Press release
EU Court confirms Marine Protected Areas must be shielded from destructive bottom trawling
21 May 2025
Lawyers have welcomed a decisive ruling from the General Court of the European Union, confirming that Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) must be effectively safeguarded from harmful fishing practices such as bottom trawling.
The court rejected a legal challenge brought by a German fishing association seeking to annul conservation measures introduced by the European Commission in several German MPAs. The ruling upholds the legal duty to ensure meaningful protection of vulnerable marine ecosystems at risk from destructive practices.
ClientEarth senior lawyer John Condon said :
“The European Court's rejection of the lawsuit against protective measures in the North Sea is a critical victory for marine conservation. Science-backed bans on destructive bottom trawling must be the rule in all protected areas - without exception. Only then can we safeguard Europe’s marine biodiversity for generations to come and provide a sustainable future for fishers and coastal communities.
“This ruling sends a clear signal that we have strong conservation laws for protecting MPAs from destructive activities such as bottom trawling. Now it’s a matter of ensuring that they are urgently enforced.
“The upcoming European Oceans Pact is a key opportunity for the European Commission to set out a clear vision and strategy to enforce ocean conservation laws and tackle the root cause of so much marine biodiversity loss in Europe. "
ENDS
Notes to editors:
-
Read the judgment (in German and French) here
About ClientEarth
ClientEarth is a non-profit organisation that uses the law to create systemic change that protects the Earth for – and with – its inhabitants. We are tackling climate change, protecting nature and stopping pollution, with partners and citizens around the globe. We hold industry and governments to account, and defend everyone’s right to a healthy world. From our offices in Europe, Asia and the USA we shape, implement and enforce the law, to build a future for our planet in which people and nature can thrive together.