Bottom trawling destroys deep sea coral and sponge ecosystems while capturing enormous numbers of fish and invertebrates as bycatch, causing welfare harm at scale and irreversible ecosystem destruction.
Deep sea trawling welfare impacts span multiple scales. Individual fish and invertebrates caught in trawls experience the stress and injury of capture - including barotrauma from pressure changes as fish are brought to the surface. The ecosystem destruction caused by trawling reduces habitat quality for the billions of animals that inhabit deep sea ecosystems, reducing food availability and eliminating structural habitat features that provide refuge from predation. The carbon release from seabed disturbance contributes to ocean acidification that affects the welfare of marine animals throughout the water column. Welfare-positive seafood choices exclude species caught by bottom trawling, and regulatory advocacy focuses on expanding trawling closures in ecologically sensitive areas.