says.
"This technology could be used to conserve our heritage by introducing a warning system to tell fishermen when they are entering protected waters," explains Dr Hall-Spencer. "Often the problem is that they are unaware of the restrictions, rather than ignoring them."
"However, if the boats remained in the restricted waters after the warning, a signal could also be given for the fishermen to be arrested," he continues.
"The technology is largely already in place to introduce these sorts of restrictions and so it should be relatively easy to implement."
The coral reefs provide a breeding ground for many species, such as the Orange Roughy, a well-known delicacy. "If the reefs are destroyed, the fish won't have a habitat in the future," says Dr Hall-Spencer
"It is in the commercial interests of the fishermen to protect these reefs, in terms of the sustainability of their industries," he says. "If they continue at this rate of destruction, their sons won't have any fish to catch at all."
Dr Vikki Burns is a scientist from the University of Birmingham on placement at The Irish Times as a fellow of the British Association for the Advancement of Science Media.