Dear Minister Bradshaw,

You will be aware by now of the concern expressed by hundreds of scientists and marine biologists regarding the damage being caused to deep-sea habitats by bottom trawling. You are also well aware of the biological significance of these benthic habitats and communities and the depletion of key populations of commercially important species through fishing activities. You will also have acknowledged that the lack of protection for deep-ocean ecosystems is a cause for alarm.

In the light of this, I therefore urge you to push for an immediate moratorium on deep-sea bottom trawling in order to protect deep-sea corals and other vulnerable ecosystems before they are lost forever. I urge you to pursue this urgently through the EU and to support a UN General Assembly moratorium on high seas bottom trawling this year.

I look forward to your response.
Yours sincerely