Aquatic Animals

Deep Sea Trawling and Benthic Welfare

Bottom trawling destroys seafloor ecosystems and kills millions of non-target animals, with welfare implications across the vast diversity of marine invertebrate and fish life.

Key Facts

Bottom trawling covers twice the area of forests cut each year globally
Trawls destroy cold-water coral habitats that take centuries to grow
An estimated 40% of global fish catch is bycatch from trawl fisheries
Many deep-sea fish species have never been observed alive before trawl capture
Rockhopper trawls are specifically designed to drag along rough seafloor habitat

Welfare Considerations

Deep sea trawling creates welfare harm at enormous scale. Animals caught in trawl nets experience sustained pressure changes, physical trauma, and suffocation as nets are hauled to the surface. Cold-water corals and other sessile invertebrates are crushed as trawl doors drag along the seafloor. The scale and depth of this destruction mean most of it occurs invisibly, without the scrutiny that would apply to equivalent destruction in more visible environments.

What You Can Do

Choose seafood from non-trawl fisheries using longlines, traps, or pole-and-line methods
Support Marine Stewardship Council certification that excludes damaging trawl methods
Advocate for expansion of trawl-free marine protected areas
Reduce seafood consumption overall to reduce demand pressure on trawl fisheries