Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to extend the ban on bottom trawling to cover more Highly Protected Marine Areas.

Defra has consulted on five candidate pilot Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs). The responses and further evidence we received are still being analysed and we aim to publish a summary of responses in early 2023. Any HPMAs designated would have the highest levels of protection in our seas, banning extractive, destructive and depositional uses, including bottom trawling, to help the protection and recovery of marine ecosystems. Activities of this nature are not compatible with the aims of HPMAs. Any pilot HPMAs would be designated through the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 by 6 July 2023. This would be a year from the start of the consultation as required by the Act.