Marine Protected Areas: Reviews
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how his department plans to ensure the forthcoming review of the English Marine Protected Area (MPA) network will deliver stronger protections for vulnerable marine habitats; and how it relates to the ongoing process to manage the impacts of fishing activities such as bottom-trawling on English offshore MPAs.
Answered by Emma Hardy
Our MPAs represent our most precious marine resources. However, the MPA network is under pressure from a range of sources. The review which we announced in January will consider ways to future proof the network, for example in terms of climate change adaptation and mitigation, while allowing us to still meet our international commitment to effectively protect 30% of our seas by 2030.
In the meantime, the Government remains committed to making continued progress on effective management We are considering next steps to manage bottom trawling, along with other fishing methods, where this might damage marine protected area features or benthic habitats, in the context of our domestic and international nature conservation obligations. We are keen to continue to work closely with fisheries and marine stakeholders as we develop our plans for future fisheries and marine management.
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