Tens of thousands of underwater mountains dot the ocean floor around the world. A few break the surface, such as the Hawaiian island chain. The rest are seamounts, peaks and pinnacles rising from the deep seafloor. Some lie just a few metres below the surface, while others rest deeper.

For many creatures, a seamount is an oasis in the vast open ocean. Deep-ocean currents flow up their slopes, bringing cold, nutrient-rich water towards the surface. These undersea mountains are often home to colourful cold-water coral reefs and gardens of ancient sponges. Fish, turtles, sharks and whales use seamounts as breeding, feeding and migration sites.

But these biodiversity hotspots are at real risk. Their abundance of life has made them a magnet for the most destructive type of fishing – trawling. For decades, trawlers have targeted seamounts, towing heavy nets with weighted rollers across them.

This week, there’s a chance this highly destructive practice could be phased out across seamounts found in international waters, where no nation has exclusive rights.

What’s the problem with bottom trawling?

The goal of........

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