Our very own coral reef crisis

The past decade has seen trawling operations expand along the edge of the North East Atlantic continental shelf, as stocks of shelf-dwelling species such as cod have declined. As a substitute, markets are being developed for very strange-looking deep-water species such as roundnose grenadier (Coryphaenoides rupestris), orange roughy (Hoplostethus atlanticus), black scabbard fish (Aphanopus carbo) and deep-sea sharks (Centrophorus squamosus and Centroscymnus coelolepis). The problem is that this expansion in deep-water fisheries goes on unregulated, and it is causing long-term disturbance to seabed habitats and fish stocks alike