NGOs join forces to demand a ban on destructive fishing in protected areas, and reveal bottom trawling’s economic toll

25 March 2025, Paris – Leading ocean organizations – including BLOOM, Oceana, EarthEcho International, Rise Up, Seas at Risk and The Transform Bottom Trawling Coalition – are taking part in a Week of Ocean Action (24-30 March) to demand an immediate ban on destructive fishing practices such as bottom trawling in Europe’s marine protected areas (MPAs). 

This coincides with the release of two major new studies, both released today, that show the unacceptable impacts of bottom trawling and demonstrate the feasibility of a transition away from trawling. The study by National Geographic Pristine Seas shows that bottom trawling results in a net cost to European society of up to €11 billion every year. The study by BLOOM and French researchers from L’Institut Agro and the French Natural History Museum shows that trawling has the worst social-ecological footprint of all fishing methods: the passage of French bottom trawlers impacts 670,000 km2 of seabed each year, a surface larger than France itself. 

The Week of Ocean Action, coordinated by Oceana, Only One, National Geographic Pristine Seas and Together for the Ocean, builds on a 200,000-strong public petition and brings together a broad coalition of NGOs for a series of events and initiatives designed to build momentum ahead of the SOS Ocean Summit in Paris (30-31 March). By uniting advocacy efforts, the campaign will push for major commitments on marine protection ahead of the landmark UN Ocean Conference taking place in Nice this June. A coordinated citizen action will call on EU countries and the UK to take urgent steps to ban bottom trawling in MPAs.

Alexandra Cousteau, ocean advocate, President and Co-Founder of Oceans 2050, and Senior Advisor to Oceana, said: “With the UN Ocean Conference fast approaching, world leaders have an important choice to make: uphold their commitments to protect our ocean or allow the continued destruction of our marine protected areas. To me, and everyone that cares about our blue planet, the choice is clear. Our leaders in the UK, France and across the rest of Europe must act now to ban bottom trawling in MPAs to help secure a thriving, resilient ocean for future generations.”

Vera Coelho, Deputy Vice President at Oceana in Europe, added: “The science is clear – repeatedly bulldozing marine habitats is incompatible with their protection. If governments are serious about protecting 30% of the ocean and safeguarding the livelihoods of traditional fishers, they need to commit to phasing out bottom trawling in marine protected areas as a matter of urgency. Anything short of decisive action will expose Europe’s lack of commitment to globally agreed targets at the United Nations Ocean Conference.”

New research: The true cost of bottom trawling

A major new study from Pristine Seas, released today, exposes that taxpayers are funding the destruction of European waters through massive subsidies, resulting in a net cost to European society of up to €11 billion every year. Shockingly, 60% of European MPAs are still trawled, making these “protected” areas vulnerable to the very destructive practices they are meant to safeguard against. 

Dr. Enric Sala, National Geographic Pristine Seas, stated: “Bottom trawling is both an ecological and economic catastrophe. It contributes only 2% of Europe’s animal protein supply, yet exacts a devastating toll on biodiversity. The science and the economics are clear: Banning bottom trawling in all marine protected areas is an essential first step in restoring European seas. It’s an obvious choice — one that can help replenish Europe’s overfished seas, mitigate global warming and support a transition to more sustainable fishing practices that benefit small-scale fishers. Europe must lead the charge in ocean protection and make this change now.”

The study finds that redirecting a fraction of the current harmful government subsidies would be enough to finance a just transition for affected fishing communities. Governments such as Greece and Sweden have already committed to banning bottom trawling in MPAs – momentum that NGOs are urging other European leaders to build upon.

In further analysis, released to mark the first anniversary of EU countries’ deadline to submit Marine Action Plan roadmaps, NGOs Oceana, Seas At Risk and ClientEarth have revealed that multiple EU member states are failing to safeguard their MPAs from destructive fishing practices. The findings highlight that not a single EU country has established comprehensive plans to phase out bottom trawling from MPAs by 2030, despite EU nature laws and international biodiversity commitments that legally bind EU Member States to implement rigorous protection measures for these marine areas. 

Dr Monica Verbeek, Executive Director of Seas At Risk, said: “Science calls out bottom trawling as a threat to marine biodiversity and planetary health, yet Member States continue to allow the destruction in areas they state they protect. The EU’s ‘benefit of the doubt’ approach to EU fisheries has to end – our latest analysis of the dismal progress made one year on from the EU Marine Action Plan deadline shows the political will to fish responsibly and improve the wellbeing of coastal communities is slim to none. Top of the EU’s to-do list must be a commitment by Commissioner Kadis to introduce an EU Oceans Pact that prioritises a just transition to low-impact fisheries and new binding rules to phase out bottom trawling in EU seas.”

New research: Breaking free from trawling

In addition, during the Week of Ocean Action, BLOOM is publishing a new report, “Breaking Free from Trawling”. This report is the first to show how trawling has become an integral part of the French fishing industry, with no regard for the environment or economic and social rationality.

It incorporates unique work by French researchers at the Institut Agro (Didier Gascuel, Florian Quemper and Romain Mouillard) and the Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle (Harold Levrel), revealing the disastrous social-ecological footprint of trawling, particularly bottom trawling. The researchers have also laid the foundations for a transition in the sector by demonstrating that bottom trawling is not inevitable: 85% of the volumes fished by bottom trawlers in France could be fished with less harmful fishing methods.

