Ocean and environmental NGOs have expressed their frustration over the lacklustre approach to strengthening protections in European waters against the destructive and extractive fishing practice of bottom trawling following the announcement of President Macron that France will ‘limit’ the practice in its own Marine Protected Areas.

Among a suite of announcements made in his opening remarks, the French president declared that steps will be taken to “limit’ bottom trawling in its domestic protected waters, specifically moving to protect just 4% of French waters from the activity.

While the move has been welcomed as a ‘step in the right direction’, the President has been accused of being lacklustre in his ambition while criticism has been levelled at the French government for only taking these measures primarily in areas where bottom trawling does not occur.

“These announcements bring more questions than answers,” said Oceana Campaign Director Nicolas Fournier. “President Macron built expectations that the French government would finally act against bottom trawling in marine protected areas – yet these announcements are more symbolic than impactful.

“Bottom trawling isn’t even occurring in most of the new areas proposed for protection, and the vast majority of protected areas in French European waters will remain only protected in name and do little to support the local communities and fishers that rely on them.”

While the country embraces its chance to show the world leadership in ocean protection playing host to the third ever United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice this week, the government is said to be “failing to take the opportunity to lead and ban bottom trawling in all its protected areas.” This includes within its iconic Marine Nature Parks (MNPs).

In late May, Oceana released an analysis of fishing activity in France’s six MNPs in European waters in 2024, finding that more than 100 bottom trawling vessels spent over 17,000 hours fishing in these special and unique places, which have received “protected” status. That is the equivalent of one vessel fishing non-stop, 24/7 for nearly two years straight.

Earlier this week, the UK government announced its plans to completely ban bottom trawling from 41 marine protected areas across English waters, moving to strengthen protection across some 30,000-square-kilometres of nearshore ocean. The announcement was made by Environment Secretary Steve Reed having worked to deliver a four-stage initiative with the likes of Oceana UK and the Blue Marine Foundation.

The plan is now being moved to consultation phase and it is hoped that a clear strategy to implement the transition – which will include a transition for fishers to adopt more sustainable fishing practices – will emerge by December. Here at the UN Oceans Conference, the UK has been held among those leading the charge in setting high ambitions for the protection of its waters from bottom trawl fishing.

Ocean advocate and senior advisor to Oceana, Alexandra Cousteau, has called France’s announcement to ‘limit’ the practice in its own waters a “missed opportunity to secure resilient and abundant oceans for fishers, coastal communities, and for future generations.”

“Allowing bottom trawling in marine protected areas makes a mockery of the very concept of protection. Marine protected areas alone won’t prevent ocean collapse, but they are one of our best safeguards against it. Failing to protect them puts us on a dangerous collision course toward a fading ocean and a future that no one wants to inherit.

As my grandfather once said, ’The sea, the great unifier, is man’s only hope. Now, as never before, the old phrase has a literal meaning:  We are all in the same boat.’”

Bottom trawling doesn’t just destroy marine habitats and produce inordinate bycatch – driving species to the very edge of extinction through overfishing – but plays a substantial role in disrupting the seabed’s role in carbon capture and storage, contributing in no small means to the issue of climate change.

Dr Daniel Pauly, French Marine Scientist, Oceana board member, and founder of the Sea Around Us Project, said: “These massive, weighted nets bulldoze the ocean floor, destroying everything in their path and remobilising carbon stored in the seabed.

“You cannot destroy areas and call them protected. We don’t need more bulldozed tracks ono the seafloor, We need protected areas that benefit people and nature.”

Click here for more from the Oceanographic Newsroom.