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

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to ban bottom trawling.

Bottom trawling can clearly be a damaging activity if it happens in the wrong place. We are considering next steps to manage bottom trawling, along with other fishing methods, where this might damage marine protected area features or benthic habitats, in the context of our domestic and international nature conservation obligations. We are keen to continue to work closely with fisheries and marine stakeholders as we develop our plans for future fisheries and marine management.