The Bottom Line

To support its campaign The Bottom Line, in June 2025 Blue Marine launched a short film of the same name. Starring two of our ambassadors, actors Theo James and Stephen Fry, the shocking short is part of the drive by Blue Marine and partners to have bottom-trawling banned in the UK’s marine protected areas (MPAs). Gut-wrenching and darkly satirical in tone, it has since won seven awards, at festivals from the UK to Germany and the US.

In its final moments, the film’s twice BAFTA-nominated director Ben Mallaby shows a mass of stomach-churning fishery bycatch crashing on to suave Theo at his elegant dining table. The aim is to expose the brutal truth about one of the most destructive fishing practices taking place in British marine reserves, 90 per cent of which remain open to bottom-trawling. Of the marine life caught by the technique, up to 80 per cent is discarded or destroyed.

The launch of the film came after the UK government announced its intention to ban bottom-trawling in 41 offshore MPAs, following more than 18,000 emails from the public to the Environment Secretary, Steve Reed. That decision was opened to public consultation, and Blue Marine’s film urged people to back it. When the consultation closed on at the end of September 2025, more than 10,000 people had responded. The government is now reviewing the consultation before its final decision.

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who added their voice. Further details are available here.