Considering a ban on deep sea trawling

An excellent essay in Nature by Les Watling points out the damage caused by deep sea trawling and challenges key industry claims that trawling can be managed.  The take-home message:  avoid buying seafood harvested by trawling.

"Trawling the bottom of the ocean, dragging heavy metal equipment along the seabed at high speed, is the most destructive form of deep-sea fishing in the world. The fishing industry loves it because it is very effective. But it is indiscriminate and leaves behind a trail of devastation.

This month, the European Union (EU) is scheduled to vote on a proposed ban on deep-sea bottom trawling. If passed, the ban would be the first of its kind, although it would build on existing prohibitions on trawling in shallower water. It could give the seas some breathing space and fish stocks a chance to recover."

Read more at Nature.