Sweden is to implement a general ban on bottom trawling in its marine protected areas, a move it hopes signifies an important step “towards long-term sustainable fishing for generations to come.”
Having introduced the amendments to its Fisheries Ordinance, the general ban on bottom trawling in marine protected areas within the trawl limit will come into force on July 1st, 2026. The ban will cover Sweden’s national marine parks, nature reserves, biotope protection areas and Natura 2000 areas.
The ban will apply in those areas of the sea where only Swedish vessels are allowed to fish, meaning it will apply within the country’s trawl limit. Nevertheless, the move is being hailed by the Swedish government as a ‘strong measure’ towards making its seas healthier.
“Protection of sensitive seas is important to the government, and bottom trawling can affect the marine environment in several ways,” said Sweden’s Minister of Rural Affairs, Peter Kullgren.
The effect of bottom-trawling on seabed habitats was exposed to the general public for the first time in the recent cinematic release, Ocean with David Attenborough – a feature length documentary on the vital need to protect the ocean from human impact to have the best chance of restoring balance and tackling a runaway changing climate.
For the first time on natural history storytelling, audiences were shown footage of the impact of bottom-trawling – the destructive fishing practice by which fishing gear is dragged along the bottom of the seabed, churning up sediment to release stored carbon, while indiscriminately scooping up the marine life living there.
“Strong measures are needed to make our seas healthier. With a general ban on bottom trawling in marine protected areas, Sweden is showing leadership in the EU and internationally. It is an important step towards long-term sustainable fishing for generations to come,” said EU Minister, Jessica Rosencratz.