The last coral reef remaining in Swedish waters may soon die off, experts warn. Researchers from the University of Gothenburg explained that the Säcken reef is comprised largely of the Lophelia pertusa species of cold water coral, which is particularly susceptible to the ‘trawling’ fishing technique commonly used in the region.
When trawling, fishing boats drag huge nets across the ocean floor to trap fish.
Mikael Dahl, marine biologist and researcher from the university told the media, “We’ve known since the mid-1920s that cold-water coral reefs exist here in Sweden. At that time, corals could be found in three locations in the Koster Fjord. Today, only the Säcken reef remains, and it’s in poor condition,” RedOrbit.com reports.
He added, “The red list assessment is currently in the ‘under immediate threat’ category. The Säcken reef has been protected against trawling for more than a decade, but trawling damage has been observed on the reef several times after the legislation was set in place.”
However, Dahl said that efforts are underway to revitalise the reef using coral larvae from Norwegian waters.
He added, “It is highly unlikely that the Säcken reef will recover naturally. Instead, interventions are needed in order to ensure the survival of the reef,” The Huffington Post reports.