Call for extension of consultation on bottom trawl ban in offshore English MPAs

French fishermen have echoed the concerns of UK fishermen over what they say is the MMO’s ‘brutal’ proposed ban on bottom trawling in most of England’s offshore MPAs, which was made public on 9 June (FN, 19 June, ‘The bottom line: is a trawling ban the answer for MPAs?’).

A 12-week consultation on the proposals until 1 September is underway, but France’s National Committee for Maritime Fisheries and Marine Farming (CNPMEM) has called for the ‘botched’ consultation period to be extended to 1 November.

The CNPMEM said it was ‘deeply concerned’ at the proposed ban, saying it would have ‘major economic and social consequences for French fleets’.

It said more than 100 vessels would be affected, many of which are owned by Bretons.

The proposals include a ban on bottom-towed gear in around 30,000km² of seabed across 41 offshore MPAs in the UK EEZ. They would involve a total ban in 36 of the MPAs and changes to existing bottom-towed gear prohibitions in another five.

The CNPMEM said it ‘strongly deplores the extremely short public consultation deadline imposed by the British Government, which would end on 1 September, 2025’.

It said this timetable ‘does not allow for either in-depth scientific analysis or serious consultation with fishing professionals’. “Such an approach cannot be described as a proper consultation.”

CNPMEM president Olivier Le Nézet has written to prime minister Keir Starmer to formally request an extension of the consultation to 1 November, ‘in order to guarantee real participation of the stakeholders concerned’.

The French initiative coincided with the three-day visit to the UK by French president Emmanuel Macron last week. The CNPMEM said it hoped that the issue of MPAs and their impact on Franco-British fishing relations could be addressed within the framework of bilateral discussions.

It said: “Like their colleagues operating in British waters, Breton fishermen express deep concern about the potential consequences of a postponement of fishing effort, which could affect other areas and generate tensions in already fragile ecosystems.

“They demand that environmental measures be based on solid scientific data and balanced consultation, respectful of economic, social, territorial and environmental issues.”

Olivier Le Nézet added: “We do not question the objective of protecting marine environments, but we reject unilateral, invariable decisions that are disconnected from the realities on the ground.

“This proposed general ban on trawling in 36 areas is unprecedentedly brutal. French fishermen have the right to expect genuine consultation, not a botched one in the middle of summer. We call on the French Government to firmly raise this issue in bilateral dialogue with the United Kingdom.”

As well as the ban on bottom-towed gear in specified areas of 31 MPAs, the proposals include prohibitions on static gear (pots and bottom-set nets and lines) in some MPAs.

The UK industry has slammed the proposals, with the NFFO saying they are ‘an astonishing attack on fishermen and coastal communities’, while the SFF said the UK Government had ‘caved in to the emotional, unevidenced siren calls of the environmental NGOs’.

By Tim Oliver

This story was taken from the latest issue of Fishing News. For more up-to-date and in-depth reports on the UK and Irish commercial fishing sector, subscribe to Fishing News here or buy the latest single issue for just £3.50 here. 

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