The world’s oceans have rightly been the focus of much attention this year. David Attenborough’s film ‘Ocean’ made records when it enjoyed the highest-grossing opening for a nature documentary in the UK and Ireland. June’s UN Ocean Conference brought nations together in Nice and, at long last, September saw the High Seas Treaty ratified. In 2026, the treaty will become international law, in a significant step forward for marine protection.

So what do these developments mean for fishers, suppliers and retailers? Let’s start from the top. A major controversy that ‘Ocean’ highlights is the use of bottom-trawling gear and its impacts on both the sea floor and unwanted catch. Finding solutions to these unwanted impacts of fishing, not only in bottom trawling, is a key focus of many developments in fisheries science, technology and thinking.

Reducing unwanted marine impacts

Over the summer, 3Keel attended a workshop hosted by WWF that focused on ways to reduce bycatch of endangered, threatened and protected marine species. 

A recurring theme was about ensuring the integration of fisherfolk in this process. In conjunction with organisations including DEFRA, Finance Earth, Marks & Spencer, Seafish and WWF, the conclusions were:

• New regulations should involve fisherfolk, who will be best placed to describe the problems they are experiencing and to suggest practical solutions to overcome them. 
• Implementation strategies should benefit fisherfolk, rather than increase their regulatory load. This could be achieved by linking fishing quotas to the use of approved tools, or by designating low-impact fishing zones that reward the adoption of sustainable methods.
• Additionally, consumer-facing incentives – such as labelling fish products sourced from low-impact areas – could further drive demand for more sustainable alternatives.

Attenborough’s film called on countries attending June’s UN Ocean Conference to extend the reach of marine protected areas (MPAs) across the globe and to enforce protections effectively, including restrictions on bottom trawling. This has fuelled a lively debate because millions of livelihoods rely on the practice, yet achieving protection of 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030 is essential. To reduce damage to our oceans, we must involve those who do the fishing.

Bottom-up approaches

Effective marine protection and fishing are not separate. Meaningful fisheries conservation demands more ‘bottom-up’ approaches. The aim should be to view these priorities together and work collaboratively to achieve them.

Indeed, this was one of the conclusions in a recent 3Keel report published for the Walton Family Foundation. The project examined ways to strengthen parallels between sustainable agriculture and fisheries, in order to bring more attention to the importance of fisheries as a key component of sustainable food systems.

To reduce damage to our oceans, we must involve those who do the fishing.

The project found that one of the key commonalities between fisheries and agro-ecological farming is not only the emphasis on ensuring sustainable livelihoods, but on centring fisherfolk and farmers in decision-making processes in order to transition to food systems that are more sustainable.

For example, the report shines a light on the response of a small-scale artisanal fishing community in France to the rise of industrialised fishing and bottom trawlers. The community set up a new longline label for seabass, which they use to distinguish their lower-impact product from industrially caught fish. This has led to opportunities for direct sales to customers who value high-quality products, and a higher price for their fish.

For this community, maintaining a more sustainable model supported higher incomes and secured livelihoods in fisheries for further generations.

Marine protected areas

Another compelling case study from the report demonstrates multiple long-term benefits as a result of effective marine protection. In 2012, a network of MPAs with no-take zones was established in collaboration with local fishers along the mainland coast of the Santa Barbara Channel in southern California, an area heavily fished for lobster.

Although this network resulted in a 35% reduction in fishing area, it led to a 225% increase in total catch after six years, indicating that, at a local scale, the trade-off from reduced fishing grounds in favour of no-fishing zones can ultimately benefit the fishery.