[ad_1]
Federal authorities have closed Canada’s solely recognized stay coral reef within the Pacific Ocean to all business and leisure bottom-contact fishing.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada says the indefinite closure got here into impact on Feb. 14 for the Lophelia Reef, situated within the Finlayson Channel of the British Columbia coast about 500 kilometres northwest of Vancouver.
The division says the reef was first found in 2021 and is probably the most northern recognized coral reef within the Pacific Ocean.
Officers say that whereas the world is distant and never broadly fished, there’s proof of injury to the coral, probably as a result of bottom-contact fishing.
The Fisheries Division says the closure is required to guard the “globally distinctive” website that’s each environmentally delicate and culturally vital to native First Nations.
The coral reef is at the moment being assessed for a Parks Canada Nationwide Marine Conservation Space Reserve.
This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed March 7, 2024.
[ad_2]
Source link