Claire Nouvian, director of BLOOM, stated: “Trawling is a technique of massive destruction for the ecosystems, even though they are vital in the fight against climate change and for the future of small-scale fishing. We must now free ourselves from trawling, whether bottom or pelagic, for the sake of living organisms and future generations. Emergency is here, time is running out and we have now a window to act: France is hosting UNOC in a few months and Macron is organising an SOS Ocean summit in a few days. France must make the transition now and implement real marine protected areas without industrial fishing.” 

United call for action

As part of the Week of Ocean Action, participating NGOs will be hosting a series of briefings and activations, including:

• 20 March, 09:00 EDT / 13:00 GMT: Online press conference (link here, password: ocean) unveiling NGO policy ask and embargoed National Geographic Pristine Seas research findings.
• 25 March, 9:30AM to 12:30PM CET: In-person press briefing at Le Consulat Voltaire (14 Avenue Parmentier, 75011) in Paris for French and international media, featuring the official release of the new National Geographic Pristine Seas study (00:01 GMT), the launch of BLOOM’s scientific report Breaking Free from Trawling, which analyzes the social-ecological performance of French fishing fleets, and the release of a new analysis by Oceana, Seas At Risk, and ClientEarth on EU countries’ plans to phase out bottom trawling from MPAs by 2030.
• NGOs will also be organizing stunts across Paris throughout the week. 

This coordinated effort aims to keep bottom trawling bans a top priority on the political agenda at SOS Ocean, as well as at UNOC later this year. Following the first two conferences which were held in New York (2017) and Lisbon (2022), France and Costa Rica are jointly organizing the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3) in Nice, from 9 to 13 June 2025.

For more information on the Week of Ocean Action and to join the campaign and citizen action for national-level policymakers, visit here.

ENDS

For more information, interviews and images, please contact: fortheocean@greenhouse.agency

NOTES FOR EDITORS

About BLOOM

BLOOM is a non-profit organization founded in 2005, whose mission is to preserve the ocean, the climate, marine habitats and species from the root causes of their destruction: extractive activities, especially industrial fishing and oil & gas production.  

In order to protect the ocean and the climate, BLOOM wages awareness and advocacy campaigns, carries out scientific research and independent investigations that highlight crucial and unaddressed issues such as the harmful public financing of the fishing sector, the bonds between destructive fishing and retailers, the pillaging of African waters by subsidized fleets from the North, the negative impact of the trawl lobby on public policies and the intrinsically fraudulent nature of industrial fishing.

About National Geographic Pristine Seas

National Geographic Pristine Seas works with Indigenous and local communities, governments, and other partners to protect vital places in the ocean through research, policy, and filmmaking. Since 2008, Pristine Seas has helped establish 29 marine protected areas, spanning more than 6.9 million square kilometers of ocean. Pristine Seas is part of the global non-profit, the National Geographic Society. Our mission is driven by science and filmmaking — we are fully independent from National Geographic publishing and its media arm.

About Oceana

Oceana is the largest international advocacy organisation dedicated solely to ocean conservation. Oceana is rebuilding abundant and biodiverse oceans by winning science-based policies in countries that control one-quarter of the world’s wild fish catch. With more than 325 victories that stop overfishing, habitat destruction, oil and plastic pollution, and the killing of threatened species like turtles, whales, and sharks, Oceana’s campaigns are delivering results. A restored ocean means that 1 billion people can enjoy a healthy seafood meal every day, forever. Together, we can save the oceans and help feed the world. Visit europe.oceana.org to learn more.

About Only One 

Only One is the action platform for the planet.We mobilize millions to win global campaigns. We fund the world’s best ocean and climate solutions. We tell stories that spark change for people and the planet.

We’re on a mission to restore ocean health and tackle the climate crisis in this generation — with you. Our strength comes from our network of partners and supporters. We connect with scientists, community leaders, innovators, and activists from around the globe. Together, we take a collaborative, research-driven approach to identify targeted, nature-based solutions that can sustain wide-reaching impact.

About Seas At Risk

Seas At Risk is a Brussels-based NGO campaigning for the protection and restoration of the marine environment. Together with its 30+ members from all over Europe, it works to make sure that life in our seas and oceans is abundant, diverse, climate-resilient, and not threatened by human activities.

About Together for the Ocean

Together for the Ocean is a global campaign advocating for ocean protection by uniting stakeholders who share common goals. We are calling on political leaders to take action to protect and conserve both national and high seas marine areas in order to fulfil their commitment to protect at least 30% of the ocean by 2030.

Founding partners are Bloomberg Ocean Fund, Blue Nature Alliance, Campaign for Nature and National Geographic Pristine Seas. Participating organizations are: Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition, Blue Marine Foundation, Blue Ventures, Conservation International, Coral Reefs of the High Seas,  Deep Sea Conservation Coalition, EarthEcho International, Fauna & Flora, Global Fishing Watch, High Seas Alliance, International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity, Marine Conservation Institute, Oceana, Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance, Natural Resource Defense Council, Oceans 5, Only One, The Pew Charitable Trusts, Rare, Rise Up, SkyTruth, Wildlife Conservation Society and WWF.