European bottom trawling costs billions every year in climate impacts, study finds – Image for illustrative purposes only (Image credits: Unsplash)
Bottom trawling has long supplied a steady stream of seafood to markets across Europe and beyond. The practice drags heavy nets across the ocean floor, disturbing sediment that has locked away carbon for centuries. A recent study now shows that the climate damage from those releases far exceeds the profits earned by the fishing fleets involved.
Profits Versus Hidden Burdens
European bottom-trawl fisheries generate roughly 180 million euros in annual profits. That figure reflects direct earnings from catches of fish and shellfish. When researchers add the social costs of the carbon released, the picture changes sharply. Society bears expenses estimated between 4.87 billion and 18 billion euros each year.
Those costs stem from climate effects such as lower crop yields and increased health burdens. The study used conservative values for the social cost of carbon, ranging from 43 to 161 euros per metric ton of emissions. Even at the lower end, the annual climate burden reaches tens of billions of euros.
How the Carbon Is Released
Heavy trawl gear scrapes the seabed and stirs up stored carbon. Once exposed, that carbon enters the water column and eventually the atmosphere as carbon dioxide. Lead author Katherine Millage noted that the process releases material stored for centuries. The resulting emissions add measurable pressure to global climate accounts.
Researchers combined data on sediment disturbance with established carbon-price models. They found the net economic impact for Europeans falls between 2 billion and 16 billion euros annually after subtracting industry profits. Secondary benefits such as jobs were included in the calculation, yet the overall balance remains negative.
Seafood Supply and Global Reach
Bottom trawling and dredging together account for more than a quarter of the world’s wild-caught fish and shellfish. This volume supports both European markets and international trade. Any shift in the practice would therefore affect supply chains that reach grocery stores and restaurant menus far from European waters.
The study emphasizes that the climate costs are externalized. Fishers capture the profits while the broader public absorbs the long-term expenses. This imbalance raises questions about how future seafood prices might reflect the true environmental ledger.
| Category | Low Estimate | High Estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Industry Profits | 180 million euros | 180 million euros |
| Annual Climate Costs | 4.87 billion euros | 18 billion euros |
| Net Societal Cost | 2 billion euros | 16 billion euros |
Looking Ahead
The findings arrive at a time when governments and retailers are examining the full footprint of seafood production. Adjustments to fishing methods or protected areas could reduce sediment disturbance. Such steps would also lower the climate costs passed on to society.
Millage stressed that even conservative estimates leave Europeans carrying a heavy economic load. The study therefore provides a clearer basis for weighing the trade-offs between current fishing practices and long-term environmental stability.
