The Nearshore Trawling Byelaw
Sussex Inshore Fisheries & Conservation Authority is pleased to announce the confirmation of its Nearshore Trawling Byelaw. The byelaw creates a trawling prohibition area along the coastline of Sussex to protect important habitats and to improve our fisheries. The byelaw can be viewed here. The protected area will enhance importance fish feeding, breeding and nursery grounds. We also expect to see improvements in biodiversity and carbon storage. See our media release
Guardian ‘A new bylaw, supported by Sir David Attenborough and BLUE through the Help Our Kelp coalition, will protect 300 square kilometres of seabed off the Sussex coast from damaging trawl fishing. These new measures will help to restore Sussex’s remarkable kelp forests which will provide vital habitat for hundreds of species and sequester a large amount of carbon in the fight against climate change.
The kelp forests can also lock up huge amounts of carbon in the fight against climate change, improve water quality and reduce coastal erosion by absorbing the power of the waves.
As recently as the 1980s, extensive, dense kelp beds stretched 25 miles (40km) along the West Sussex coast between Shoreham-by-Sea and Selsey Bill and at least 2.5 miles (4km) out to sea.
But campaigners warned they have dwindled to almost nothing as a result of storm damage, trawling and the dumping of sediment by dredging boats.
Although a number of factors could be stopping the kelp from regrowing, the implementation of the near-shore trawling bylaw relieves that pressure on the area where the kelp grows, giving it a chance to recover, they said.
The bylaw has been approved by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs after it was first agreed by the Sussex IFCA in January 2020, following a public consultation.
The deputy chief fisheries and conservation officer for Sussex IFCA, Dr Sean Ashworth, said: “We are delighted that the local community and central government have recognised the critical importance of looking after Sussex marine wildlife and the local fisheries that critically depend upon it.
“We look forward to seeing a regeneration of the lost kelp forests and an associated improvement of the inshore fishery.”
The move is being hailed as a milestone for the Help Our Kelp partnership, whose campaign was supported by Attenborough as well as MPs and members of the public.
Henri Brocklebank, chairman of the Help Our Kelp partnership and director of conservation at Sussex Wildlife Trust, said: “The support of Sussex communities and our elected representatives has been inspirational.