Ocean Day: Patagonia launches campaign to protect the oceans

The protection and restoration of marine biodiversity is the aim of the Patagonia campaign launched yesterday. With a petition, a series of films and events throughout Europe, Patagonia wants to mobilise as many people as possible and call on governments to put an end to bottom trawling. The first step should be an immediate ban in marine protected areas and near-shore zones.

• You can support the petition against bottom trawling here

Campaign partners in Europe include the NGOs Bloom, Blue Ventures, ClientEarth, Environmental Justice Foundation, Oceana and Seas At Risk Scotland.

"Bottom trawling is one of the most damaging practices humans inflict on our oceans. It destroys seabed ecosystems, causes overfishing and indiscriminately kills all life, from turtles and rays to sharks," explains Patagonia. "It also has a huge impact on the climate. Dragging nets across the seabed uses more fuel and causes four times more emissions than other types of fishing. It disturbs the carbon-binding sediment and destroys the marine plants and animals that absorb carbon from the atmosphere."

Instead of this destructive practice, Patagonia is using the campaign and associated films to promote regenerative alternatives such as 3D sea farms and the restoration of seagrass meadows. Around half of those working in European fisheries, who are often affected by bottom trawling, are small-scale fishers. The campaign gives them a platform and calls for them to be supported in the necessary transition.

Event series with short films about the sea

Patagonia is also organising a series of events with short films, music and expert talks. The eight short documentary films tell the stories of people around the world, from South Korea and Chilean Patagonia to Portugal and Wales, who are taking matters into their own hands and showing how people can work with the sea rather than against it.

The films include, among others:

• For the Love of the Sea: Dhe story of Nikki Spill of The Seaweed Farmers, and her collaboration with Câr y Môr - the first community-owned regenerative sea farm in Wales.
• Madre Mar:Focuses on marine biologist Raquel Gaspar and a group of local fisherwomen who are restoring seagrass beds in the Sado Estuary Nature Reserve in Portugal to repair the damage caused by bottom trawling.
• The Custodians:Portrays the work of four West Coast Scottish locals who are working to restore marine wildlife and create sustainable jobs.

More about the campaign at eu.patagonia.com/oceans

More on the topic:

• "A turnaround is not in sight" - the situation in the Baltic Sea is so bad
• Plastic waste in the sea - and what surfers can do about it
• The sea in all its facets - a playground for surfers