Greenpeace activists create ‘boulder barrier’ in North Sea to deter industrial fishing

Action taken to prevent bottom trawling in the marine protected area and conserve porpoise populations

Greenpeace activists have dropped boulders in the North Sea to snag the dragnets of industrial trawlers fishing in a marine protected area.

Activists onboard the Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise dropped the giant stones to form an underwater barrier around the Southern North Sea marine protected area (MPA) – the UK’s most bottom-trawled MPA.

The Southern North Sea is an area of importance for harbour porpoises, supporting nearly 20% of the UK North Sea population. But despite its MPA status, there are no restrictions on fishing in most of it. Bottom trawlers, dredgers and other industrial fishing vessels scour it daily.