Marine Protected Areas

Opened the debate

Tony Lloyd expressed deep concern about the current state of marine protected areas, highlighting issues such as over-fishing, industrial fishing practices, plastic pollution, and sewage dumping. He mentioned that only 1% of the oceans are currently protected, whereas scientists recommend at least 30%. The yellowfin tuna is endangered due to overfishing, while bottom trawlers cause significant damage to seabeds and marine biodiversity. Lloyd also noted problems with nomadic fishing practices, where vessels fish intensively without proper management.

Government Response

This is a personal debate with shared interests between the Government and the hon. Member for Rochdale on marine life and MPAs. We have made significant progress, including stopping raw sewage dumping in rivers and designating 371 MPAs covering 38% of UK waters. In England, there are 178 MPAs covering 40% of English waters. The Government has also protected over 90 areas from damaging fishing activities through byelaws and consultations for offshore MPAs. We welcome the Benyon review's recommendations on highly protected marine areas and plan to pilot some soon. Regarding large fishing vessels, we are examining evidence-based policies but note pelagic trawlers do not typically harm seabed habitats. The UK has banned pulse fishing in our waters. We aim to be a global leader by pushing for 30% of the ocean to be protected within MPAs by 2030 as part of the Global Ocean Alliance and High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People, which now includes Bangladesh bringing us to 41 countries supporting this target.