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

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have (1) to reduce, and (2) to eliminate, sea bottom trawling in UK waters.

The UK is at the forefront of marine protection, demonstrated through the establishment of a comprehensive network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) to ensure greater protection of our seas. Defra is continuing to work with fishermen to develop ways to reduce the impact of fishing gear on the seabed, while still allowing the industry to remain profitable.

For example, 98 MPAs in inshore waters have management measures in place to protect sensitive features from bottom towed fishing gears. Using new powers introduced by the Fisheries Act 2020, the Marine Management Organisation has recently concluded the first in a series of consultations on measures for offshore MPAs, which again seek to reduce the impact of bottom trawling.

The Fisheries Act also includes a commitment to develop domestic Fisheries Management Plans to ensure UK fisheries are managed sustainably. These will consider the wider impact of gears used to target stocks.