The controversial issue of bottom trawling fishing within protected areas has caused a clash between the Spanish departments of Ecological Transition and Agriculture. The European Commission suggested over a year ago to EU Member States that this non-selective capture practice should be banned in all protected areas by 2030. The Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, like that of other European countries, has reacted against this measure and rejects the need to follow these recommendations. Meanwhile, the Ministry for Ecological Transition, like many of the departments with environmental responsibilities in the EU, has shown support for restrictions on more aggressive fishing methods for species protected in marine reserves, although without imposing a generic ban in all areas. This controversy dates back to February 2023 when the Commission presented an action plan titled “protect and restore marine ecosystems for sustainable and resilient fishing”.
This plan aimed at protecting marine biodiversity, urging Member States to “gradually eliminate bottom trawling in all protected marine areas by 2030”. Member States were required to submit their roadmaps for the protection of marine reserves by the end of March 2024, and to eliminate these criticized fishing practices that cause damage to the seabed. Despite the Commission’s proposal, many EU fishing ministers rejected the mandatory generic ban on bottom trawling in all protected areas by 2030. The Spanish Ministry of Agriculture highlighted that the roadmap was voluntary and received the rejection of a majority of Member States. This disagreement between ministries is not unique to Spain and is seen in other countries where fishing plays a significant role.
The lack of coordination between fishing and environmental departments at the national level also hampers the effectiveness of the Commission’s strategy. There will be a meeting in mid-June between Commission representatives and ministers responsible for fishing and environmental protection to address the controversial plan for marine reserves and bottom trawling. Greece recently announced that it will ban bottom trawling in all its marine protected areas by 2030, citing it as the greatest threat to marine habitats and the most effective measure for biodiversity preservation. In Spain, the Ministry for Ecological Transition proposes selective bans on bottom trawling, restricting the use of this technique only when it affects protected species, such as coral reefs.
The Ministry of Agriculture in Spain defends the use of an alternative fishing technique to traditional bottom trawling, using pelagic doors with limited contact with the seafloor. Currently, a significant number of vessels have transitioned to this method, which is already subject to restrictions in certain areas. While bottom trawling is practiced in 90% of protected marine areas in the EU, the debate over its prohibition continues between different ministries and environmental organizations. The implementation of these measures will vary among Member States, reflecting the ongoing struggle to find a balance between sustainable fishing practices and marine conservation.
