Environmental campaign group Greenpeace has deployed nine heavy boulders off the eastern coast of England to establish an underwater barrier against bottom trawling vessels. The organization’s ship, the Arctic Sunrise, dropped the two-tonne rocks without official authorization over the weekend approximately 50 kilometers east of Great Yarmouth in Norfolk.
Protecting Marine Life and Seabeds
Bottom trawling is a fishing practice that drags heavy nets across the seabed, which can severely damage underwater vegetation. Greenpeace stated that the action successfully restricted bottom trawling across 116 square kilometers of the Southern North Sea Marine Protected Area.
The organization explained that trawling diminishes the food supply for harbour porpoises, which are marine mammals found along the UK coastline. Furthermore, Greenpeace noted that the noise pollution generated by trawling interferes with the hunting abilities of these porpoises, an animal the marine protected area was specifically designated to safeguard.
Government and Regulatory Response
When questioned about whether the group possessed authorization for the drop, Greenpeace admitted it lacked a licence and described the action as a last resort. The campaign group stated that years of discussions with politicians and the government regarding the protection of marine areas had yielded glacial progress.
Following the deployment, Greenpeace contacted the authorities to provide the exact coordinates of each boulder so maps could be updated to warn other vessels. The Marine Management Organisation subsequently published a notice providing the grid references for the reported locations of all nine boulders.
A spokesperson for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs stated that strict legislation exists to protect the marine environment while balancing sustainable fishing and coastal communities. The spokesperson added that marine protected areas are safeguarded by law, with harmful fishing practices prohibited in more than 100 locations, and that authorities are evaluating additional restrictions. Defra emphasized that all maritime activities must be conducted legally and with proper consideration for the safety of other mariners.
This action follows a similar incident in 2022 when activists placed 18 boulders off the coast of Cornwall. At that time, the Marine Management Organisation expressed disappointment over the action, stating it was unjustified and unhelpful for marine conservation.
