Oceana and ClientEarth have filed legal action against the Spanish government after it was found that bottom trawling is taking place in many Marine Protected Areas in Spain – violating EU and national conservation law.
Bottom trawling is notorious for its destructive environmental impact on marine habitats. The heavy nets drag on the seabed to catch marine species that live there, and in doing so have a high bycatch of marine life including sharks, cold water corals, sponges and other organisms. This type of fishing also impacts the ocean’s ability to store carbon.
EU law forbids damaging human activities in certain MPAs. But the NGOs say the Spanish government is flouting those laws by systematically allowing bottom trawling in MPAs in its Atlantic and Mediterranean waters. These areas have been designated for protection because they contain vulnerable seabed ecosystems and are also home to iconic and protected species such as loggerhead turtles, bottlenose dolphins, and other marine mammals.
These areas are home to vital ecosystems that can contribute to fighting climate change and help restore lost biodiversity and fish stocks. Seagrass, for example, is one of the most effective carbon sinks on the planet, while coral reefs and sandbanks provide shelter to many species that are the basis of marine food chains.
According to Francesco Maletto, a marine conservation lawyer at ClientEarth:
“These areas are meant to be protected as they’re essential for biodiversity and climate protection. EU rules are in place to ensure their protection. But Spain is violating the law by allowing destructive bottom trawling in these areas. By doing so, they’re putting the most vulnerable habitats and wildlife under real threat. We’re taking the issue to court to ensure that ‘protected’ truly means ‘protected.’”
Michael Sealey, a senior policy advisor at Oceana in Europe, said:
“We are taking the Spanish government to court for decades of inaction on marine protected areas. The European Commission set the objective of banning bottom trawling in MPAs by 2030, but progress is too slow. We have no other choice but to use judicial powers to enforce EU law and protect what needs to be protected. We call on the new von der Leyen Commission to ban destructive fishing in all EU MPAs now, and to position the EU as a global champion on ocean protection.”
Earlier this year, both NGOs filed administrative requests to demand that Spain repeal two resolutions authorizing trawling in the Spanish MPAs in question. They have received no response, so they have now escalated the claim by filing a lawsuit with the Audiencia Nacional in Madrid.
