Humanity has always sourced food from the sea. And fishing is an ancient way of doing so that can be traced back to the early Stone Age around 40,000 years ago. In the last 100 years, fish stocks have dramatically declined in the Western Sea and the Baltic Sea. And in most cases, overfishing is considered to be the major cause.
On Sweden's west coast lies the Western Sea with Sweden's saltiest water and the largest marine biodiversity. The Western Sea includes both Kattegat, Skagerrak, and the Øresund and is home to species such as mackerel, kelp, octopus, sea stars, corals, dolphins, and a total of 17 species of sharks.
When two large wind farms were planned in the sea on the Swedish west coast, the shrimp fishermen became worried that they would no longer be able to trawl for shrimp. The trawlers managed to get the Uddevalla municipal board involved in the unrest and together they started a campaign they called "Save the shrimp". The only question is – which shrimp and from whom should it be saved?
An investigation has been handed over to Rural Affairs Minister Peter Kullgren (KD) with proposals for a general ban on bottom trawling in protected sea areas.
Mattias Sköld is a researcher at SLU Aqua in Lysekil. He has been involved in filming the seabed in marine protected areas, including in Bratten, on behalf of the Norwegian Sea and Water Authority (HaV).
SLU Aqua in Lysekil has for several years filmed bottoms in three different marine protection areas. Bratten is a Natura 2000 area far out to sea towards the Norwegian border. It is located in an area that is one of Europe's most fished places. Here it is possible to trawl right through the protection area, except in certain specific zones. Watch in the feature what it looks like on the bottom after a trawl has pulled out.
