Momentum to transform bottom trawling continues to grow. Across the globe, coalition members and partners are driving meaningful change – from securing stronger commitments for small-scale fisheries and ocean protection, to building new alliances, influencing policy, and amplifying community voices.
In this edition, we celebrate progress at major international events, showcase new tools that strengthen our collective movement, and highlight inspiring work from our grants programme and coalition members. We also share the latest research from members demonstrating the urgent need to end destructive bottom trawling and protect marine ecosystems. Together, these stories show the power of collective action and the growing global movement working towards healthier oceans and thriving coastal communities.
Coalition updates
Coalition website updates showcase members and campaigns
Blue Ventures has continued to develop the Transform Bottom Trawling Coalition website, introducing new features that improve member visibility and highlight the coalition’s growing global movement. New features include:
- Members map – an interactive map showcasing coalition members around the world, helping demonstrate the breadth and diversity of the movement.
- Resources hub – a dedicated section bringing together reports, campaign materials and other resources to support advocacy and public engagement.
- Campaigns section – a new overview of coalition campaigns, highlighting member-led initiatives across Europe, Africa, Asia and the Pacific that are advancing sustainable fisheries, supporting small-scale fishers and driving policy change.
Our Ocean Conference Kenya
There was big news out of Our Ocean Conference in Mombasa in June as two African nations raised the bar on national protections. Senegal pledged to extend its Inshore Exclusion Zone from 6 to 12 nautical miles, covering the entirety of its territorial seas and prohibiting industrial fishing across all of it. The Union of Comoros committed to establishing Artisanal Stewardship Areas across all Comorian territorial waters, with community-managed areas to be legally recognised.
Senegal’s fishing sector employs over 600,000 people. Speaking at an event hosted by Blue Ventures, the Bloomberg Philanthropies Ocean Initiative, and Ghana’s Ministry of Fisheries, Senegal’s Minister of Fisheries and Maritime Economy also committed to strengthening community co-management of the exclusion zone.
This reflects sustained advocacy from small-scale fisher networks and the Transform Bottom Trawling Coalition. These pledges are important steps forward in protecting the ocean and redressing the historical power imbalances in ocean governance.
European Maritime Day
At the 2026 European Maritime Day in Cyprus, the Make Fishing Fair delegation – composed of small-scale fishers from France, Denmark, Italy, and Portugal – successfully pushed the priorities of artisanal fishers into high-level EU maritime policy conversations. The delegation championed the Make Fishing Fair Roadmap, supported Cypriot fishers in calling for a National Plan of Action, and helped shape the upcoming EU Vision for Fisheries 2040.
A Historic Milestone for the Small-Scale Fishers Movement in Southeast Asia
In June 2026, Blue Ventures and SEAFish for Justice brought together small-scale fisher leaders from across Southeast Asia for a regional planning workshop in the Philippines. A landmark outcome was the launch of the Southeast Asia Small-Scale Fishers Network (SEAFNET), transforming the former SEA SSF Hub into the region’s first structured, fisher-led coalition. The workshop strengthened regional solidarity among small-scale fisher organisations from Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Cambodia, which face many shared challenges including the impacts of bottom trawling on coastal ecosystems and fisher livelihoods. By creating a platform for collective advocacy, learning and action, SEAFNET marks a significant step forward in building a stronger, united voice for small-scale fishers across Southeast Asia. The event also brought new member organisations into the Transform Bottom Trawling Coalition network from Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Cambodia.
Grants programme updates
Strengthening Community Voices in Prawn Fisheries Management Plan in Kenya
Community Action for Nature Conservation (CANCO) hosted a two-day workshop in Malindi that brought together representatives from 8 Beach Management Units from the Ungwana-Magharini Co-management Areas to strengthen their understanding of bottom trawling and review the Draft Prawn Management Plan 2026. The workshop culminated in a joint memorandum proposing key amendments to promote sustainable fisheries management, including stronger protection of nearshore fishing grounds for artisanal fishers, enhanced environmental safeguards, stricter enforcement measures, increased stakeholder participation, and improved benefit sharing. The submission reflects the collective voice of coastal fishing communities advocating for a more inclusive, transparent, and sustainable approach to managing Kenya’s prawn fisheries where issues of bottom trawling and IUU are captured.
