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The Davidson Seamount is located 120 km to the southwest of Monterey, along the California coast, USA. It is 2,400 m tall; yet, it is still 1,250 m below the sea surface. In May 2002, 90 hours of digital video was recorded from all depths of the Davidson Seamount, using a remotely operated vehicle, and deep-sea coral specimens were collected. Preliminary analyses indicate that 20 coral taxa were found, and they were almost exclusively located in high relief, ridge areas. Other species were noted on or adjacent to the corals. Because of its pristine nature, as well as human threats and great potential for education, the Davidson Seamount is under consideration for protection as part of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.

Trawling or dragging was introduced into Atlantic Canadian fisheries in the 1950’s and soon became the dominant method of fishing for groundfish in the region. Since its introduction, fishermen warned about its negative impacts on habitat and the productivity of the fishery. In the last decade considerable research has been conducted on the impacts of bottom tending mobile gear on habitat, including major reviews by large scientific agencies. The International Council for the Exploration of the Seas and the U.S. National Research Council both formulated similar conclusions on how to minimize impacts: 1) reduce fishing effort; 2) close areas; and 3) modify and substitute gear. Following the stock collapses and closures of many fisheries in the early 1990’s the Canadian government took steps to reduce fishing effort. In recent years, partly in response to growing concern about the impacts of dragging, the government has embarked on a program to identify and establish marine protected areas. However, the Canadian government has taken no steps to implement the third recommendation: gear substitution or modification. Public and scientific interest in deep-water corals has been a major factor in advancing efforts to investigate and conserve benthic habitat in Atlantic Canada, including the establishment of three marine protected areas (MPAs). Alongside effort reduction and MPAs, gear measures should be an equal and concurrent component of efforts to conserve benthic biodiversity and restore fisheries as the conservation benefits extend to all areas where fishing occurs.