Continued Bottom Trawling in Sweden’s Marine Protected Areas

The Swedish Parliament has decided to ban bottom trawling in marine protected areas. The ban is due to come into force on 1 July this year. At the same time, they have made room for exceptions, and the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management (HaV) is now proposing that this should apply to Kosterhavet National Park.

^{Text: Tobias Dahlin}

The agency believes that bottom trawling in the Kosterhavet National Park can continue, as the conservation objectives are being met in any case, and refers to the assessment carried out by the Västra Götaland County Administrative Board. HaV states that a ban on trawling would certainly have a positive environmental impact in the national park, but that such a ban would lead to significant socio-economic losses for the fishing industry in northern Bohuslän.

A ban on bottom trawling is being introduced in Gullmarsfjorden, but HaV wants the ban to be postponed by one year, until 1 July 2027, to allow those who fish there time to adapt.

A final decision on bottom trawling in the marine protected areas is expected later this spring.

Earlier this year, Deep Sea Reporter published investigations into bottom trawling in Gullmarsfjorden and in Kosterhavet National Park.

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