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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to protect offshore foraging areas for cliff nesting seabirds.

The Government is committed to implementing the Food and Agriculture Organisation Plan of Action on Seabird Bycatch, and is working closely with the Joint Nature Conservation Committee and a wide group of stakeholders including environmental groups and the fishing industry to progress the UK’s own national Plan of Action. This will protect offshore foraging areas for cliff-nesting seabirds, by mitigating bycatch in places where they are most at risk. In addition, we have designated 47 Special Protection Areas in English waters for seabirds covering 13,000km² in our inshore waters that protect nesting sites and nearby foraging areas.