| Scientists declare support for the banning of destructive industrial fishing methods | |
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Source: national geographic |
9/12/2022 |
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Credit: Manu San Felix/National Geographic Pristine Seas |
More than 200 scientists have signed a statement calling for the prohibition of bottom trawling, and other industrial activities, in the EU’s Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). Currently, less than 1% of the EU’s waters are under true marine protection, meaning that over 99% of continental EU waters fail to be adequately protected from high-impact activities. Bottom trawling, a process which drags large weighted nets along the seafloor to catch fish, causes the strongest and most widespread ecological disturbances in marine areas. |
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The process stirs up the seabed, disturbing carbon stores on the seafloor and killing one million tons of organisms bycatch each year. Bottom trawling, and other industrial extractive activities, are conducted in 59% of the EU’s so called Marine Protected Areas, leaving vulnerable species at high risk and impacting biodiversity. These activities also undermine conservation goals and deplete the natural capital that MPAs are supposed to grow. |
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