NGOs urge total ban on seabed-damaging fishing in new reserve

Six Portuguese environmental organisations, including Sciaena, WWF Portugal and ZERO, have called for stronger protection measures in the planned Dom Carlos Marine Nature Reserve, which will cover 173,000 square kilometres between Madeira and mainland Portugal, making it one of Europe's largest. They argue that banning bottom trawling alone is insufficient and want all fishing gear that touches the seabed excluded, given the area's fragile ecosystems such as the Gorringe Bank and Josephine Seamount. The groups also demand tamper-proof GPS tracking, onboard cameras and observers, and coordination with the EU and international fisheries bodies so foreign fleets also comply. The reserve proposal recently closed a public consultation that drew 61 submissions, now under review.