Mountains, canyons, plains — these geological features are not only present on land, but also under the sea, where scientists have now charted them in incredible detail in the ocean surrounding Antarctica. The five-year project mapped 18.5 million square miles, and even revealed a new deepest point in the Southern Ocean, a depression lying 7,432 meters (24,383 feet) below sea level called the Factorian Deep. This study and others like it around the world are filling major scientific gaps in our understanding of what the ocean floor looks like, a key part of knowing how to foster ocean health. More mapping also enables us to make an even stronger science-backed case for marine protected areas. If you want to turn this positive progress into action, you can join us today as we call on world leaders to protect Antarctica and secure the largest act of ocean protection in history. We’re close to reaching our goal of 250,000 petition signatures!
Social Toolkit
Share the appeal to ban bottom trawling in EU protected waters
Join us, and urge European leaders to take decisive action against bottom trawling in marine protected areas.
Caption
The EU allows bottom trawling, the world's most destructive fishing practice, to occur in its protected seas.
But where is most of this underwater destruction taking place? A recent study of seven countries shows that Dutch MPAs are the most targeted, where bottom trawlers have indiscriminately scraped up the seafloor for a combined total of more than two million hours in less than ten years.
Explore the graphic — and once you’re sufficiently shocked and fired up, add your name to the link in bio to make a change and demand that the EU ban bottom trawling in protected areas.
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Bottom trawling involves dragging heavy nets — some hundreds of metres long and up to five tonnes — across fragile ocean seabeds, where they scrape away centuries-old reefs and destroy endangered marine life — and EU leaders are allowing this to happen.
Every day, dolphins, sharks, turtles, and other animals are swept up and killed at random. If we want to truly protect Europe’s seas, then bottom trawling in protected areas must stop now.
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Imagine a giant net sweeps through your neighborhood, completely demolishing everything in its path — your home, gardens, mailboxes, neighbors, roads, cars... everything is gone.
This is what’s happening to fish, corals, and marine mammals in the EU’s “protected” waters. Bottom trawlers tear up the seafloor and indiscriminately kill millions of creatures, regardless of species.
Enough is enough. It’s time to demand that the EU ban bottom trawling in their not-actually-protected areas. Add your name in support at the link in our bio.
Tweet
Bottom trawlers are still allowed to destructively overfish in protected European seas, putting endangered marine species at grave risk. Join us and tell @VSinkevicius @vonderleyen to end this practice in the EU’s “protected” areas. #BanBottomTrawling https://only.one/bottom-trawling
Tweet
Bottom trawlers devastate "protected" EU waters. Nets as big as football pitches scrape away reefs and destroy marine life. Urge @VSinkevicius and @vonderleyen to take action now and truly protect the seas. #BanBottomTrawling https://only.one/bottom-trawling