The UK Government is proposing to extend a ban on bottom trawling across a broader stretch of English waters, potentially tripling the area currently protected from the destructive fishing practice.
Bottom trawling, which involves dragging heavy nets across the seabed, has long been criticised for damaging fragile marine habitats and indiscriminately catching marine life. The expansion would increase the ban from 18,000km² to 48,000km² across designated Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). The proposal is now open for a 12-week consultation with the fishing and marine sectors, closing in early September.
If implemented, the plan would protect 41 of England’s 181 Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), aiming to safeguard sensitive seabed ecosystems and rare marine species. The move follows recent warnings from environmental groups and members of Parliament, who have called for stronger safeguards against seabed exploitation, including dredging and mineral extraction.
The announcement coincides with the start of the UN Ocean Conference in Nice, where world leaders are being urged to ratify the High Seas Treaty. The treaty, which aims to protect 30% of international waters by 2030, has been ratified by 47 countries so far. The UK has yet to sign.
At the summit, concerns were also raised about deep-sea mining. France and Costa Rica have called for a global moratorium, urging caution until more is known about the environmental risks of harvesting critical minerals from the ocean floor. A growing consensus is emerging among scientists regarding the need to pause exploration efforts while further research is conducted.
The expanded trawling ban, if enacted, would represent a major step in the UK’s marine conservation efforts and align with broader global moves to preserve ocean biodiversity.
Image credit: Stock.adobe.com/Steven F Granville
