{
  "id": 4884527,
  "title": "Trawling threatens vital carbon stores in Scotland's sea lochs",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/01/trawling-threatens-vital-carbon-stores-in-scotlands-sea-lochs",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-09-01T15:40:04.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Phys.org",
    "slug": "phys-org",
    "url": "https://phys.org/news/2026-09-trawling-threatens-vital-carbon-scotland.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Recent research from the University of St Andrews reveals that trawling in Scotland's sea lochs could significantly reduce vital carbon stores. The study, published in Marine Environmental Research, found that disturbing seabed sediments releases organic carbon stored in the sediment into the surrounding seawater. This carbon is then more likely to be broken down and released as carbon dioxide, contributing to climate change. Lead author Lauren South emphasized that protecting specific areas of seabed, particularly at the heads of Scottish sea lochs, could help safeguard these natural carbon stores. The research used sediment collected along the length of Loch Etive, revealing that the upper part of the loch, where sediment is high in organic carbon content, is most vulnerable to disturbances. The findings suggest that a single disturbance event could cause rapid losses of sedimentary organic carbon, particularly in these vulnerable areas. Scotland's sea lochs, classified as fjords, are estimated to store about 84,000 metric tons of organic carbon each year, with much of this carbon originating from land-based sources like peatlands. The researchers suggest that mapping organic carbon distribution in seabed sediments and combining this with information on seabed fishing activity could help identify areas where management measures would have the greatest benefit. These findings support the Scottish Government's Blue Carbon Action Plan, which aims to understand and mitigate the impacts of bottom trawling on marine habitats.",
  "summary": "New research from the University of St Andrews shows that disturbing seabed sediments through trawling could cause significant losses of carbon stored in Scotland's sea lochs. The study, published in Marine Environmental Research, shows that organic carbon stored in seabed sediments can be released into the surrounding seawater when disturbed. This carbon is then more likely to be broken down and…",
  "key_points": [
    "Trawling in Scotland's sea lochs could reduce vital carbon stores.",
    "Disturbing seabed sediments releases organic carbon into seawater.",
    "Protecting specific areas of seabed could safeguard natural carbon stores."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}