| There is an inherent tension between those environmental organisations which believe that bottom trawling should be banned and is completely unsustainable, those environmental organisations which feel that an outright ban is unnecessary but very careful management is crucial and industry which does not support a ban and believes that it is doing enough to achieve sustainability.
Habitat destruction, pollution, climate change and human-induced disturbances threaten the marine environment.
Environmentalists argue that if too many fish continue to be taken from the oceans, destroying ecosystems in the process, this could lead to a collapse in the fishing industry and the loss of many jobs. Fish stocks will collapse and the marine ecosystem may become irreparably damaged. If ecosystems are protected, fish stocks can recover.
Marine Reserves are increasingly seen as an essential global tool to protect the marine environment, and provide resilience to the uncertain effects of climate change. In order to be robust and protect ocean ecosystems Marine Reserves need to be large. Campaigners for marine reserves argue that putting some places off limits to fishing could assist the needs of the fishing industry. Animals inside reserves live longer and grow much bigger than those outside, producing many times more young.
The fishing industry does not support a ban on bottom trawling but supports the development of Marine Protected Areas and are working to achieve these.
Some environmental groups such as the Marine Conservation Society, WWF and RSPB are not supporting an outright ban on bottom trawling but for better protection through Marine Protected Areas. They argue that this would result in a fishing industry that is strong and stable.
Every purchase we make is a vote. What we choose to buy today determines what products will be offered tomorrow. When you purchase fish from MSC certified fisheries not only are you rewarding environmental leadership, you are changing the market and pushing it towards supporting environmentally responsible fishing. If we want more fisheries to introduce sustainability measures, consumer support is a powerful encouragement.
There are currently two political opportunities to make marine reserves happen – the EU Marine Strategy Directive and the UK Marine Bill. |