UN Negotiates Ban on International Seamount Trawling
The proposed 2027 phase-out seeks to halt permanent habitat damage on the 98.5% of seamounts currently lacking protection.
Updated on Oct. 27, 2026 in Environmental
Live Poll
Should nations ban bottom trawling on seamounts to protect deep-sea biodiversity?
Nations are negotiating a UN resolution to phase out bottom trawling on international seamounts by the end of 2027. This proposed ban aims to protect vulnerable marine ecosystems that have shown no recovery 40 years after trawling activity stops.
Why it matters
Only 1.5% of known seamounts are currently protected, leaving these unique high-seas habitats vulnerable to irreversible damage from industrial fishing gear. A formal phase-out would align international fishing practices with the 2030 Global Biodiversity Framework goal of protecting 30% of the oceans.
Commercial bottom trawlers deploy nets 80 to 200 metres wide, held open by five-tonne metal doors. These weighted structures drag across summits and slopes, causing long-term damage that persists for over 40 years.
The players
United Nations
An intergovernmental organization currently hosting negotiations for the Sustainable Fisheries Resolution.
The details
Bottom trawling involves dragging heavy weighted nets across the ocean floor to harvest deep-sea species such as orange roughy and toothfish. The industrial gear, including massive metal doors, physically destroys the complex structures of deep-sea habitats. These ecosystems provide critical refuges for marine life, and the physical scouring prevents any significant ecological recovery long after the nets are removed.
Timeline
2006: The UN first called for the protection of marine ecosystems.
2022: Nations signed the Global Biodiversity Framework.
2026: The High Seas Treaty came into effect.
Week of October 27, 2026: Nations are negotiating the Sustainable Fisheries Resolution.
End of 2027: Proposed deadline for phasing out international seamount trawling.
The Tech Race
The proposed resolution marks a significant shift from the piecemeal approach used in regions like the Northwest Atlantic toward a unified global standard. It follows the momentum of the 2026 High Seas Treaty and aims to bridge the gap between current industrial practices and the 2030 protection targets.
If adopted, the resolution would restrict the supply of deep-sea species like orange roughy and toothfish caught via bottom trawling by 2027. Commercial fishing fleets operating on international seamounts will face new regulatory requirements for gear deployment and location access.
The takeaway
More than 400 scientists have signed the Seamounts Proclamation to urge an end to the destruction of these habitats. Interested observers should monitor the outcome of the UN negotiations regarding the 2027 phase-out deadline to determine the strength of global enforcement.
Further reading
For more on the current status of global ocean conservation policy, visit Environmental.
Live Poll
Should nations ban bottom trawling on seamounts to protect deep-sea biodiversity?
