Bottom trawling destroys deep-sea benthic habitats and causes extensive welfare harm to slow-growing animals including corals, sponges, and fish.
Bottom trawling causes welfare harm at extraordinary scale and across taxonomic groups rarely considered in welfare discussions. Deep-sea corals and sponges - animals, not plants - are crushed and destroyed by trawl gear. Bycatch animals experience capture trauma, decompression injury from rapid ascent from depth, air exposure, and often crushing by catch weight. Fish brought from depth experience gas bladder rupture due to pressure changes. The slow recovery of deep-sea habitats means welfare harms from single trawling events persist for centuries. Protecting deep-sea welfare requires meaningful prohibition and enforcement of bottom trawling in ecologically sensitive areas.