Bottom trawling is a very common and highly destructive type of fishing gear, imposing significant ecological, social and economic costs. Decisions on trawl fisheries management pose notable policy challenges. During this symposium, we report on our biological, socio-economic and policy research into bottom trawling. We present an analysis of the bias in trawl studies by spaces and species. Our biological studies probe (i) how many fish species are caught and (ii) how trawling affects threatened species. Our socio-economic studies investigate (iii) what brings people into bottom trawling, why they stay, and what makes them leave and (iv) probes the costs and benefits to different actors in bottom trawl fisheries and associated industries. Our management and policy studies examine (v) what happens in areas where bottom trawling is excluded and (vi) how bottom trawling undermines global agreements.  We invite colleagues to consider how our research influences the agenda for bottom trawling.

Organizer:

Amanda Vincent, Project Seahorse, Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, The University of British Columbia, [email protected]

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