Sea Fishing News

Read all of the latest news about angling, commercial fishing, conservation and other issues relating to the marine environment from the UK and beyond.

September 2025 News

Bottom trawling to continue in England’s marine protected areas: The government has confirmed that bottom trawling – a practice described by MPs as “destructive” – will continue within England’s marine protected areas (MPAs), despite their designation as havens for vulnerable species such as dolphins, puffins and seahorses. Bottom trawling involves dragging vast, weighted nets across the seabed, scraping up everything in their path. While commercially fish are retained, much of the catch can end up being discarded. Conservationists argue the method devastates marine ecosystems, likening its effects to bulldozing a forest. The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, which oversees the MPA scheme, has stated that trawling is only restricted where it is proven to damage specific features of each MPA. A blanket ban, it argues, would be “disproportionate”, but has said that consultations are underway on extending restrictions in certain sites. Yet campaigners say such policies render Britain’s MPAs “paper parks” — protected in name but not in practice. Yet elsewhere in Europe, momentum against trawling is growing: Sweden and Greece have implemented bans in their territorial waters and the EU has pledged to outlaw the practice across its MPAs by 2030. Public concern over seabed trawling has intensified since Sir David Attenborough’s recent film, released to mark his ninety-ninth birthday, vividly illustrated the damage trawlers cause to the seabed. Read more by clicking here.

Tropical sea slug found in UK waters: A sea slug more commonly seen in Caribbean and Mediterranean waters has been recorded in the UK for the first time, raising concerns that rising sea temperatures are reshaping marine ecosystems. The species, Spurilla neapolitana – nicknamed the “hair curler slug” for the striking, flattened tendrils on its body – was discovered last week at Prisk Cove on Cornwall’s south coast. The tiny 10mm-long creature was spotted by wildlife volunteer Charlotte Cumming during a citizen science survey organised by Cornwall Wildlife Trust. Marine officer Matt Slater described the sighting as “a real indicator of change,” noting that the slug has never before been found this far north. Its previous northernmost record came only weeks ago, in Brest, northern France. “Warming seas and unusual summer currents may have carried the larvae to Cornwall, where it survived and matured,” Slater explained. Ms Cumming, who has volunteered with the Trust for years, described the encounter as “a real thrill.” Slater said the discovery demonstrates how attentive volunteers can provide crucial insights into the changing fortunes of Britain’s seas. Click here to read more.

Female crabs’ behaviour altered by power cables: New research suggests that underwater power cables may change the behaviour of female crabs, raising questions about the ecological impact of offshore renewable energy. A University of Portsmouth study found that female crabs were almost twice as likely to linger near electromagnetic fields similar to those emitted by underwater cables, compared with areas without them. Male crabs, by contrast, showed no such preference. The researchers warn that this attraction could disrupt natural migrations and egg-laying, with knock-on effects for crab populations. PhD student Elizabeth James, who led the study, said the findings highlight the need to consider “sex-specific responses” to submarine cables. “Even at relatively low electromagnetic strengths, the behavioural differences are striking,” she noted. The results come as offshore wind development accelerates to meet climate goals. Professor Alex Ford, a co-author, added: “We must ensure that in solving one environmental challenge, we are not inadvertently creating another.” Read more on this story by clicking here.

Dumped WW2 bombs provide habitats for marine animals: Researchers have found that dumped Second World War munitions provide havens for marine creatures. The findings were by German researchers from Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, who carried out studies in the Baltic Sea. They found that over one hundred warheads from Second World War V1 flying bombs were disposed of by being dropped into Lubeck Bay in the southwest Baltic Sea. Despite the chemicals and explosives such as TNT leaking from the warheads and reaching levels previously considered lethally toxic to marine life, the researchers found crabs, fish, starfish and sea anemones on the warheads. Indeed, 43,000 organisms were found on each square metre next to the munitions, compared to an average of 8,300 per square metre away from the site. The research was published in the scientific journal Communication Earth and Environmental Science Advances. Read more here.

UK could see fish and chip shortages: Cod, the cornerstone of Britain’s fish-and-chip tradition, faces an uncertain future as scientists warn that stocks in UK waters have reached perilously low levels. The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), the independent body advising governments on sustainable fisheries, has issued its starkest guidance yet and advised that commercial cod catches should be zero in almost all British waters in 2026 if the species is to recover. The warning covers the English Channel, the North Sea up to Norway, and the west of Scotland, where ICES says cod populations are so depleted that even limited fishing could hasten collapse. The only exception is Rockall, in the North Atlantic, where ICES judged that just eleven tonnes – enough for around 55,000 portions of fish and chips – could be caught sustainably. The assessment follows years of warning over British cod stocks, with environmental groups accusing politicians of ignoring repeated warnings in favour of short-term profit. Hugo Tagholm of Oceana UK, part of the world’s largest marine conservation organisation, said the government had “sold out our seas and communities”, while Jonny Hughes of the Blue Marine Foundation said, “It’s what happens when fisheries managers and politicians play Russian roulette with a fully loaded gun.” Further warnings have been made about mackerel stocks, with scientific advice, which is set to be released later this year, expected to call for significant cuts to catch levels. Read more by clicking here.

Seabed trawling ban could be ‘blueprint for success’: Campaigners in West Sussex say the success of a local ban on bottom trawling should serve as a model for wider restrictions. Seabed trawling, the industrial practice of dragging weighted nets across the seabed, was banned in 2021 across 117 square miles of Sussex waters. Fishermen and divers report striking improvements since then. “It has become so aggressive – we can destroy millions of years of ground in hours,” said former trawlerman Clive Mills. “If a trawlerman is true to themselves, they know what they are doing.” Divers agree the change has been profound. “This year it is like someone has clicked a switch,” said Eric Smith of Sussex Underwater, a community group of local divers. “Since the ban, the difference is dramatic.” The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is now consulting on proposals to ban bottom trawling in forty-three areas across the UK, including four marine protected areas (MPAs) in Sussex and Kent. Read more here.

Tuna feeding frenzy filmed off Alderney coast: A rare sighting of Atlantic bluefin tuna in a feeding frenzy has been filmed off the coast of Alderney, the northernmost of the Channel Islands. Drone footage taken early in September, which shows the water whipped into a circle of white waves as the tuna corralled garfish into tight “bait balls” which the tuna then attacked. Hundreds of seabirds such as gannets and herring gulls were also attracted to the scene. Alex Purdie of the Alderney Wildlife Trust likened the event to “our own oceanic equivalent of a pride of lions hunting wildebeest”, describing it as both “unforgettable” and ecologically vital. Tuna were common in British waters in the early decades of the twentieth century, before disappearing due tothe  overfishing of herrings, their primary food source. However, they have made a dramatic return to UK waters in recent years, and feeding frenzies such as this may be observed in other locations around the UK coast. Click here to read more.

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