Latest news with #trawling
Yahoo
02-08-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Jersey trawling area limited from September 2026
More than one fifth of the island's territorial waters will be designated as marine protected areas and off limits to trawling and dredging from September 2026, the government has confirmed. Jersey politicians voted unanimously for the Marine Spatial Plan in October, which included a pledge to increase the area of protected waters from 6.5% to 23%. Marine protected areas prohibit mobile gear fishing, which includes trawling and dredging, to stop damage to habitats and species. Jersey's government said it will work with licensed fishermen in Jersey and France to support adjustment to the new rules. A timeline for implementing the plan released by the infrastructure and environment committee also shows part of Les Sauvages reef will be off limits to all fishing. Only commercially licensed vessels will be prohibited from fishing in the protected areas. Potting, netting, rod and line fishing and all recreational activities are unaffected by the changes. More news stories for Jersey Listen to the latest news for Jersey An additional 4% of territorial waters are being researched and could be added to the protected marine areas by 2030, the committee said. "This will be a seismic shift for marine management in Jersey waters, significantly changing the face of fishing," it said. "The Economic Impact Assessment will assist in understanding the livelihood impact of these changes and government will work with licensed fishermen in Jersey and France to support adjustment to the new rules." Follow BBC Jersey on X and Facebook. Send your story ideas to More on this story Jersey marine protection plan gets States backing Panel fears marine plan could destroy habitats Minister promises fishermen he will listen to fears Related internet links Government of Jersey
BBC News
02-08-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Jersey trawling and dredging area limited from September 2026
More than one fifth of the island's territorial waters will be designated as marine protected areas and off limits to trawling and dredging from September 2026, the government has politicians voted unanimously for the Marine Spatial Plan in October, which included a pledge to increase the area of protected waters from 6.5% to 23%.Marine protected areas prohibit mobile gear fishing, which includes trawling and dredging, to stop damage to habitats and government said it will work with licensed fishermen in Jersey and France to support adjustment to the new rules. A timeline for implementing the plan released by the infrastructure and environment committee also shows part of Les Sauvages reef will be off limits to all fishing. Only commercially licensed vessels will be prohibited from fishing in the protected netting, rod and line fishing and all recreational activities are unaffected by the changes. An additional 4% of territorial waters are being researched and could be added to the protected marine areas by 2030, the committee said. "This will be a seismic shift for marine management in Jersey waters, significantly changing the face of fishing," it said."The Economic Impact Assessment will assist in understanding the livelihood impact of these changes and government will work with licensed fishermen in Jersey and France to support adjustment to the new rules."
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
An end to deep sea dredging
Sir David Attenborough has condemned the damage inflicted on the ocean floor by trawling, calling it 'unspeakably awful'. He was speaking to the Prince of Wales ahead of this week's UN conference on the oceans in Nice which is seeking international support for a new High Seas Treaty. Prince William backed this up in a speech in Monaco, calling the devastation 'heartbreaking'. The destruction of the deep ocean by dredging has been known for decades but it never becomes a major political issue because the impact is unseen. In a new documentary, Ocean, Sir David highlights the potential damage to marine life from some fishing practices, like bottom trawling. Were the same desecration to be inflicted on, say, the Maasai Mara or some other visible and valued eco-system the world reaction would stop it. As Sir David said: 'If you did anything remotely like it on land, everybody would be up in arms.' The UN treaty was signed two years ago and needs to be ratified by 60 countries to take legal effect. It would offer marine protected area (MPA) status to 30 per cent of the world's oceans to let them recover. So far just 32 have done so, including France and Spain – but not the UK, which still allows bottom dredging in MPAs around our shores. In a bid to 'reset' relationships with the EU, French and Spanish trawlers will be allowed access to UK waters for a longer post-Brexit period, a decision that has been denounced in fishing communities as a 'betrayal'. But why should French and Spanish boats be allowed to carry out trawling practices in British waters that their own governments do not want to see in their own? The UK Government has dragged its feet over ratifying this treaty. It needs to get on with it. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
An end to deep sea dredging
Sir David Attenborough has condemned the damage inflicted on the ocean floor by trawling, calling it 'unspeakably awful'. He was speaking to the Prince of Wales ahead of this week's UN conference on the oceans in Nice which is seeking international support for a new High Seas Treaty. Prince William backed this up in a speech in Monaco, calling the devastation 'heartbreaking'. The destruction of the deep ocean by dredging has been known for decades but it never becomes a major political issue because the impact is unseen. In a new documentary, Ocean, Sir David highlights the potential damage to marine life from some fishing practices, like bottom trawling. Were the same desecration to be inflicted on, say, the Maasai Mara or some other visible and valued eco-system the world reaction would stop it. As Sir David said: 'If you did anything remotely like it on land, everybody would be up in arms.' The UN treaty was signed two years ago and needs to be ratified by 60 countries to take legal effect. It would offer marine protected area (MPA) status to 30 per cent of the world's oceans to let them recover. So far just 32 have done so, including France and Spain – but not the UK, which still allows bottom dredging in MPAs around our shores. In a bid to 'reset' relationships with the EU, French and Spanish trawlers will be allowed access to UK waters for a longer post-Brexit period, a decision that has been denounced in fishing communities as a 'betrayal'. But why should French and Spanish boats be allowed to carry out trawling practices in British waters that their own governments do not want to see in their own? The UK Government has dragged its feet over ratifying this treaty. It needs to get on with it.
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
French NGOs slam 'lack of ambition' after Macron's bottom trawling announcement
French President Emmanuel Macron's announcement to restrict bottom trawling in French marine protected areas (MPAs) has prompted sceptical reactions among environmental NGOs, even though others welcomed it as "a good first step." In a statement released Sunday, environmental protection group Bloom said that Macron had "confirmed that the imposture of France's maritime protection policy would continue, namely that there would never be a binding framework to truly protect so-called protected marine areas." In an interview with the regional press on the eve of the Nice Oceans Summit (Unoc-3), Macron announced a restriction on bottom trawling in certain areas of French marine protected areas (MPAs). He admitted that this fishing technique, which scrapes the seabed, "disrupts biodiversity and ecosystems that we must learn to protect." Bottom trawling will be just one of many items on the agenda at a week-long conference - hosted by France and Costa Rica - to confront what the United Nations calls a global "emergency" in the oceans. Ocean's survival hinges on finding the billions needed to save it However, "we get the impression he's announcing that he's not going to announce anything," he added, deploring the "lack of ambition" in the president's statements. Read more on RFI EnglishRead also:France defends tuna policy as critics warn of overfishing in the Indian OceanEU and six member states ratify UN treaty on high seas ahead of Nice summitEU and UK clash in first post-Brexit legal battle over North Sea fishing ban
