Greenpeace places nine boulders in North Sea marine protected area
The story at a glance
Greenpeace says its vessel, Arctic Sunrise, placed nine boulders in the Southern North Sea Marine Protected Area to obstruct bottom trawling. The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) published locations reported by the group for navigational awareness, while noting it had not independently verified every position. 123
The area is designated for harbour porpoises. Greenpeace says the boulder barrier covers 116 km², but the reporting provides no measured evidence that it has reduced fishing or brought ecological benefits. 24
What you need to know
- The deployment is reported by Greenpeace and The Guardian, and the MMO has published nine positions supplied by Greenpeace. The MMO’s notice is for navigational awareness, not independent confirmation of every reported location. 123
- Greenpeace describes the boulders as a barrier intended to obstruct bottom trawling. The organisation claims they cover 116 km²; that figure is its estimate, not a coverage measurement independently confirmed in the supplied reporting. 123
- Greenpeace also cites at least 37,200 hours of bottom-towed fishing in the protected area during 2025. The figure is based on the organisation’s analysis of Global Fishing Watch data, and the reports do not provide a post-deployment comparison. 23
- The site’s conservation objectives are to maintain its integrity and contribute to favourable conservation status for harbour porpoises in UK waters. The designation makes the species a central conservation concern in assessing the area. 4
- A Whale and Dolphin Conservation assessment identified limited fishing regulation at the Southern North Sea site and gave it a low management-effectiveness score. That assessment provides context for the action, but does not establish whether the boulders will change fishing practices. 5
Why this matters
The action targets bottom trawling in a site designated for harbour porpoises, where a conservation assessment has raised concerns about fishing management. Whether obstructing trawling at the reported positions benefits porpoises or their habitat remains unproven. 452
What happens next
The key test is whether follow-up evidence can show changes in fishing activity, seabed condition, prey availability or harbour porpoise outcomes. The reporting also leaves open how navigational safety and other sea users will be managed around the reported positions. 124
What we know
- Greenpeace says Arctic Sunrise placed nine boulders in the Southern North Sea to deter bottom trawling. 23
- The MMO published nine locations reported by Greenpeace and advised mariners to take them into account, while saying it had not independently verified all positions. 1
- The site’s conservation objectives relate to maintaining site integrity and supporting favourable conservation status for harbour porpoises in UK waters. 4
What we don't know
- It is not established whether the boulders prevent or displace bottom trawling, or how much area their presence affects. 123
- The supplied reporting gives no measured post-deployment change in fishing activity, seabed condition, prey availability or harbour porpoise outcomes. 24
- The reporting does not specify how authorities will manage navigational safety or any effects on other sea users around the reported locations. 1
Read the reporting
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