A new analysis from French non-profit BLOOM finds that Europe's fishing fleet is dominated by a small number of very large vessels. Of the 60,000 European-flagged fishing boats, just 638 are responsible for most of the harm to ocean health, according to the report.
The report singles out trawlers measuring 108 feet or longer as the greatest threat. These "mega-industrial" vessels appear to have an outsized impact compared with the rest of the fleet, raising concerns about the sustainability of current fishing practices in European waters.
BLOOM's findings suggest that fleet size alone is not the issue; vessel size matters. The report adds to a growing body of evidence that industrial-scale fishing operations require closer scrutiny and stronger regulation to protect marine ecosystems.