A documentary video released by the Archipelagos Institute of Marine Conservation last year draws attention to the widespread and destructive practice of bottom trawling in the Aegean Sea, a method of fishing that involves dragging heavy nets across the seabed.

This destructive practise not only strips the seabed of biodiversity, destroying essential habitats, but also threatens the sustainability of small-scale coastal fishing communities that rely on the existence of healthy marine environments for their livelihoods.

The short documentary, produced in collaboration with the Environmental Justice Foundation and Iason Photography, offers a stark look at how decades of mismanagement have left Greek marine ecosystems increasingly degraded. The documentary includes interviews with scientists and local fishermen who describe the severe ecological and social consequences of bottom trawling.

According to the Archipelagos Institute, this practice doesn’t just contribute to a broader ecological imbalance and increases food insecurity – it also creates a socio-economic crisis that could have long-lasting effects on Greece’s maritime heritage and economy.