The international fishing industry has issued a strong warning against the UK’s latest Marine Protected Area (MPA) proposals, calling them “disproportionate” and “flawed”.
Published on 29 September, the joint response comes from fleets in Belgium, France, the UK and the Netherlands, along with the European Association of Fish Producers Organisations (EAPO).
They argue that the Marine Management Organisation’s (MMO) Stage 3 consultation could shut 30,000 km² of English waters to bottom-towed gear and impose extra bans on nets and traps.
Industry says measures threaten food security
The group claims the proposals would hit over 1,300 vessels and cause “severe socio-economic harm” while offering little more than “symbolic protection”.
They say closures risk dismantling viable fleets, cutting domestic supply, and driving the UK and Europe towards seafood imports from countries with weaker sustainability standards.
“Displacing or eliminating local fishing effort undermines livelihoods and food security,” the response warns.
Flawed evidence and unfair focus
The industry accuses the MMO of using outdated data and unrealistic assumptions. Its cost–benefit model is said to overstate ecological gains while ignoring displacement effects, such as longer steaming times, higher fuel use, and added carbon emissions.
Fleets also point to a “double standard”: while fishing faces blanket bans, aggregate dredging continues in MPAs. “Fishing is being singled out, despite its low carbon footprint,” the report argues.
Call for an adaptive, fairer approach
Instead of blanket bans, the industry proposes adaptive measures such as gear innovations, seasonal closures, ecological indicators and two-year transition periods. They urge cross-border coordination and more frequent reviews.
The conclusion is blunt: unless the consultation is fundamentally reviewed, the proposals will fail “both conservation and communities.”