Bottom trawling damages oceans by dragging weighted nets along the seafloor, causing:
- Habitat Destruction: Crushes coral reefs, sponge beds, and seagrass meadows.
- Bycatch: Kills non-target species like dolphins, turtles, and seabirds.
- Overfishing: Depletes fish stocks and disrupts food chains.
- Seabed Disturbance: Alters sediment structure and benthic communities.
- Ghost Fishing: Lost gear continues to trap and kill marine life.
Sustainable fishing methods and marine protection are needed to reduce these impacts.