The world's oceans are under siege from overfishing, bycatch, and bottom trawling

Oceans are facing mounting pressure from industrial fishing practices, with overfishing, bycatch, and bottom trawling singled out as major drivers of ecosystem decline. In a recent video, climate physicist Simon Clark, referencing a new Giving Green report, warned that fish stocks are being depleted faster than they can recover and that the damage threatens marine species, food chains, and coastal economies. Clark said bycatch can harm non-target animals such as dolphins and birds during fishing operations. He also described bottom trawling, which drags heavy equipment across the seafloor, as “catastrophic,” adding that it releases large amounts of carbon. The report argues that while “smart nets” and alternative fishmeal sources could help, Clark stressed policy measures, including banning bottom trawling, as critical.