Demersal or bottom trawling is a fishing method where weighted nets are dragged along or near the seafloor. Although bottom trawling is a very effective way of sourcing protein from the sea, it is linked to all three of the major threats of fishing on marine biodiversity: overfishing, bycatch, and habitat damage. Linked to this, environmental NGO, WILDTRUST, in collaboration with Anchor Environmental Consulting, has released the “South African Inshore Demersal Trawl Fishery Assessment Report” which highlights the intricate web of conflicts and challenges linked to this fishery, and makes several recommendations on how to mitigate these and promote sustainability.

Recommendations to reduce ecological and socio-economic impacts of South African Inshore Trawl Fishery due to overlap with other fisheries, bycatch and habitat destruction. Download here

An assessment of the inshore trawl fishery in South Africa Download here