Bottom trawling, a fishing technique that involves dragging heavy nets across the ocean floor, has significant ecological and economic costs, potentially reaching up to 11 billion euros annually in Europe.

Despite its economic importance, bottom trawling is deemed unprofitable when considering hidden costs such as subsidies, bycatch, and CO2 emissions, which can lead to a financial deficit between 330 million and 10.8 billion euros annually.

Enric Sala from National Geographic Pristine Seas describes bottom trawling as both an ecological and economic disaster, contributing only 2% to Europe's animal protein supply while inflicting a heavy toll on biodiversity.

From 2016 to 2021, the average net value of bottom trawling in European waters was negative, indicating that the costs far outweighed the revenues generated by the fishing industry.

Alarmingly, about 60% of European Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are subjected to bottom trawling, leading to overfishing and reduced biodiversity within these supposedly protected zones.

The study highlights that over twelve percent of bottom trawling activities occur in MPAs, such as the Sylter Außernriff and Fehmarnbelt in Germany, suggesting that halting these practices could mitigate significant environmental damage.

The disturbance of seabed sediments during trawling releases stored CO2, exacerbating climate change and posing additional climate risks since sediments act as significant carbon storage.

Despite ongoing criticism and evidence of its detrimental effects, bottom trawling remains prevalent, continuing to receive government subsidies that mask its true costs.

Efforts are underway to ban destructive fishing methods like bottom trawling in MPAs, including a petition with over 200,000 signatures urging political leaders to take action.

Environmental NGOs advocate for an immediate ban on bottom trawling in MPAs, while the EU plans to phase it out by 2030.

A letter signed by over 300 scientists, including Sala, criticized the opening of the Selvagens Marine Protected Area for tuna fishing, underscoring the need for stricter protections.

The practice poses severe ecological risks, including high bycatch rates and destruction of habitats like mussel beds and reefs, further emphasizing the urgent need for reform.