Written Question·Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs·UIN 18875

Marine Protected Areas: Bottom Trawling

Tabled: 14 July 2026

Answered: 17 July 2026

Question

Tristan Osborne

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of bottom trawling within protected areas for harbour porpoises and seabirds on the Government's ecosystem-based approach to marine

Answer

Emma Hardy

The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) consulted last year on fisheries byelaws to restrict bottom trawling in a further 41 Marine Protected Areas. These proposals are substantial, covering 30,000 square kilometres or 13% of English waters and we must e...

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