(Brussels, 22.02.23) Manuela Ripa, MEP of the Ecological Democratic Party (ÖDP), comments as follows on the action plan presented today by the European Commission to end bottom trawling:

"We need an end to the use of bottom trawls in fisheries! This fishing method destroys marine biodiversity by damaging the seabed and marine habitats such as coral reefs and seagrass beds. It also kills dolphins, seahorses and other sea creatures as well as fish.

It is therefore good that the European Commission has finally presented an action plan to end bottom trawling. This provides for an end to the use of bottom trawls in marine protected areas from 2030.

The action plan is a good first step, but the EU needs to be more ambitious to achieve the targets. We urgently need EU-wide binding legislation to protect marine biodiversity and protect the oceans as a carbon sink.

Because what many people may not know is that our oceans play a key role in the fight against climate change, as CO2 is stored in the seabed."