Marine Wildlife: Deep Sea Trawling Welfare Impact

Deep-sea bottom trawling causes welfare harm to the diverse fauna of deep-sea habitats while also destroying the slow-growing structural habitats they depend on.

Key Facts

Deep-sea bottom trawling targets species at depths of 200-2,000 metres including orange roughy and grenadier
Deep-sea species are slow-growing and long-lived, making populations extremely vulnerable to overfishing
Trawl gear destroys cold-water coral reefs that take centuries to develop and support diverse fauna
Large amounts of bycatch including sharks, rays, and invertebrates are discarded dead at depth
International agreements have designated some deep-sea areas as vulnerable marine ecosystems protected from trawling

Welfare Considerations

Deep-sea trawling causes welfare harm to the enormous diversity of animals caught as bycatch and discarded, and destroys the complex structural habitats that support deep-sea communities across vast areas. The slow recovery time of deep-sea ecosystems means welfare harm is sustained for generations. Restricting deep-sea bottom trawling in vulnerable areas is one of the highest-impact marine welfare interventions available.

What You Can Do

Support campaigns for deep-sea trawling bans in vulnerable marine ecosystems
Avoid seafood from deep-sea trawl fisheries including orange roughy and grenadier
Engage with EU and international fisheries negotiations on deep-sea protection
Support marine conservation organisations campaigning for deep-sea trawling reform
Learn about deep-sea ecosystem diversity and the welfare impacts of destructive fishing