EU Court Upholds Protections Against Bottom Trawling in Marine Protected Areas May 22, 2025 In a significant victory for marine conservation, the General Court of the European Union has upheld the European Commission's decision to implement stricter protections against bottom trawling in Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). This ruling confirms that member states have the authority to enforce measures banning destructive fishing practices in vulnerable marine ecosystems. Bottom trawling is the most destructive fishing method on earth. It's a method that uses a net smashing its way across the seabed and destroying everything in its path. The fishermen are often on the hunt for just a single species and therefore, 75% of the catch is usually wasted and thrown back into sea. It's hard to think of a more wasteful way to catch fish... Background The case originated when Germany and the Netherlands requested the European Commission to amend a 2017 regulation to introduce stronger pro...