How bottom trawling is harmful to the marine ecosystem and the actions that can be taken to combat the harmful practice

Bottom trawling is a commercial fishing practice carried out all over the world for the purpose of catching large amounts of fish and crustaceans by using large fishing nets (or trawl). This method of fishing is extremely harmful to the aquatic ecosystem because it sweeps everything it comes across, damaging marine life, destroying their habitats, and harming other animals, such as turtles and rays, which oftentimes are wrongfully caught and thrown back into the sea injured or dead.

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According to the director-general of the non-governmental organization (NGO) Oceana in Brazil, Monica Peres, rampant fishing in the oceans can cause greater impact than pollution. This is because, when fishing is done in large quantities and through unsustainable practices, the balance of ecosystems is threatened. With trawling, large numbers of living beings that reside together tend to be captured, which, as a result, provoke species to have no time to replace their community. 

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However, efforts to end trawling and overfishing are being made. The environmental organization Greenpeace started an exhaustive process to stop bottom trawling. According to the organization, their initiative consists of placing boulders in common commercial fishing areas to orbsticulize fishermen who practice trawling, as they then risk damaging their fishing gear if it comes into contact with the boulders.

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Greenpeace assured that the boulders are being carefully placed on the ocean floor and are rocks already found in the region; therefore, they are allegedly not doing any harm to aquatic life. However, ending aggressive fishing requires more than placing stones into the sea, as this is just a momentary solution to the problem. Moreover, there is a clear reality that the commercial fishing industry is too predominant in today's society and economy for it to simply end.

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For these reasons, there is an urgent need to eradicate bottom trawling, as this process can have several short and long term consequences that are beyond economic growth--these effects including the harming of the aquatic ecosystem as well as life, and the commercial over-exploitation of sea life. Therefore, it is necessary for society to adopt more sustainable measures and technologies in order to protect the ocean and all that inhabits it, as well as other ecosystems around the world. 

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On a local scale, another way to try and put a stop to trawling is by signing petitions to draw the attention of governments and by sharing information regarding the issue on social media, as well as having conversation with friends and family. 

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By spreading the word and adopting sustainable measures, a step will have already been taken  to defend the environment in which we live in and all that composes it.