Marine Animal Welfare

Trawl Fishing Bycatch Welfare at Scale

Bottom trawling catches enormous quantities of non-target species. The welfare cost of bycatch mortality represents one of fishing's largest animal welfare impacts.

Key Facts

Global trawl bycatch is estimated at 9-38% of total catch by weight depending on fishery
Bottom trawling damages seafloor habitats and disrupts the food web supporting marine welfare
Discarded bycatch fish experience stress, injury, and death from the catching process
Technological innovations including acoustic deterrents and modified net designs reduce bycatch significantly
Consumer demand for cheap high-volume seafood drives the economic incentives behind high-bycatch fisheries

Welfare Considerations

Trawl bycatch represents a colossal and largely invisible welfare harm - billions of non-target animals caught, injured, and killed annually as an incidental consequence of industrial fishing. The suffering involved in the trawling and discarding process is significant. Reducing demand for cheap trawled seafood and supporting gear innovation and regulation are the primary levers for change.

What You Can Do

Choose pole-and-line or MSC-certified seafood with documented bycatch reduction commitments
Advocate for mandatory bycatch reduction gear in commercial trawl fisheries
Reduce consumption of cheap commodity seafood associated with high-bycatch trawl fisheries
Support marine conservation organizations working on trawling reform and bycatch mitigation