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Ocean Floor Scraped: Trawling's Devastating Impact Revealed
9 Oct
Summary
- Bottom trawling is the most extensive human disturbance to seabed habitats globally.
- Nearly 60% of discarded catch comes from trawl fisheries annually.
- Seafloor disturbance releases stored carbon, potentially fueling global warming.
Bottom trawling, a widely used fishing technique, involves dragging large nets across the ocean floor to capture fish and shellfish in bulk. This method, central to major commercial fisheries, is the most extensive human-caused physical disturbance to seabed habitats globally.
The efficiency of trawling comes at a cost to marine life and ecosystems. Industrial nets can span hundreds of feet, catching not only target species but also sharks, rays, and turtles. Unwanted marine life, known as bycatch, is often discarded at sea, dead. In fact, trawl fisheries contribute nearly 60% of the estimated 9 million metric tons of discarded catch annually.
Beyond direct harm to marine creatures, bottom trawling damages delicate seafloor structures like corals and sponges, which are vital habitats. These slow-growing organisms can take centuries to recover. The practice also disturbs carbon stored in seabed sediments, releasing it as carbon dioxide. This process can contribute significantly to global warming, with estimated emissions potentially doubling those from fuel burned by fishing fleets.
