UPDATE: The European Parliament failed to ban destructive bottom trawling in an extremely narrow vote where only 9 more MEPs could have saved it. It's a scandalous demonstration of the immense power that the fishing industry has over some of our politicians who have clearly ignored the facts and the voices of hundreds of thousands of EU citizens. Let's keep up the fight until we save our oceans for good.

Amazing animals that live in the deep ocean are being systematically destroyed by massive fishing nets that catch or crush everything in their path. But in days, the European Parliament could vote to protect one of the world’s most precious deep-sea habitats - and we need to give them the public mandate to do it.

Fishing interests, especially in France, are trying to sabotage a plan to ban the most destructive types of fishing in the Northeast Atlantic and Members of the European Parliament say they need public support behind them in order to fight back. If we join together now we can make sure this fragile ecosystem gets the rescue plan it needs. Let’s surround MEPs with a wave of support so they can stand strong.

On December 10th Members of the European Parliament can vote to ban the most destructive forms of deep-sea fishing in the Northeast Atlantic.

The deep ocean is the largest habitat on the planet -- teeming with all kinds of unique marine life including corals and sponges that live for thousands of years. But deep-sea bottom trawlers are destroying them - dragging giant weighted nets, fixed to cables and steel plates more than 2 tonnes each, across the ocean floor to catch a small number of low value fish. It’s like clear-cutting a forest to catch a few squirrels!

More than 300 scientists have united to say STOP to this blind and costly destruction, which is subsidised by taxpayers' money. But greedy fishing companies have roped in political support to oppose these efforts and some Members of Parliament tell us we could lose this battle if they don’t have a public mandate to fight back.

Let’s make sure they have what they need before this historical vote! If we come together right now to raise our voices - we can ensure one of the most wonderful ocean habitats in the world is protected. Sign the petition right now and share this with everyone.

The Avaaz community helped make history earlier this year when 180,000 members sent messages to support MEPs to end overfishing. The vote passed with a super majority! We can do it again to save deep-sea life - before it’s too late.

This petition was created by the BLOOM Association (http://www.bloomassociation.org/en/) and Fishlove (www.fishlove.co.uk)