UK MPAs are a ‘sham’, says Oceana

EU Bottom Trawling

The UKs offshore marine protected areas were subjected to over 20,600 hours of suspected bottom trawling in 2024, according to a new report by Oceana UK

The hours of trawling, equivalent to dragging heavy gear across the seabed eight times around the UK, occurred despite these areas being labelled as ‘protected’, it alleges.

Oceana’s report, The Trawled Truth, highlights that only 38 of the UK’s 377 MPAs are legally shielded from bottom trawling, which is allowed in 90% of sites.

Continue this article…

Already subscribed? SIGN IN now

wf_web_image

Register for a FREE one-month trial to continue this article

Want to read more before deciding on a subscription? It only takes a minute to sign up for a free account and you’ll get to enjoy:

  • Weekly newsletters providing valuable news and information on the commercial fishing and aquaculture sector
  • Full access to our news archive
  • Live and archived webinars, podcasts and videos
  • Articles on innovations and current trends in the commercial fishing industry
  • Our extensive archive of data, research and intelligence

Get more free content sign up today

Ready to subscribe? Choose from one of our subscription packages for unlimited access!