The value of bottom trawling in Europe

Commercial bottom trawl and dredge fisheries are active across much of Europe, and their geographic footprint is extensive. More than half of seabed area is trawled every year in some parts of Europe. But these fisheries remain contentious; significant ecological and economic damages have been well documented. Yet, they remain a source of food and provide jobs and economic revenue. Considering recent pushes to ban or limit bottom trawling in European countries, we explore how the costs associated with this practice compare to the benefits it provides. We find that society is losing out to the private sector, largely because of the significant climate impacts associated with the churning of the seafloor sediment by bottom trawling. Further, we show that bottom trawling occurs in a significant portion of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) across Europe. We argue that phasing out bottom trawling in MPAs could yield meaningful net benefits.