The Coastal and Sea Cell has been in existence for almost a decade and works vigorously to protect our coastal and marine environment. Gas and oil drilling, sewage discharge, uncontrolled fishing and massive construction on the coast – are destroying our sea.

The sea constitutes a significant part in mitigating climate change and produces 50% of the oxygen that we breathe, and this due to the algae that absorb carbon monoxide and emit oxygen (just like a forest in the water!) A healthy sea allows for management of risks, such as the collapse of coastal cliffs, an outbreak of jellyfish and the spread of venomous invaders.

Our current campaign deals with the ban on the destructive trawler fishing. Trawler fishing is a method where a fishing boat drags a net over the sea bed, and catches animals that that get caught in its wake. Some of the fishing equipment, such as net “doors” (metal plates that keep the net open during dragging) and ground cables, are dragged through the sandy substrate and cut through it like a plow in a field. In Israel, there are currently only 16 functioning trawl boats (run by less than 50 licensed fishermen).

It is a fishing method that is non-selective, where the rate of the by-catch, including immature fish, non-commercial species and protected species, such as dolphins, is very high. In Israel, the percentage of the by-catch stands at 50%, where most of the species caught in the nets are commercially worthless.

Trawl fishing is considered the most destructive of all the fishing methods, where the direct and indirect damage is considered one of the biggest threats to marine environment. The act of dragging that is customary in trawl fishing, causes heavy damage to the ecological marine infrastructure, and destroys habitats of various species. In addition, plowing the bottom of the sea, releases carbon into the water that was stored in the seabed, which increases acidity in the sea, and exacerbates the climate change.

In addition, the harm is not worth the benefit – fish trawling constitutes only about 1% of the consumption of fish in Israel but in contrast, it’s devastating effect on the environment is dramatic!

In the in the corridors of government, it is clear that trawl fishing is a problem that must be solved. In 2016, there was a reform led by the fishing division of the Ministry of Agriculture, which included a number of significant steps towards management of more sustainable fishing, among them shutting down 9 trawling boats and compensating their owners. But the struggle is not yet complete!

We demand the fishing regulations be changed so that trawl fishing is banned completely. In addition, 40 million shekels should be given to the fishermen in order to carry out a just transition without harming the fishermen.