Protect the ocean from destructive fishing

Bottom trawling season is in full swing again, with New Zealand trawlers heading out right now for another season of destruction.

Bottom trawling is damaging for several reasons:

It uses giant nets that catch everything in their path – so lots of other creatures which aren’t the target of the fishing die or are injured in the process – from dolphins to sharks and seabirds.
The nets have steel skids that drag across the seafloor, bulldozing the habitat. Bottom trawlers often target seamounts – that are home to coral forests and full of life. When they trawl these seamounts they cause irreparable damage to the area.
Bottom trawling has been shown to release carbon stored in the seabed, making it a double whammy for both biodiversity and the climate.

50,000 New Zealanders support banning bottom trawling on seamounts. They want to see the ocean protected for the future.

All of us depend on a healthy ocean, and it’s time the Government prioritised this over commercial fishing profits.

Take action here.

Imagine a future where the ocean thrives. Where endangered species have been brought back from the brink, and families can catch a feed.