A study reveals that bottom trawling in European waters costs society up to €10.8 billion annually, primarily due to carbon emissions from disturbed sediments. The practice, which destroys marine habitats and catches unintended species, is argued to have more costs than benefits. While it supports jobs and food supply, the environmental and climate impacts outweigh these advantages. The study calls for banning bottom trawling in marine protected areas (MPAs) to benefit marine life and the fishing industry. European taxpayers fund these destructive practices through subsidies, leading to calls for a transition away from bottom trawling.