Because of trawling, 370 million tons of carbon dioxide are released into the atmosphere every year, doubling the already small emissions of the global fleet of 4 million fishing vessels, according to joint research by three US universities, NASA and National Geographic.
The essence of trawling is that strong and large nets are lowered to the bottom of the sea and dragged there. As it turned out, this not only covers up natural habitats in the network's path, but also upends material trapped in seafloor sediments, 55% to 60% of which returns to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide within nine years.
This fishing method is most common in the East China Sea, Baltic Sea, North Sea, and Greenland Sea, but has been found to occur in the Bay of Bengal, the Arabian Sea, and near the European coast. Fishing in the Gulf of Mexico also contributes significantly to carbon dioxide emissions. Carbon.
We have only recently discovered that trawling releases a cloud of carbon, the materials of which would otherwise remain safely bound to the ocean floor for thousands of years. Our research shows that carbon excited in this way enters the atmosphere as carbon dioxide over the course of a decade and contributes to global warming. As with deforestation, seabed destruction causes irreparable damage to climate, society and wildlife.
Trisha Atwood of the University of Utah noted.
Regarding the carbon remaining in the sea even after trawling, the research also found that 40-45 percent of the substance remains in the water and contributes to acidification of ocean water.
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