Ancient Corals Found in South Pacific Could Halt Trawling

Deep beneath the South Pacific waves, scientists have found something extraordinary: a thriving underwater world of ancient corals and sponges that could finally end one of the ocean's most destructive fishing practices in the region.

Greenpeace researchers exploring the Lord Howe Rise seamount discovered 350 coral, sponge, and deep-sea life specimens, with many corals over a century old and some nearly 2 meters tall. The discovery marks the first scientific proof that this previously unsurveyed area qualifies as a vulnerable marine ecosystem under international law.

The expedition catalogued bamboo, golden, precious, stony, hydro, and black corals alongside sponges, sea lilies, and anemones. These slow-growing species need protection from bottom trawling, where heavy nets are dragged along the seafloor, destroying everything in their path.

Ocean campaigner Ellie Hooper, who led the March 2025 expedition, described seeing the vibrant corals and fragile sponges streamed up from the deep as both moving and awe-inspiring. The discovery represents just a tiny snapshot of life in the area, she notes.

The seamount was temporarily closed to bottom trawling in 2024 after a New Zealand vessel dragged up 37 kilograms of coral. However, the New Zealand government could push to reopen the area and has proposed increasing the amount of coral and vulnerable species that can be caught as bycatch without consequence.

Every other nation has stopped bottom trawling in the region, leaving New Zealand as the sole country still considering the practice. International resolutions mandate that vulnerable marine ecosystems must be protected from bottom trawling due to their fragility and slow recovery rates.

The Ripple Effect

This discovery extends far beyond one seamount. The area is being considered for one of the world's first ocean sanctuaries under the Global Ocean Treaty, which came into force in 2026.

The scientific evidence has been submitted to the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation, giving decision makers the proof they need to permanently protect these ancient ecosystems. Expert taxonomists have confirmed that 59 individual coral and sponge specimens are over 100 years old, with some likely reaching 200 years based on their heights and known growth rates.

The findings show that 45% of analyzed seafloor images met the criteria for vulnerable marine ecosystems under international fisheries guidelines.

With concrete scientific evidence now in hand, the path forward is clear: these centuries-old corals that survived in darkness and depth deserve protection from nets that could destroy them in minutes.