We previously covered the news that Chris Grayling, MP, was introducing a Ten Minute Rule Motion entitled ‘Marine Protected Areas (Bottom Trawling)’. The Hansard record can be found here and a second reading of the Bill is due on 18 March.

As reported in Fishing News: introducing the private members’ bill, which will ‘regulate and limit the practice of bottom trawling in marine protected areas’, Chris Grayling, supported by six other MPs, said: “There are no circumstances in which any fishing boat should be dragging a net along the bottom of the most environmentally important areas.”

A ban or restrictions would only apply to English waters, as management of MPAs is a devolved matter.

The NFFO said that the bill was ‘opportunist’ and ‘irresponsible’, would damage fishing businesses, create a huge effort displacement problem and have other unintended consequences (see here).

Chris Grayling, the Conservative MP for Epsom and Ewell, said MPAs currently do not offer a lot of protection for marine habitats, particularly seabeds.

In separate events, Fish Focus and Fishing Daily both covered last month’s All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Fisheries, “Fisheries and Protected Areas” event, the group heard from speakers from a range of organisations, who offered their insights into how the fisheries sector and implementers of marine protected areas can work together constructively, ensuring positive outcomes for fisheries stock sustainability and fishing communities.

Further information on the Fisheries APPG can be found here.