Deep-sea studies reveal unique habitats – from methane seeps and deep-sea corals to “sponge gardens” – but gas development, fishing and maritime traffic threaten them. The Society for the Protection of Nature presents a master plan to declare reserves in the exclusive economic zone and target 30% protection by 2030.
Along with all of humanity's advanced developments, marvelous inventions, and exciting discoveries on Earth and beyond - we still know the least about About 90 Percent of the Earth's habitable surface – and that is the deep sea. There, far from human eyes, are hidden rare habitats, extraordinary animals and ecological processes that exist in extreme conditions of darkness, cold and pressure. In recent years, research in the deep sea in Israeli territories has gained momentum, alongside increasing threats such as gas drilling, uncontrolled fishing and ship traffic. Understanding that these ecosystems are not only unique, but also essential for climate stability and life on land, the Society for the Protection of Nature has formulated a new plan to protect the lesser-known spaces of the Mediterranean Sea.
Valuable research
"We know very little about the deep sea – both in the world and in Israel – because research there is very expensive and complex," says Dr. Atret Shabtai, a Mediterranean ecologist at the Society for the Protection of Nature. "Understanding the dynamics of the deep sea ecosystem is like exploring space," she says. "Only in recent years have we begun to be exposed to what is happening there. The pace of discoveries is very slow, but we are discovering ecosystems that are completely different from what we knew. These are areas with very extreme conditions: total darkness, almost nothing moves, and the temperature is constant. You can compare what is happening there to a desert. If we used to look at the Arava and call it all a 'desert,' today we know how to distinguish between its different areas. There are different habitats there, with different characteristics and different conditions that support different life forms. "The same is true in the deep sea, in these vast areas that look the same at first glance – we are beginning to discover different and fascinating biological compositions," explains Shabtai. "One type of habitat is methane gas vents where, in a process called chemosynthesis, bacteria utilize the gas emitted from the bottom to produce energy – similar to plants that use sunlight for photosynthesis. This is the basis for a food web: this is how bacterial surfaces are created, there are animals that come to eat these bacterial surfaces and other animals that come to eat them, such as crabs and worms. In addition, as part of the chemosynthesis process, a rocky substrate is created, which becomes a settlement substrate for other animals. Unique deep-sea corals settle on this substrate that live in complete darkness and at much colder temperatures than their relatives who live in the open ocean. On the reefs "The tropics," she explains.
The importance of the deep sea
"Today we understand that in the deep sea, as on land, the ecosystems are interconnected. So if something doesn't work in the system, it affects something else. For example, in methane vent areas - if the bacteria that live on the bottom weren't there to utilize the gas that emanates from it so efficiently, it would be emitted into the atmosphere. It is a much more powerful greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, and therefore has enormous significance in terms of global warming. In fact, by preserving those systems, we are preventing the release of more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere," explains Shabtai. In addition to this importance, the deep sea has a special biological diversity that deserves to be protected.
But preserving these unique habitats poses significant challenges. "The most significant challenge today is still the information gaps – that we don't know what's there," says Shabtai.
Additional threats to these systems are increasing as human activity at sea expands. "In Israel, for example, there is activity to search for Natural gas "In the course of which drilling is done in the deep layers of the ground. Fishing may also harm the system. In the survey we conducted in these areas, we saw quantities of abandoned fishing gear, so there is no doubt that it ends up there and that it has an impact on the animals," she explains. "In addition, there is intensive maritime traffic that brings with it the risk of pollution from oil and other hazardous materials," adds Shabtai. Because the area of sovereign waters - which is about 22 km from the coast - is already full of activity accompanied by prohibitions and restrictions on its use, "a great many sectors are now targeting the deep sea, which still does not have sufficient protection, such as aquaculture, renewable energies, power cables, power lines and communications. This is another reason why it is appropriate to promote protection of these areas, before intensive development begins in this area as well," explains Shabtai.
30 percent by 2030
Following the understanding of the threats and the importance of protecting the deep sea Committed Most countries in the world must protect the marine systems within their territories and turn 30 percent of these areas into nature reserves by 2030. A recently published international study by an Israeli research team describes a complex planning process led by the Society for the Protection of Nature in which it was formulated Master plan which aims to protect 30 percent of Israel's economic waters. "We understood that without a plan there would be no reserves, so through a complex and meticulous process we prepared a master plan of science-based planning, in which the relevant stakeholders were involved from the outset," explains Shabtai. The process of writing the master plan included 20 researchers from Israel and abroad, along with representatives from government ministries and various authorities. As part of the plan, 10 nature reserves were proposed, each at least 100 square kilometers in size. According to Shabtai, they managed to formulate a plan that is not only intended to achieve the 30 percent conservation goals, but also does so with minimal conflict between the various parties.
Israel currently has a number of reserves declared or in the process of being approved, but they cover less than 8 percent of its sovereign waters. In its exclusive economic zones – which make up most of Israel’s maritime territory – there is only one reserve called the Palmachim surfing, was only about two percent of the area of the economic waters.
The barriers to implementation
The road to implementing the plan is still long. Although it was adopted by the Ministry of Environmental Protection, it has not yet been accepted by all government ministries. In addition, in order to declare an area as a reserve in Israel, it is necessary to conduct ecological surveys and user surveys in the area, which require a large budget. "This is currently one of the main limiting factors in adopting the plan and declaring the recommended areas as nature reserves. But we are trying to overcome this barrier: together with several research bodies, we have built a multi-year plan to conduct surveys in the potential reserves. In one of the designated reserves, we have already conducted a survey, documented the animals, and are working to promote its declaration as a reserve. In the meantime, we are preparing to conduct surveys in additional reserves," says Shabtai.
Despite the obstacles and the long process, Shabtai is optimistic about the plan’s implementation – albeit slowly and gradually. “The marine nature reserves we already have today are good and we can be proud of them,” she says. “Unlike many other places in the world, In marine reserves "In Israel, drilling and fishing are prohibited, and we have a marine enforcement unit of the Nature and Parks Authority that does an excellent job. That's why I think that when there are reserves in the deep sea, they will be amazing, high-quality reserves," she concludes.
More of the topic in Hayadan:
- For the first time, a marine reserve was declared in the middle of the sea: Palmachim surf
- Haifa's underwater forest
- Caught in the net: what fish in Gaza?
- The new oil pipeline that threatens nature in Africa
- "We try to preserve as much as possible, so that in the future there will be something to bequeath to those who come after us."
