---
title: "UK seeks to extend ban on bottom trawling fishing in English seas"
description: "LONDON, June 9 (Reuters) - The British government said on Monday it planned to extend a ban on bottom trawling to protect marine life amid calls from acclaimed naturalist David Attenborough and Prince William for urgent measures to protect the world's oceans."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "Newsdeck"
author: "Reuters"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/reuters/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-06-09-uk-seeks-to-extend-ban-on-bottom-trawling-fishing-in-english-seas/"
published: "2025-06-09T03:45:20"
updated: "2025-06-09T11:19:56"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 257
---

# UK seeks to extend ban on bottom trawling fishing in English seas

> LONDON, June 9 (Reuters) - The British government said on Monday it planned to extend a ban on bottom trawling to protect marine life amid calls from acclaimed naturalist David Attenborough and Prince William for urgent measures to protect the world's oceans.

By Reuters · Published 9 June 2025, 05:45 SAST · Updated 9 June 2025, 13:19 SAST

## Key points
- In a bid to rescue our beleaguered seabeds from the destructive embrace of bottom trawling, the UK government is casting a net of protection over 30,000 square kilometers of marine paradise, just as Prince William and Sir David Attenborough remind us that the ocean's plight is too dire to ignore—because if we treated land like we do the sea, there’d be a public outcry louder than a whale's song.
- The UK government plans to ban bottom trawling across 30,000 square km of English seas to protect marine habitats and species.
- Environment Minister Steve Reed warns that without urgent action, marine wildlife and habitats face irreversible destruction.
- The proposal aligns with the UN Ocean Conference's goal to secure a treaty against overfishing and harmful human activities.
- Prince William and David Attenborough emphasize the urgent need for action to protect the oceans from human impact.

## Content

The plan, which will be subject to a consultation with those in the marine and fisheries sector, would see bottom trawling - dragging large nets along the sea floor - banned across about 30,000 square km (11,600 square miles) of English seas covering 41 Marine Protected Areas, the government said.

It said the move would protect vital marine habitats and support species such as lobster, clams, soft corals and langoustines. Currently there is a ban covering about 18,000 square km of English seabeds.

"Bottom trawling is damaging our precious marine wildlife and habitats," Environment Minister Steve Reed said in a statement. "Without urgent action, our oceans will be irreversibly destroyed."

The proposal coincides with the start of this week's [United Nations Ocean Conference](https://www.reutersconnect.com/nMT1ECMII4ZMKU9RLL2D15WK53NJ42GNMWT) in France, which is seeking to get agreement for a treaty to protect the world's oceans and seabeds from overfishing and other human activities.

On Sunday Prince William, the elder son of King Charles and heir to the throne, called on politicians and business leaders at an event in Monaco ahead of the UN conference [to act](https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?search=all%3AL1N3SB027&linkedFromStory=true) "while we still have the chance".

Meanwhile [Attenborough](https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?search=all%3AL8N3RE0O0&linkedFromStory=true), whose latest documentary film "Ocean" on the issue was released last month, said he was appalled by what humans had done to "the deep ocean floor", saying it was "unspeakably awful".

"If you did anything remotely like it on land, everybody would be up in arms," Attenborough told William in an interview which was released by the prince's office on Saturday.

(Reporting by Michael HoldenEditing by Alexandra Hudson)