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Government ministers say that the UK will not implement an outright ban on bottom trawling, despite announcing plans to do so less than four months ago.
Bottom trawling is a particularly destructive method of fishing that involves dragging heavy nets and chains along the ocean floor, tearing up root systems, filling in burrows, and indiscriminately killing or catching marine life. Bottom trawlers typically pursue just one or two desirable species, and discard up to 75 percent of their catch.
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In June, an Environmental Audit Committee report titled ‘Governing the Marine Environment‘ made several key recommendations for better ocean conservation.
The report encouraged the government to ban harmful fishing practices such as bottom trawling within offshore Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), which represent a key national strategy for reducing global biodiversity decline. The Environment Secretary confirmed plans for a ban in 41 key protected areas a few days later.
However, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has now published its official response to the Environmental Audit Committee report. In it, DEFRA described an outright ban as “disproportionate” and “not in line with legislation,” and said it will continue to consult on regional bans instead.
‘Bottom trawling is a destructive practice’
Currently, bottom trawling is only banned within the UK’s three Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs), and none of the less-protected MPAs. Some scientists, environmental advocates, and ocean conservation charities have called the UK’s MPAs “paper parks.” The Marine Conservation Society wrote that MPAs are “little more than lines on a map,” and that the system requires “proper regulation.”
In 2024 alone, more than 20,000 hours of bottom trawling took place in UK offshore marine protected areas. This is likely an “underestimation” of the total damage.
In a letter to the new Secretary of State, Emma Reynolds, the Chair of the Commons Committee wrote, “Bottom trawling is a destructive practice. We hugely welcome the government moving forward with banning it in more protected areas of our oceans.”
“However, the Committee is disappointed that the Government has not committed to wider bans within Marine Protected Areas, which risk undermining the integrity of Marine Protected Areas.”
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UK is ‘actively’ going backwards on the environment and climate
Other countries have already announced broader bans on bottom trawling, including Sweden and Greece. The EU aims to ban the practice in all marine areas by 2030.
In August, the Guardian reported that Labour ministers are using Brexit to “actively go backwards” and weaken crucial British environmental protections. Meanwhile, the Conservatives and Reform recently pledged sweeping rollbacks of climate legislation and net-zero targets if successful at the next general election.
The UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world, with just half of its biodiversity remaining compared to the global average of 75 percent. The Climate Change Committee has said that Britain is “not prepared for climate impacts.”
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