Welfare of Animals Affected by Deep-Sea Trawling Operations

Bottom trawling destroys seabed habitat and incidentally kills enormous quantities of non-target marine animals, creating welfare harms that are largely invisible to consumers.

Key Facts

Bottom trawling is the most destructive fishing method practiced globally, covering an area equivalent to twice the Amazon annually
Non-target bycatch in bottom trawl fisheries can exceed 50-80% of total catch volume
Deep-sea species brought to the surface experience fatal barotrauma — rapid decompression of gas-filled organs
Cold-water coral reefs destroyed by trawling take centuries to recover and support thousands of species
Marine Protected Areas that exclude trawling produce measurable biodiversity and biomass recovery benefits

Welfare Considerations

Deep-sea trawling causes welfare harm at a scale matched by few other human activities. Non-target animals brought to the surface by trawl nets experience barotrauma — the rapid expansion of gas-filled organs as external pressure drops — which is both lethal and painful. Cold-water corals and the complex communities they support are physically crushed and destroyed. The seafloor after trawling is a desert. Transitioning to low-impact fishing methods and extending Marine Protected Areas are the most direct welfare and conservation interventions available.

What You Can Do

Choose seafood from non-trawl fishing methods — look for pole-caught, hook-and-line, or MSC certified products
Support expansion of Marine Protected Areas that exclude bottom trawling
Advocate for national and international restrictions on deep-sea bottom trawling
Ask seafood retailers and restaurants about the fishing methods behind their products