A protected North Sea refuge for harbor porpoises is the site of an activist effort to stop bottom trawling via a boulder barrier placed on the seafloor.
Here's what to know
The Southern North Sea Marine Protected Area remains open to industrial fishing under government rules. Greenpeace UK (@greenpeaceuk) shared footage on Instagram of activists dropping boulders into the sea and said the action had shut down destructive bottom trawling at the site.
Despite the area's protected status, Greenpeace UK reported that bottom trawling activity there totaled 37,200 hours in 2025.
The organization's campaign calls for stronger government restrictions on those practices in marine protected areas.
"I just wish ocean protection was addressed with the same sense of urgency that data centres enjoy," one commenter wrote.
More background
Porpoises are among the marine animals caught by bottom trawling, according to Greenpeace UK, which also identified fish removal and damage to seabed habitats as consequences of the practice.
TCD Picks » Quince Spotlight
💡These best-sellers from Quince deliver affordable, sustainable luxury for all
One commenter reported seeing cleaner water and more fish on visits home to Gibraltar after the government created artificial reefs that followed repeated illegal net use.
What's being done?
The organization directed people to sign a petition asking the government to end destructive fishing in marine protected areas.
"If the government refuses to protect our oceans, we will," Greenpeace UK said.
The post drew 42,000 likes and nearly 900 comments, with responses supporting both the barrier and the petition.
"Fantastic!! It's been done before and it works!!" one user said. "By the way, I signed the petition."
Where can I learn more?
The dispute over trawling in the North Sea echoes fights elsewhere over fishing rights and ocean protection.
• The Philippine Supreme Court voided a vessel tracking rule, leaving small fishers fearing municipal-water incursions.
• New Zealand opened its first Māori co-managed marine reserves after a top-down sanctuary plan failed.
• Alaskans are losing the right to fish while corporations waste millions of pounds of catch
Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
