Marine Management Organisation
Details
Managing fishing in MPAs
The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) is the governments principal regulator for most activities in English waters, including the management of activities in marine protected areas (MPAs).
Call for evidence
MMO has launched a call for evidence open from 14 May to 10 July 2022, seeking additional evidence and views on our draft assessment of the impacts of fishing activity using bottom towed gear on the designated features of 13 MPAs:
- Cape Bank
- East of Haig Fras
- Farnes East
- Foreland
- Goodwin Sands
- Haig Fras
- Haisborough, Hammond and Winterton
- Hartland Point to Tintagel
- Lands End and Cape Bank
- North Norfolk Sandbanks and Saturn Reef
- Offshore Brighton
- South of Celtic Deep
- Wight-Barfleur Reef
To respond to this call for evidence and access further information, please see our dedicated page.
What happens next?
MMO will review all the information received during the call for evidence and, where necessary progress the implementation of management measures to ensure these MPAs are protected, whilst ensuring we deliver the appropriate levels of consultation with stakeholders.
MMO byelaws
To understand more about the byelaw process and to view current MMO byelaws in place, please see our Understand marine conservation byelaws page for further information.
Implementation of the Governments ambitious plans for a Blue Belt of MPAs around the UKs seas continues with the confirmation of four MMO byelaws to protect four offshore MPAs.
In April 2022 the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs confirmed four byelaws to manage fishing in the following MPAs, which came into force on the 13 June 2022:
- The Canyons;
- Dogger Bank;
- Inner Dowsing, Race Bank and North Ridge; and
- South Dorset.
Now that the UK has left the EU, the UK Government has powers to implement evidenced based marine management that will help ensure our seas are managed sustainably, protecting both the long-term future of the fishing industry and our precious wildlife and ha