ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Bottom trawling

Okay kiddo, so imagine that the ocean is a big playground full of different kinds of fish and creatures. Bottom trawling is like a game where grown-ups use a huge fishing net to catch all the fish that live at the bottom of the ocean.

Now, the problem with this game is that the fishing net is very big and heavy, so it can damage everything in its path. Imagine if you wanted to play a game of tag with your friends, but instead of tagging them gently, you ran at them at full speed and knocked them down. That wouldn't be very fun, would it?

Well, that's exactly what happens when grown-ups play bottom trawling. The huge fishing net can destroy the homes of the fish and creatures that live on the seabed, like coral reefs and rock formations. It can also hurt animals that get caught in the net but are not the target, like dolphins, sharks, and sea turtles.

This is not only bad for the sea creatures, but it also affects us humans because it can mess up the delicate balance of the ocean's ecosystem. That means we might not be able to enjoy all the yummy seafood we like to eat.

So, bottom trawling is a game that grown-ups play in the ocean to catch fish, but it's not a very nice game because it hurts the animals and damages the ocean's ecosystem.