Environmental analysis news: Expert highlights climate change danger to corals

A marine expert has highlighted the dangers of climate change and over-fishing to species living in the world's oceans.

Speaking at a meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science 2009, Dr Jason Hall-Spencer from the University of Plymouth raised concerns that many marine environments which have just been discovered are already being damaged by global warming.

The Daily Telegraph reported on the event, where Dr Hall-Spencer revealed that less than one per cent of the ocean's seamounts have been surveyed, with 98 per cent of all known marine life residing on the seabed.

He explained that ocean acidification is hindering coral growth, while bottom trawling is very environmentally damaging.

Commenting on the fishing technique, Dr Hall-Spencer said: "Dragging a trawler net across them [the reefs] is a bit like dragging a net across the Serengeti and catching and destroying everything in its wake."

Figures show that 97.5 per cent of the earth's water resources are salt water, covering approximately 70 per cent of the world's surface.

Posted by Lauren Steadman