In recent years, the European Union has made significant strides in protecting vulnerable marine ecosystems of the deep sea.
The EU’s Deep-Sea Access Regulation, which came into effect in 2017, banned bottom trawling below 800 meters in EU waters of the Northeast Atlantic. This ban aimed to safeguard fragile habitats like seamounts, which are home to unique biodiversity, including cold-water corals and sponges. These ecosystems, known as Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs), have long been at risk from destructive fishing practices.
The EU took further action in November 2022 by closing 87 areas in European waters (ranging from 400 to 800 meters in depth) to bottom contact fishing. This was a key provision of the 2016 regulation, intended to reduce the harmful impacts of bottom contact fishing on VMEs. While these closures have had a measurable impact in reducing fishing activity, a new study published in Science Advances has revealed that bottom-contact fishing persists in certain areas despite these protective measures.
The study analyzed fishing activity in the period before and after the EU’s November 2022 closures. Using data from Global Fishing Watch, the research compared fishing activity from November 2021 to October 2022 with data from November 2022 to October 2023. The results showed an encouraging 81% reduction in bottom-contact fishing activity, with a drop from 19,000 fishing hours in the year before the closures to 3,500 hours in the year after.
Dr. Lissette Victorero, lead author of the study, noted that while the closures had indeed led to a significant reduction in fishing activity, the continued presence of bottom-contact fishing within these protected areas points to gaps in compliance and enforcement. She emphasized that while these closures represent an important first step in safeguarding deep-sea ecosystems, long-term success requires more comprehensive mapping of VMEs and stricter enforcement of regulations.
The study revealed that despite the closure of sensitive areas, certain fishing fleets continued to operate within these regions. Of the 3,500 hours of bottom-contact fishing that occurred post-closure, Spanish vessels were responsible for the majority—1,769 hours. Portuguese vessels were also found to have engaged in significant fishing activity, with three Portuguese trawlers targeting a VME closure on the West Iberian Shelf, contributing to over 500 hours of fishing effort in the protected area.
Short fishing incursions, such as those conducted by the Spanish fleet, may not be detected by traditional vessel monitoring systems (VMS). This suggests the need for enhanced surveillance efforts, including the integration of Automatic Identification System (AIS) data alongside VMS, to improve transparency and ensure more effective monitoring of fishing activity. Such measures are crucial to ensure that the protections intended to preserve VMEs are fully realized.
The research underscored the ongoing threats in areas where VMEs have been identified, but remain unprotected due to political delays in implementing additional closures. Over the two-year period covered by the study, nearly 19,200 hours of trawling activity were recorded at depths below 800 meters, despite the explicit protections established by the Deep-Sea Access Regulation.
The EU’s efforts to protect VMEs are part of a broader international commitment to safeguard deep-sea biodiversity. Over two decades ago, parties to the UN General Assembly (UNGA) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), including EU member states, pledged to protect these ecosystems. The closure of sensitive areas is a significant step in fulfilling these commitments, but much more work remains to ensure that deep-sea ecosystems are fully protected from destructive fishing practices.
The DSCC is calling on the EU to continue the implementation of the Deep-Sea Access Regulation and to prioritize the adoption of new closures in 2025 that will protect all seamounts and other VMEs in EU waters. These closures are essential for the health of the ocean’s most vulnerable ecosystems, and continued progress will depend on effective monitoring, enforcement, and the closing of remaining gaps in protection.
As the study highlights, the EU’s efforts to protect deep-sea ecosystems are commendable, but the persistence of bottom contact fishing in certain areas calls for further action. Only by closing existing loopholes and ensuring that all vulnerable areas are fully protected can we ensure the conservation of these extraordinary and vital ecosystems for generations to come.
By taking these steps, the EU has the opportunity to lead by example, not just in Europe, but on the global stage, as we continue to safeguard the future of our planet’s deep-sea biodiversity.
Download the Press Release here.
Fan coral found in NE Atlantic. Schmidt Ocean Institute