Deep sea loses out, despite passionate support by some MEPs for a phase-out of destructive fishing practices In a very close vote in the European Parliament today (10th December 2013) MEPs have rejected the phase-out of destructive deep sea trawling by just 16 votes – a move that would have protected the deep sea long into the future Trawling is probably the most destructive practice in the deep sea – which unlike shallow waters is characterised by a pace of life so slow it is almost static.