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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to introduce new fisheries management measures in England’s Marine Protected Areas on (a) bottom trawling and (b) dredging.

It is essential to manage all forms of damaging fishing activity, including bottom trawling and dredging, in our Marine Protected Areas appropriately due to the significant damage it can have on protected seabed habitats. The department is considering next steps in the context of our domestic and international nature conservation obligations and how we support the fishing sector.