After analysis revealed that the Dogger Bank protected area has seen a threefold increase of destructive bottom trawling, the government is under pressure.
Conservationists welcomed proposals by the government to ban trawling or dredging fishing practices. This involves dragging heavy nets over the seabed in English waters. This is an area that is equivalent to the size Northern Ireland. Dogger Bank is included along with three other marine protected area (MPAs).
The Marine Conservation Society (MCS), which analysed data from Global Fishing Watch, found that bottom trawling had increased at the site from approximately 1,700 hours per year between 2015-2018 to 5,500 hours between 2020 and 2021.
It accused the government for not keeping its promises and delaying action on the proposed fishing ban. The ban is still in effect a year later. The ban was introduced by a bylaw, which is typically adopted within 12 months.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs stated in a statement that new bylaws to ban bottom trawling within the four MPAs were in process of being finalized, but did not provide a timeframe.
Dogger Bank MPA is one of the largest European sandbanks at 12,300 km. It is home to commercial species such as cod and whiting. It is also a major site for blue carbon, which is the CO2 that is sequestered and stored in marine and coastal ecosystems.
MPAs cover nearly a quarter of UK territorial water. They are designed to protect vital ecosystems as well as species, such as harbour porpoises, dolphins, and other marine life. This network is a symbol for the governments Target to protect 30% of the ocean biodiversity by 2030.
According to data shared with Guardian, however, more British MPAs than 97% are being dredged or bottom trawled.
Dr Jean-Luc Solandt is the principal specialist in MPAs at MCS. He said that MPAs are currently a fabrication. Since we left the EU, there has been an amazing increase in the amount of fishing that causes damage in the Dogger Bank. Is it possible to regain control over our waters?
This was promised by the government a year ago. We were optimistic, but nothing has actually happened. There is no indication of the promised timeline to ensure management of England’s entire list, which includes 40 MPAs offshore.
Solandt said that at current rates, it would take over a decade to put in place management for all MPAs.
Frith Dunkley, MCS researcher in MPA said:Since the Dogger Bank MPA bylaw was passed banning bottom-towed fishing equipment, the sandbank habitat has been damaged and threatened by fishing activities, which have also led to the loss of marine life and the removal of ecologically important species like sand eels.
This week, the MCS is launching a social media campaign with the hashtag MarineUnprotectedAreas, calling for the public to tweet their MPs and MSPs to ban bottom trawling and dredging in offshore MPAs.
Ministers face pressure from the Tory party to safeguard the seabed. Chris Grayling (ex-transport secretary) will make a 10-minute motion in parliament to introduce a duty for the secretary of the state to ban bottom trolling in MPAs.
Charles Clover, executive Director of the Blue Marine Foundation which will support the MCS campaign said: The most important lesson in marine conservation is that meaningful protection allows for rapid and significant regeneration. To protect our fish stocks, and low-impact fisheries, the UK must be proactive in protecting these protected areas.
The government argued that it didn’t have control over fishing rights before Brexit.
George Eustice (environment secretary) announced plans to ban bottom trawling from the four MPAs last ye. He said: Now that the common fisheries policies have been ended, we can fulfill our commitment to a healthy, thriving, and sustainable marine environment.
Eustice cited the Fisheries Acts power for further protection of Britain’s seas. Eustice also stated: This proposal to create bylaws to protect four of our precious offshore marine protected zones shows how we are putting those powers into action.
The Dogger Bank, located 75 miles east of Hull is heavily fished over the past decades. Bottom trawling releases carbon into the ocean from the seabed, decreasing its ability to buffer climate change. Dogger Bank is the English MPA with the largest carbon storage capacity. According to the MCS.
Last September Greenpeace dropped huge bouldersTo create an exclusion zone, trawlers must be able to get from their ship into the Dogger Bank MPA.
A spokesperson for Defra said that the agency is focused on ensuring that all English MPAs in England are managed effectively as quickly as possible. 98 MPAs in-shore now have management procedures in place to protect sensitive parts from bottom-towed fishing equipments.
New bylaws protecting offshore MPAs were created following the 2021 consultation.
