Ban Supertrawlers from UK waters after leaving the EUs Common Fisheries Policy

We request that the Government proposes a ban on supertrawlers from UK waters after the UK becomes an Independant Coastal State and is no longer restricted by the EU's Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) which allowed these huge vessels to decimate fish stocks and endanger marine ecosystems and species.

Supertrawlers are factory sized fishing vessels over 100m which trail nets a mile long catching thousands of tonnes of fish including bycatch and protected species including cetaceans. Foreign owned supertrawlers are regularly decimating the UK's fish stocks and endanger protected marine species: In 2019 such vessels fished in 39 of the UK's marine protected areas, while in the first six months of 2020 a total of 23 supertrawlers (mostly Dutch and Russian) fished in 19 marine protected areas.

We are reviewing our policies for supertrawlers. Any action needs to be evidence-based and in line with the UK/EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement.

There is no agreed definition of what a supertrawler is. In the media it has come to be known as a vessel that is over 100m in length. ‘Supertrawlers’ generally target pelagic species of fish within the water column and are unlikely to damage the seabed habitats, such as reef and sediment habitats, for which most Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are designated. Prohibiting these vessels will not protect MPAs from the fishing activities known to be damaging to some of them, such as bottom trawling.

The creation of MPAs is not generally an effective way to protect and conserve pelagic fish species which these vessels target. This is because these species are not stationary within the boundaries of the MPA where management measures would be applied. Management of stocks through the setting of quota limits has been shown to be a more effective conservation measure for pelagic fish species.

The UK is a global leader in the fight to protect our seas, with 38% of UK waters in Marine Protected Areas. The Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) has restricted our ability to implement fisheries management measures within offshore Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).

The UK is now an independent coastal state and is no longer bound by the CFP. Leaving the CFP gives us the opportunity to introduce sustainable, responsive and resilient new fisheries policies.

In October, the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) issued a call for evidence to inform the management decisions of five MPAs. The call for evidence closed on 15 December and the MMO are currently reviewing the responses. The evidence provided during this process will help shape and inform the MMO’s assessments and options ahead of formal consultation on site management measures early in 2021.