Destructive fishing plaguing protected areas off Cornwall

PROTECTED marine habitats around the UK were subjected to more than 33,000 hours of suspected destructive fishing in 2023, analysis suggests.

Industrial fishing vessels appeared to be active in UK offshore marine protected areas for 100,000 hours last year, according to analysis by Cornwallbased conservation charity Oceana UK using data from the Global Fishing Watch organisation.

Some 33,000 hours, adding up to almost four years, were by vessels equipped with gear for bottom trawling and dredging – fishing which drags nets along the seabed to pick up seafood, the analysis suggests.

Just 10 fishing vessels were responsible for more than a quarter (27%) of the suspected bottom trawling identified by the analysis, none of which were from the UK, Oceana UK said.

The assessment focused on the UK’s 63 offshore marine protected areas (MPAs), which are designated for the importance of their seabed habitats.

But Oceana warned that highly destructive bottom trawling fishing, which it said “bulldozes” the seafloor, is still permitted in most MPAs.

It is calling for a complete ban on bottom trawling across all marine protected areas in their entirety.

Hugo Tagholm, executive director of Oceana UK, said: “Our marine ‘protected’ areas are crisscrossed with the scars of this highly destructive form of fishing, which may take decades to heal.

“These areas are vital havens for ocean wildlife and protect us against the climate crisis. Everything from sharks to starfish are hoovered up by bottom trawling which can destroy whole ecosystems and empty our seas of life.

“This also threatens communities seeking to make a sustainable living from our seas.”

He urged the Government to act to ban the practice from all marine protected areas, warning that “anything less is a complete betrayal of our ocean wildlife”.

The analysis found the two most exploited sites were both located off the coast of Cornwall.

They were the Western Channel MPA, which is made up of underwater sand dunes that are home to wildlife ranging from the small-spotted cat shark to the angler fish, and the Southwest Deeps, a biodiversity hotspot and a store of an estimated 1.67 million tonnes of carbon.

The Government has pledged to protected all 40 English offshore MPAs from harmful fishing activity by 2024, with byelaws already being in put in place for some sites.

Oceana UK is calling for all political parties to commit to a complete ban on bottom trawling across all marine protected areas.

A Defra spokesperson said: “The UK is at the forefront of marine protection, and we’re focused on stopping damaging fishing activity in all English MPAs.

“We aim to have all necessary byelaws in place by the end of 2024 with further restrictions coming into force in 13 areas just this week.”

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Everything from sharks to starfish are hoovered up by bottom trawling which can destroy whole ecosystems and empty our seas of life

Hugo Tagholm, pictured

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The UK is at the forefront of marine protection

Defra spokesperson

Picture by Greg Martin