The bottom trawling industry is largely unprofitable and kept afloat by subsidies, with fleets making less profit than the total value landed — operating at a loss. Bottom trawlers are responsible for the majority of recorded fishing discards in the EU, which undermines the profitability and sustainability of the fishing industry at large. Small-scale fisheries are more economically productive, have lower overheads and produce higher quality, larger catches. By shifting the balance in favor of small-scale fisheries, a ban on bottom trawling in marine protected areas (MPAs) would bring sustainable long-term economic benefits across the EU. Studies show that the more protected an MPA is, the greater are the economic spill-over benefits beyond of the boundaries of the protected area itself. Studies show that banning bottom trawling generates billions in long-term economic benefits: Research has shown that 13 years without bottom trawling would produce a return of €3.41 for every €1 spent — net benefits would outweigh adjustment costs less than five years after a ban is put into effect — with a cumulative profit of more than €8 billion over a 20-year period. Short-term costs must not outweigh long-term gains.
Economy
