In no small measure it was Natural England’s high-handed approach to designating the marine protected areas (MPA) in Lyme Bay that stimulated the UK fishing industry to unite in forming the MPA Fishing Coalition. The main aim of the Coalition is to hold government and its advisors to account by ensuring that all future sites are selected and designated on the basis of open, well-found scientific principles and evidence.
After strong opposition from the industry the initial, national conservation measures for Lyme Bay were imposed. Despite ongoing opposition and evidence offered by the industry for an alternative approach, the newly designated European site in Lyme Bay is even more extensive than the original. The announcement by Defra that the Dogger Bank is now a ‘possible’ MPA comes as no surprise. It is widely know that many within the statutory conservation agencies and voluntary pressure groups such as the RSPB have had their sights set on declaring the Dogger Bank an MPA area for the better part of 20 years.
Unless there is unequivocal scientific evidence to the contrary, the MPA Fishing Coalition strive to ensure that any Dogger Bank MPA is based on a presumption in favour of status quo fishing activity.
