Physical seabed
disturbance (accounting for 26% of the total impact risk) is mainly due to
bottom trawling, which is estimated to occur persistently and have an acute and
chronic effect on benthic habitat and fish, respectively. The spatial extent of
the bottom trawling is limited to the shallow parts of the ecoregion (mainly
< 300 m). Other activities, such as aquaculture, coastal
development and renewable energy also contribute to this pressure, but in much
more confined areas than bottom trawling.
