Marine Protected Areas and Fisheries

Question

HM Government has responsibilities under domestic and international law to manage our fisheries in a sustainable way, including through tackling destructive fishing practices. We take these responsibilities forward through a variety of means.

For example, firstly, we have built a comprehensive network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in English waters and are now focused on making sure they are properly protected. Nearly 60% of our 178 English MPAs are already protected from damaging fishing activity and we are aiming to have all MPAs in English waters protected from such activity by 2024.

Secondly, Fisheries Management Plans are being developed to deliver sustainable fisheries for current and future generations.

Thirdly, through bilateral and multilateral fisheries negotiations, the UK aims to progressively improve the status of stocks and reduce wider ecosystem impacts to deliver high class fisheries management.

HM Government is also committed to ending Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing. As well as implementing measures to prevent IUU fish being imported into the UK, through the use of catch certificates and other documents, we are also acting internationally to tackle this threat. This year, the United Kingdom along with the US and Canada launched the IUU Fishing Action Alliance, which brings members together to jointly take action to prevent deter and eliminate IUU fishing.