Greenpeace UK says it has placed boulders on the seabed off eastern England to deter bottom trawling in a porpoise conservation area while authorities review proposed fishing restrictions.
Activists deployed stones weighing up to two tonnes from the Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise over the weekend, the group said Nov. 2. Greenpeace says the barrier effectively prevents bottom trawling across 116 square kilometers of the marine protected area (MPA).
The group used Global Fishing Watch data to estimate that bottom-towed gear was used in the MPA for at least 37,200 hours during 2025. The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) identifies beam trawls, otter trawls and dredges as gear dragged across the seabed.
The Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) lists the Southern North Sea as a Special Area of Conservation designated in February 2019 for harbour porpoises. The site covers 36,951 square kilometers. JNCC estimates it supports 17.5% of the UK North Sea Management Unit’s porpoise population, based on the SCANS-II survey in July 2005. Its conservation objectives include preventing significant disturbance to the animals and maintaining the habitat, processes and prey availability that support them.
Greenpeace says most of the MPA has no fishing restrictions. A consultation on proposed fishing measures for 42 English MPAs ran from June 9 to Sept. 29, 2025. A UK government report says the MMO is reviewing responses. The consultation page says the MMO will complete assessments and prepare proposed byelaws for confirmation if measures are needed.
Greenpeace says a later Stage 4 consultation will cover the Southern North Sea, but it has announced no date. The group warned in June that it would take direct action if the government did not act. Will McCallum, co-executive director of Greenpeace UK, said, “Nothing has happened since then.” Greenpeace also placed boulders in the Dogger Bank protected area in 2020.