Mariners for Action Launches Bottom Trawling Advocacy Initiative
Mariners for Action officially launched a new advocacy initiative on bottom trawling during a stakeholder workshop held at Malindi Marine Park in Kenya. The workshop brought together representatives from seven Beach Management Units, community-based organisations, government agencies, and conservation partners to strengthen collaboration on sustainable fisheries governance. Participants shared concerns over the impacts of bottom trawling, including bycatch, habitat degradation, and growing pressure on the livelihoods of small-scale fishers. The discussions also emphasized the need for stronger enforcement of existing regulations and reforms to the Prawn Fishery Management Plan to ensure fisheries management better protects marine ecosystems and coastal communities.
Upcoming events
The coming months offer important opportunities to advance discussions on sustainable fisheries and ocean protection.
- September: The 3rd Small-Scale Fisheries Summit and the 37th Session of the FAO Committee on Fisheries (COFI) will take place in Italy, bringing together governments, civil society, researchers and fishing communities to discuss the future of fisheries management, food security and the sustainable use of marine resources.
- October:
- The 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP17) will be held from 19–30 October in Armenia. Convening 196 Parties every two years to set international biodiversity targets and review progress, this session marks the first global review against the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework – a key moment given the Framework’s marine and coastal targets.
- Fiji will host the official Pre-COP 31 climate meetings from October 5 to 8, 2026, setting the political agenda ahead of the UN COP 31 conference in Türkiye.
- November: The 31st UN Climate Change Conference (COP31) will be held in Antalya, Türkiye, from 9–20 November 2026.
Other news from around the world
New report highlights ongoing bottom trawling in UK marine protected areas
New research from Oceana UK has found that only 2 of the UK’s 113 marine protected areas designated to protect dolphins, porpoises, whales and seabirds fully prohibit destructive bottom trawling. The report highlights a significant gap between conservation goals and on-the-water protection, with the UK Government’s own assessments identifying bottom trawling as a threat in 75% of these sites.
Bringing together evidence of the impacts of bottom trawling on marine wildlife and habitats, Oceana UK argues that all marine protected areas should be free from this destructive fishing practice if they are to effectively safeguard vulnerable species. The organisation is calling for stronger protections and public support to help ensure the UK’s MPAs deliver meaningful conservation outcomes. Read the report and take action here.
Wildlife in muddy seabeds ‘doubles’ when trawling is halted, Scottish study shows
A new study from Scotland’s South Arran Marine Protected Area has found that halting bottom trawling can lead to a remarkable recovery in marine life. Researchers discovered that protected muddy seabeds supported twice as many species and three times as many individual animals compared with areas where trawling continued.
The findings highlight the resilience of marine ecosystems and provide strong evidence that reducing destructive fishing practices can rapidly restore biodiversity. The study adds to the growing body of research showing that well-managed marine protected areas can play a vital role in protecting ocean health while supporting more sustainable fisheries in the long term.
Read more here.
New legal coalition aims to strengthen protection for Europe’s seas
A new alliance of 11 environmental organisations has launched the MPA Legal Coalition, bringing together legal and conservation expertise to ensure EU laws protecting marine ecosystems are properly enforced. The coalition will support strategic legal action and press the European Commission to take action against Member States that continue to allow destructive fishing practices, including bottom trawling, within Marine Protected Areas.
The initiative comes a year after legal complaints were filed against six EU countries for failing to protect Natura 2000 marine sites. With the European Commission currently reviewing key nature legislation, the coalition hopes coordinated legal action will help turn protected areas from “paper parks” into genuinely protected seas, ensuring governments meet their obligations under EU environmental law.
Read more here.
