The protection of tuna nursery and deep sea corals in Benham Rise east of the Isabela coastline has become a major concern for both the government and environmental advocates who see the ecological import and economic potential of the area.

Benham Bank, the shallowest portion of the unexplored seamount, is one of the traditional fishing grounds of coastal dwellers on the northeastern coast of Luzon, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Director Asis Perez said.