Since 2004, United Nations’ (UN) General Assembly resolutions have mandated global action to protect Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems, such as seamounts, from deep-sea bottom trawling. The landmark 61/105 resolution in 2006 called on States to “take action immediately…and consistent with the precautionary approach and ecosystem approaches, to sustainably manage fish stocks and protect VMEs including seamounts, hydrothermal vents and cold-water corals, from destructive fishing practices.”
The UN General Assembly has been monitoring the progress of States and Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs) through a series of reviews for over two decades but seamounts and their incredible biodiversity remain at risk.
The 2026 UN Bottom Fisheries Workshop and Review and the negotiation of the UN General Assembly Sustainable Fisheries Resolution is a timely moment to activate an end to bottom trawling on seamounts in areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ) by the end of 2026, with full and final phase out of bottom trawling on seamounts by the end of 2027. A clear and timebound deadline is imperative to ensure the protection of seamounts and their extraordinary biodiversity.
Download the full brief for policymakers, “The 2026 United Nations Bottom Fisheries Review: An opportunity for engagement and action”, here.
More information on the UN Bottom Fisheries Review and a complete Advocacy Pack for policymakers is available here.