Marine protected areas Stage 3 Consultation
MMO is proposing management measures for fishing in 42 marine protected areas (MPAs) in English waters. Formal consultation will run for 12 weeks and close on 1 September 2025.
Stage 3 Overview
MMO is responsible for assessing and managing the impacts of fishing in offshore English MPAs. Stage 3 aims to protect all designated seabed features in MPAs not already covered in Stages 1 and 2. The features include important habitats and species, essential for healthy and functional marine ecosystems.
We are now asking your views on our proposed fisheries management measures and any additional evidence to help shape our assessments. More detailed information can be found within our Stage 3 Consultation Document.
The proposed fisheries management measures are based on draft fisheries assessments which conclude that these measures are necessary to ensure, beyond reasonable scientific doubt, that the conservation objectives of these MPAs can be achieved.
These measures include:
- prohibitions of fishing using bottom towed gear in specified areas in 31 MPAs;
- prohibition of fishing using bottom towed gears and prohibitions on fishing using static gears (traps and/or bottom set nets and lines) in specified areas in four MPAs;
- prohibition of fishing using traps in a specified area of one MPA;
- prohibition of fishing using bottom towed gear and prohibition of the removal of spiny lobster, also known as crawfish (Palinurus elephas) in a specified area of one MPA;
- minor changes to existing bottom towed gear prohibitions in 5 MPAs to reflect the most up to date approach, habitat location and depth information.
These management measures will be delivered through the creation of four proposed byelaws, each covering a different region. These byelaws will also incorporate all previous MMO MPA measures, replacing all prior MMO MPA byelaws, providing a single point of reference for all MMO MPA fisheries measures.
The four proposed byelaws are:
- The North Sea Marine Protected Areas Fishing Gear Byelaw 2024 (covering ICES areas 4b and 4c)
- The Eastern Channel Marine Protected Areas Fishing Gear Byelaw 2024 (covering ICES area 7d)
- The Western Channel and Southwest Marine Protected Areas Fishing Gear Byelaw 2024 (covering ICES areas 7e, 7f, 7g, 7h and 7j)
- The Irish Sea Marine Protected Areas Fishing Gear Byelaw 2024 (covering ICES area 7a)
The proposed measures include prohibitions on fishing using bottom towed gears in approximately 30,000 km2, on fishing using traps of approximately 860 km2, and on fishing using bottom set nets and lines in approximately 300 km2.
The social and economic impacts of the proposed measures are displayed in the draft de minimis assessment. The annual cost to UK businesses is estimated to be £530,000.
The total benefit over the 20-year appraisal period, accounting for total net costs to UK businesses and public bodies of £7.8 million, and the benefits from enhanced environmental protection, including enhanced fish populations, nutrient cycling and climate regulation is estimated to be approximately £3.1 billion.
MMOs has carried out site level assessments of the impacts of fishing gear on protected features in the 43 Stage 3 MPAs and published our method document explaining our assessment process.
These impacts assessments follow our Stage 3 MPAs Call for evidence held in 2023.
Stage 3 Important Documents
MMOs has produced a series of important documents to support the Stage 3 MPAs formal consultation. This includes our Stage 3 consultation overview, draft byelaws, impacts evidence and de-minimis assessment. You can also find site assessments for the 43 MPAs included in this stage and our methodology document.
The North Sea Marine Protected Areas Fishing Gear Byelaw 2024
This draft byelaw covers ICES areas 4a and 4b.
The Eastern Channel Marine Protected Areas Fishing Gear Byelaw 2024
This draft byelaw covers ICES area 7d.
The Western Channel and Southwest Marine Protected Areas Fishing Gear Byelaw 2024
This draft byelaw covers ICES area 7e, 7f, 7g, 7h and 7j.
The Irish Sea Marine Protected Areas Fishing Gear Byelaw 2024
This draft byelaw covers ICES area 7a.
Stage 3 Call for Evidence
In 2023 we held a call for evidence on the impacts of fishing on Stage 3 MPAs. The call for evidence sought additional evidence and views on evidence and analysis of the impacts of fishing on seabed features in English MPAs.
How to respond
We are seeking views and additional evidence on these proposals, in particular:
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Do you have any additional information about the location, condition, or sensitivity of the designated features?
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Do you have information on the type, location, frequency, or intensity of fishing activity within the MPAs?
- Do you agree or disagree with the proposed management measures? Do you have any suggestions for other management measures?
- How would the proposed management measures affect you? Or those you represent?
- What impacts, if any, do you anticipate the proposed management measures will have on UK fishing vessels, operators, or supply chains?
- What impacts, if any, do you anticipate the proposed management measures will have on non-UK fishing vessels, operators, or supply chains (including those from the EU)?
- What other impacts could the proposed management measures have? For example, on fishers, the wider fishing community, coastal communities, employment, upstream and downstream supply chains, people with protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010, fish stocks, the marine environment.
Evidence on the impact of social and economic impacts of the proposals may help in reshaping the proposals, but only insofar as is consistent with the MMO’s legal duties to support the achievement of MPA conservation objectives.