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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the economic benefits to UK coastal communities of banning (a) bottom trawlers and (b) pelagic supertrawlers that are over 100 metres in length from the UK's marine protected areas.

Marine protection is a devolved matter and the information below relates to England only.

For Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in England, an assessment of impacts is prepared when sites are designated. The assessment assesses the costs and benefits of designating a site but does not include specific details on the benefits to coastal communities. It is difficult to quantify such benefits accurately.

The costs and benefits would only apply where an activity has been restricted. The appropriate regulator will assess sites and propose appropriate management of fishing activity where required. Management may not be required for all fishing gears because only those which are likely to damage the protected features of a site need to be managed. Large pelagic trawlers target fish within the water column and are unlikely to damage the seabed habitats, such as reef and sediment habitats, for which most MPAs are designated.

The Government is currently reviewing its policy on large pelagic trawlers operating in UK waters. Any action needs to be evidence-based and in line with the UK/EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement.