The seabed needs large, undisturbed areas to allow marine ecosystems to recover. That’s why the government and parties across the aisle have reached an agreement that includes a ban on bottom trawling in five new areas in inner Danish waters, making up 18.7% of Danish waters.
With all new and planned bans on bottom-trawling, more than 30% of Denmark’s total marine territory (about 32,000 km²) will have a ban on bottom trawling. Before July 1, 2025, only 4.6 % of Danish waters were protected from bottom-trawling.
“It’s time to give the seabed the rest; it needs to recover. Our ocean is in poor condition, and we must act on all fronts to reverse this trend. Bottom trawling harms the seabed. It only takes minutes to drag a trawl across the sea floor, but it can take years to rebuild nature. With these new large, connected trawl-free areas, we are creating the largest seabed protection effort in Denmark’s history. This is essential for cod, harbor porpoises and other animals, and the food chains they depend on. It’s a crucial step towards a healthy, vibrant marine environment in Denmark.”
Magnus Heunicke
Miljøminister
Key Facts:
- The agreement protects 19,605 km² of sea area from bottom trawling including all bottom-towed fishing gear – equivalent to 18.7% of Denmark's total marine territory.
- The ban covers the entire Belt Sea.
- The areas with ban of bottom trawling will connect with existing trawl bans in the Øresund and Køge Bay. The northern end of Øresund, known as “Kilen,” will also become trawl-free.
- Additional trawl-free zones include:
- A large area east of Djursland
- An eastern Kattegat zone extending to the Swedish marine borders (from Læsø to Anholt), covering the protected habitat area “Kims Top and the Chinese Wall”
- A northern Kattegat area around the Herthas Flak habitat
- In total, over 30% of Denmark’s marine territory (about 32,000 km²) will have a ban on bottom trawling, once you include new and planned fisheries restrictions in Natura 2000 sites and existing bans in strictly and generally protected areas.
- The government will now negotiate regional agreements with other countries that have fishing rights in these areas and submit them for EU approval through EU common fisheries policy, so the bans will apply to both Danish and foreign fishers simultaneously. This process is expected to take at least two years, after which the ban will come into force.