Government call for evidence on banning bottom trawling in 13 marine protected areas

Today, the government has called for evidence to supplement its views on banning bottom trawling in 13 further marine protected areas. This follows the government banning the practice in 4 marine protected areas, including the Dogger Bank.

Commenting on the news, Will McCallum, Head of Oceans at Greenpeace UK, said:

“It’s good that the government is progressing with the next phase of its programme to restrict bottom trawling in England’s offshore marine protected areas. This destructive fishing practice must be outlawed in all of the UK’s protected areas to protect our oceans and safeguard local fishing jobs, and so we’re pleased to see further progress being made.

“However, the government’s reliance on this cumbersome progress of lengthy consultations will not on its own deliver at the speed or scale necessary to protect our oceans. Ministers must also use their Brexit powers to immediately ban industrial fishing in our marine protected areas by imposing conditions on the licenses of bottom trawlers, supertrawlers and other industrial fishing vessels. Only then can the government claim to be on track towards delivering its promise to protect a third of our oceans by 2030, which will save our oceans and our fishing communities.”