A group of environmental NGOs have handed the European Commission a petition with more than 250,000 signatures calling for a ban on bottom trawling in marine protected areas.
Bottom trawling is a type of fishing which involves dragging nets along the sea floor.
Environmentalists say this type of fishing is seriously destructive because the nets scrape the ecosystem of everything in their way.
Around Ireland’s shores, parts of the seabed are supposed to be protected as so-called EU Natura 2000 sites.
But according to a report by Seas at Risk and the Marine Conservation Society, between January 2015 and December 2023, vessels fished in Irish marine Natura 2000 sites designated under the Habitats Directive for 19,336 hours using bottom towed fishing gear.
EU waters off the Irish coast were largely fished by French and Irish fleets, according to xx. Boats from other countries including Spain, Denmark and Belgium were also present.
“Bottom towed fishing activity overlapped with up to 4000 km² of Irish seabed protected under the
Habitats Directive”, the report warns.
The NGOs says it is time that this type of fishing was completely banned by the EU.
“Citizens are calling for change – the continuous destruction by bottom trawling happening in marine protected areas is a problem that the EU cannot ignore any longer”, said Vera Coelho from campaign group Oceana Europe.
“The European Ocean Pact must finally ensure real protection of EU marine protected areas, benefiting the ocean, fishers, and coastal communities.”
The European Commission has a responsibility to ensure Member States are enforcing European environmental law, the NGOs say.
The EU has also committed to an international UN target to conserve and effectively manage 30 percent of its waters by 2030.
