Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the consultation process about extending marine protection measures around South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands has been completed; what additional measures for its Marine Protected Area are envisaged; and when they are expected to be implemented.

​The South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands sustainable-use Marine Protected Area (MPA) underwent its first 5-yearly review during 2018. The MPA review panel published its report on 7 November, concluding that the current MPA is achieving its objectives, whilst also making a series of recommendations to further strengthen protection of the Territory's waters. The Commissioner for South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands announced, on 12 December, a suite of environmental enhancements to the MPA. These include extending the MPA across the entire maritime area; protecting 23 per cent of the MPA to all commercial fishing activities; and prohibiting mining, hydrocarbon extraction and carriage of heavy fuel oil. The majority of these measures have put in place; the remaining measures are in the process of being implemented by the Government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.