Heartbreaking footage shows the destruction caused by 'Bottom Trawling' — and it's visible from space
Have you ever heard about bottom trawling — the popular fishing method where a large net, called a 'trawl,' is dragged along the seafloor to catch fish and other marine animals living on or near the bottom? Though often cited as 'dangerous' for the environment, this industrial fishing practice is happening all across the world. National Geographic, in one of their episodes of "Ocean with David Attenborough," shared chilling footage of bottom trawling, highlighting the upheaval it triggers underwater.
In the shocking video, the giant net with a metal beam at its end could be seen smashing its way across the seabed, destroying almost everything in its path. The camera footage also shows aquatic animals desperately trying to escape the humongous net sucking up everything on the ocean floor. While many would argue that bottom trawling is an effective fishing method, which not only provides efficient results but also saves a lot of time, Attenborough emphasized the unimaginable devastation it causes underwater while on the quest for just a single species. "It’s hard to imagine a more wasteful way to catch fish," he added. Further, Attenborough, a notable biologist, explained that bottom trawling happens annually, covering a vast area, almost equivalent to that of the Amazon rainforest. While many might have already been aware of how perilous this activity is, this might be the first time people were shown the ugly side through Attenborough's documentary.
"This journey of the sediment unleashes vast amounts of carbon dioxide, which, in turn, contributes to the warming of our planet," he said, linking bottom trawling with global warming. Moreover, Attenborough revealed that the annihilation is so evident that it can only be seen from space. Interestingly, the documentary shared glimpses of how this infamous fishing method has literally destroyed the ocean floors in many countries, including those of China, Belgium, the United States, etc. Keith Scholey, the documentary film director, was quoted by My Modern Met as saying, "It's one of the most important things I've ever done in my career." Visible from space, the marks left behind by these explorations show the permanent nature of their impact.
On the other hand, Dr. Enric Sala, National Geographic Pristine Seas founder and the film's executive producer, said that the visuals were more powerful than he had initially expected. "For the first time, people can see the destruction of bottom trawling unfold in front of their eyes — the heavy nets dragging across the ocean’s precious floor and killing everything in their wake. I hope the film makes people all over the world fall in love with the ocean and inspires them to protect it," he said. As per a report by Global Fishing Watch, citing a study by the scientific journal Nature, it is estimated that bottom trawling releases hundreds of millions of tons of carbon dioxide into the ocean every year. Talking more about the "non-selective" fishing method, Juan Mayorga, a marine scientist, said, "Over the past 65 years, bottom trawlers have unintentionally caught — and discarded overboard — at least 437 million tons of non-target fish and invertebrates."