What is bottom trawling?

Sir David Attenborough’s new documentary ‘Ocean’ shines a light on the devastation that bottom trawling wreaks on seabeds. Here we explain more about what bottom trawling is.

Bottom trawling fishing drags heavy nets and chains across the sea floor

Bottom trawling is a method of fishing which drags heavy nets and chains along the sea floor. It’s often used to target only one or two preferred fish species, but these nets capture everything in their path.

They bulldoze fragile underwater habitats and also release carbon from the seabed, making climate change worse.

As only one or two species are wanted, more than three quarters of everything else that is caught may be thrown away (called ‘discards’). It is an incredibly wasteful and damaging method of fishing.

Bottom trawling from Ocean documentary (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzG9AwlypaY)

Bottom trawling footage from 'Ocean with David Attenborough'

It can even happen in protected areas

Sadly, bottom trawling happens everywhere. Even in protected areas.

Marine Protected Areas are areas at sea designated to protect special habitats or wildlife. Although features within them are legally protected, bottom trawling is still allowed in most of these sites.

It is thought that Marine Protected Areas offshore in the UK were ploughed by bottom trawling for over 33,000 hours in 2023¹.

It can be devastating to wildlife

The nets using in bottom trawling capture wildlife indiscriminately. It doesn’t matter whether that species is the target or not. This results in the death of many species which are then simply thrown away.

Bottom trawling releases carbon back into the atmosphere

240 million tonnes of carbon is stored within just the top 10cm of sediments on the seafloor in the UK and Isle of Man.

Bottom trawling disturbs these muddy, carbon-rich sediments, releasing that carbon back into the atmosphere. The dragging of heavy nets across the seafloor also uses a lot of fossil fuels, which further contributes to climate change.

How you can help

Ocean with David Attenborough highlighted the shocking truth: that bottom trawling is still allowed in many Marine Protected Areas.

This has to stop. There is currently a consultation on proposed measures to ban bottom trawling in offshore Marine Protected Areas in England. Use our simple form to respond to this consultation and send an email to the oceans Minister, Emma Hardy, telling them that that bottom trawling must stop in these special sites. It only takes two minutes but could make a real difference.

Take action to stop bottom trawling today.

FAQs about our bottom trawling campaign

Why have we launched this campaign now?

The Ocean with David Attenborough film, released in cinemas on 8^th May, and on TV channels Disney+, Hulu, and National Geographic from 8^th June, has a very strong message about the impact of bottom trawling on seabed habitats, fish stocks and wildlife, and what needs to be done to achieve marine recovery.

Viewers of the film are asking what they can do to help and with the current consultation on proposed measures there is a real opportunity to build on the film’s momentum and mobilise people to show a big wave of support for the need for a ban on bottom-towed gear in Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) designated to protect seabed features.

Is this campaign calling for a ban on bottom towed fishing activity in all Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)?

No, the current call to action is for a ban on bottom towed gears within Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) that have been designated to protect seabed features only.

In English waters, inshore MPAs with seabed features should already have measures in place and be managed through Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authorities byelaws.

However, in offshore sites with seabed features we are still waiting for fisheries management measures to be completed (Stage 3 of the Marine Management Organisation’s staged process to introduce the necessary fisheries management measures for all offshore MPAs in England – for which the deadline at the end of 2024 was missed).

The current consultation is the final step needed to introduce these Stage 3 fisheries management measures, following a call for evidence early in 2023. If these measures were put in place in English waters, we would have much more effective management in the majority of our seabed MPA’s to allow these sites to recover.

Is the campaign calling for a ban on all fishing in Marine Protected Areas?

No, the e-action is calling for a ban on bottom towed gears only which is known to have big impacts on the seabed and benthic habitats and species - as can be seen very visually in the Ocean film.

Other fishing gears can have negative impacts on the marine environment as well. While these are not the focus of this campaign, our wider message is that we want to encourage a just transition to sustainable fisheries - and that all MPAs should be well managed as whole sites, not just where the designated features occur, and protected from all damaging activities.

This would enable more effective recovery of our seas and marine ecosystems.