In a compelling open letter addressed to Commissioner Costas Kadis, a coalition representing hundreds of thousands of European Union citizens, scientists, small-scale fishers, and civil society organizations has issued a clear and urgent demand: an immediate end to bottom trawling within Europe’s marine protected areas (MPAs).
This year has witnessed an unprecedented surge in advocacy for this cause. The EU Ocean Pact consultation received an overwhelming number of submissions calling for a prohibition on bottom trawling, with over 250,000 citizens signing petitions advocating for change. Legal actions have been initiated, courts have ruled in favor of conservation, and scientific research continues to underscore the ecological and social advantages of eliminating destructive fishing practices. Notably, various member states have begun to take significant steps towards enhancing marine protection, with Sweden and Greece implementing bans on bottom trawling in their MPAs, and Denmark commencing similar actions across 19 percent of its marine territory.
The call for action from citizens and scientists
In your recent address to the PECH Committee, you remarked, “I will repeat my position regarding banning bottom trawling in MPAs. I am not in favor of one size fits all. What I am saying is that in MPAs we can have management plans, as foreseen in the relevant legislation.” While your comments suggest a nuanced approach, they also leave the door open for the continuation of harmful practices. As you recognized, bottom trawling should not occur in Natura 2000 sites that safeguard valuable and vulnerable seabeds; however, this remains the reality currently.
“This is not just about biodiversity, nature protection and climate resilience; it is about fairness, food security, and the survival of Europe’s coastal communities.”
Your stance that “one size does not fit all” appears to favor the status quo, potentially allowing harmful practices to persist. This case-by-case methodology does not equate to protection; rather, it risks perpetuating decades of inaction by avoiding the precautionary and preventative principles established in the Lisbon Treaty. This approach may cater to member state inertia instead of ensuring cohesive EU leadership and starkly contradicts the EU’s international commitment to halt the loss of marine biodiversity.
Implications of a case-by-case approach
The Habitats Directive indeed permits individual assessments related to activities within protected areas, but these evaluations must occur prior to authorizing any activity with the potential for significant adverse effects. The default position is that bottom trawling in Natura 2000 MPAs is unlawful unless proven otherwise by an individual assessment demonstrating no reasonable scientific doubt about the absence of adverse effects. Should the Commission maintain a case-by-case position, it not only undermines its own objectives outlined in the Marine Action Plan but also jeopardizes the credibility of the Ocean Pact and future initiatives.
A case-by-case strategy for the approximately 5,000 EU MPAs imposes unnecessary administrative burdens, whereas a decisive transition towards a complete ban on bottom trawling in all MPAs under the Habitats Directive aligns with the EU’s simplification agenda. Such a move would foster clarity and equity in regulations while also contributing to the replenishment of fishing grounds through positive spillover effects beneficial to sustainable fisheries.
This year’s UN Ocean Conference in Nice exposed the contradiction of practicing bottom trawling in areas designated as protected. Although the Ocean Pact presented an opportunity to redirect policies, it ultimately reaffirmed the status quo and set aspirational goals without concrete commitments.
We urgently implore you to commit to incorporating legally binding targets in the Ocean Act that would phase out destructive fishing methods such as bottom trawling in MPAs, which is crucial for maintaining healthy marine ecosystems and securing a sustainable future for Europe’s low-impact fishers and their communities.
As a scientist, you recognize the evidence; now, as a Commissioner, it is imperative to act decisively. History will evaluate your leadership not by the precision of your words but by your ability to deliver genuine protection for Europe’s seas and the communities reliant upon them.
Sincerely,
Protect Our Catch
Protect Our Catch is a new European initiative supported by leading ocean advocacy organizations, including Seas At Risk, Oceana, BLOOM, Blue Marine Foundation, DMA, Empesca’t, Environmental Justice Foundation, Only One, and Tara Ocean Foundation, in collaboration with fishers and a vast array of citizen activists, all demanding an end to destructive fishing practices like bottom trawling in marine protected areas.