Fishing is one of the most widespread and significant impacts humans have inflicted on marine ecosystems—and the Baltic Sea is no exception. Bottom trawling, one of the most damaging fishing methods in practice, is serially depleting the resource base, causing long-term physical damage, altering the ecosystem balance, affecting biogeochemical cycles, and negatively impacting the seabed’s ability to store and sequester carbon. From a socioeconomic perspective, bottom trawling is causing a reduction in yields, poor profitability, and high future uncertainty. Action is urgently needed.
Of all the maritime activities affecting the seafloor, bottom trawling is one of the primary threats. The map of the average intensity of bottom trawling across the Baltic Sea and the Kattegat during 2016 shows to be distinctly concentrated to the southwest and in southern parts of the sea, from Kattegat to Poland and the Baltic states, with higher fishing intensities in Kattegat, around Bornholm and Polish waters.
Bottom trawling is a fishing practice where gear is manually or mechanically dragged behind a boat. As the gear digs into the seafloor, it stirs up sediment, destroys fragile creatures, and catches almost everything in its path.
The truth is that governments around the Baltic Sea have done little to implement and enforce laws against unsustainable fishing practices like bottom trawling. It’s time to step up the implementation of ecosystem-based fisheries management and intensify efforts to achieve Good Environmental Status.
Want to do something about bottom trawling in the Baltic Sea? Help us spread knowledge about the impacts of bottom trawling in the Baltic Sea. Share this page, our story map, and our report with fisheries and environmental ministers in the Baltic region to put pressure on them to act! Remember to EAT sustainably caught seafood and ASK where and how your fish was caught.
Visit our interactive story map to explore the history and impacts of bottom trawling in the Baltic Sea. It features responsive maps of bottom trawling intensity, illustrates examples of impacts, and summarizes the key takeaways of the WWF report A sea under pressure: Bottom trawling impacts in the Baltic, including a list of recommendations for policymakers.
Read the WWF report, A sea under pressure: Bottom trawling impacts in the Baltic, which examines the latest research on bottom trawling impacts in the Baltic Sea and provides a list of recommended actions policymakers need to take in order to bring back fish stocks and improve overall biodiversity through ecosystem-based fisheries management.
Last modified 28/09/20