The Climate Question - Is bottom trawling for fish bad for the climate?

Download Is bottom trawling for fish bad for the climate?

More than two thirds of our planet is covered by the oceans, but there’s still much to be uncovered about the role that these watery worlds play in climate change.

But recent scientific research claims that bottom trawling, a method of fishing that involves dragging heavy nets across the seafloor, emits about the same amount of carbon annually as aviation. Seabed sediments, which act as huge carbon sinks, are churned up, resulting in carbon dioxide emissions. So should trawling – commonplace around the globe because of its effectiveness – be reduced? And has the climate change impact of bottom trawling been exaggerated?

Presenters Neal Razzell and Graihagh Jackson are joined by:

Dr Enric Sala, explorer in residence, National Geographic
Barrie Deas, chief executive of the National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations
Minna Epps, director, Global Marine and Polar Programme
Domitilla Senni, senior campaigner, MedReAct

Producer: Darin Graham
Series producer: Rosamund Jones
Editor: Emma Rippon

Published on Sunday, 23rd May 2021.

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