Scientists and environmental activists are calling for a ban on bottom trawling, a damaging fishing practice, ahead of a high-level UN summit in France aimed at protecting the world’s oceans.

Paris

Scientists and environmental activists have called for a ban on bottom trawling, a fishing method considered destructive to marine environments, as the UN Ocean Conference convenes in France. While France claims to protect a significant portion of its ocean territory, conservation groups argue that most marine protected areas still permit harmful activities like bottom trawling.

French President Emmanuel Macron has expressed intentions to limit bottom trawling in some marine protected areas, following an open letter from experts urging a ban. However, many French fishermen argue that such restrictions threaten their livelihoods, emphasizing the ongoing debate between environmental protection and industry needs. Meanwhile, Greece has recently banned bottom trawling around its islands, aiming to inspire similar action in the Mediterranean.

Scientists, activists call for ban on bottom trawling

Marching along Nice's famous promenade, activists from around the world demanding meaningful change ahead of the UN Ocean Conference. The global gathering, set to tackle pollution, illegal fishing and more, will also shine a spotlight on a difficult dilemma for host country France, bottom trawling. While the President has set out high ambitions for the summit, he is caught between a growing row over the impacts of the fishing method commonly used off the French coast. We expect this conference to make leaders take concrete measures to protect the oceans, particularly in France. We're behind. We have marine protected areas that aren't truly protected and that is the key measure we want to push through this march. Bottom trawling is a destructive fishing practice that uses towed nets to catch fish. Emmanuel Macron told local newspapers Saturday that he wants to limit the activity in certain parts of French marine protected areas. Just two months ago he received an open letter from 60 scientists and environmental experts calling for a ban. But many French fishermen claim environmental measures are slowly killing the industry, calling bottom trawling a necessity. France claims to have protected 33% of its ocean with specially designed marine protected areas, but conservation groups argue that 98% of them allow destructive activities. Last month the Greek government banned bottom trawling in the waters around its islands, hoping to set an example for other Mediterranean countries.

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