Committee publication · Correspondence · 9 June 2026
Letter to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs relating to bottom trawling, 9 June
Summary
The Environmental Audit Committee writes to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs seeking an update on the Government's response to a Marine Management Organisation consultation on banning bottom trawling across 42 Marine Protected Areas. The consultation closed in September 2025 with over 20,000 responses, but the Government has not yet published its analysis or response. The Committee requests a timeline for publication and implementation.
Key findings
- The MMO consultation on bottom trawling bans across 42 MPAs closed in September 2025 with more than 20,000 responses
- Several months have elapsed since consultation closure with no Government response published
- The Committee's June 2025 report 'Governing the Marine Environment' recommended banning seabed-damaging practices within offshore MPAs
- Committee heard compelling evidence during its inquiry on damage caused by bottom-towed fishing gear to seabed habitats and marine ecosystems
Tone
ProceduralTopics
Key actors
Emma Reynolds MP, Toby Perkins MP, Environmental Audit Committee, Marine Management Organisation, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Notable line
“It is now several months since the consultation closed, and the Government has yet to publish its response.”
Key Quotes
“Given the importance of these protections, and the high level of public engagement with the consultation process, the Committee would welcome an update on the Government's progress.”
“During our inquiry, the Committee heard compelling evidence on the extent of damage caused by bottom-towed fishing gear to seabed habitats and the wider marine ecosystem.”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