The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) has launched a Call for Evidence on the impacts of fishing activity in 13 Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).

It follows the announcement of Byelaws to prohibit damaging fishing activity in four MPAs last month, including Dogger Bank and the Canyons, which will come into force on 13 June 2022.

The MMO are now seeking views on the impacts of bottom towed gear (BTG) fishing in 13 more MPAs which contain some of the most sensitive features at risk from this activity, including rock, and rocky and biogenic reef.

The evidence put forward at this stage will be used to inform MMO’s assessments ahead of formal consultation on management of the sites.

The Call for Evidence will run for 8 weeks from today (14 May) until 10 July 2022. The draft MMO assessment documents, including all relevant information on how to contribute to this process, are available at this link.

The Call for Evidence applies to the following MPAs:

• Cape Bank
• East of Haig Fras
• Farnes East
• Foreland
• Goodwin Sands
• Haig Fras
• Haisborough, Hammond and Winterton
• Hartland Point to Tintagel
• Land’s End and Cape Bank
• North Norfolk Sandbanks and Saturn Reef
• Offshore Brighton
• South of Celtic Deep
• Wight-Barfleur Reef

Further information can be found here.