Fisheries

Decades of overexploitation have left our fisheries on the verge of collapse. Bottom trawling has destroyed vital habitats and bycatch continues to cause the death of marine mammals like dolphins. The future of UK fisheries depends upon a restored and healthy seas, and ensuring a just transition for the fishing industry would benefit jobs, consumers and wildlife.

For decades fishing in UK waters was guided by the EU Common Fisheries Policy. The UK’s departure from the European Union (Brexit) led to a change in how we manage our seas and our fisheries. We believe that this change presents opportunities for taking the best of the Common Fisheries Policy and improving it to make UK fisheries management world-leading. This means making sure that all fishing activity is sustainable; not just in terms of fish stocks but also reducing the impacts of fishing on the wider marine environment.

We are working hard to make sure that there is a just transition for fisheries which puts wildlife and the environment at the heart of future fisheries management and future legislation. 

What are sustainable fisheries?

A sustainable fishery is one that:

1. is well managed
2. has minimal impact on the environment
3. has minimal impact on other marine wildlife

Nationally, The Wildlife Trusts call for legislation and policies that would enable this to happen. Locally, Wildlife Trusts work directly with fishers, by: 

• supporting them to transition to more sustainable practices
• helping to advise Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authorities on conservation measures

We believe we need a just transition for fishers, where fisheries are brought into the wider context of marine environmental management through improved marine spatial prioritisation and the sustainable planning of fishing activities. Fishers should be supported to transition for more sustainable fishing practices or, where appropriate, alternative forms of income. The Government should also invest in modernising the fishing industry through the use of digital technology to improve monitoring, compliance and transparency. 

What is the Fisheries Act? 

In 2020 the Fisheries Act was passed. This Act sets out how UK fisheries will be managed outside of the Common Fisheries Policy. 

There are 8 objectives embedded throughout the Act, which are commitments to managing fisheries sustainably. The policy framework to achieve these objectives is laid out in the Joint Fisheries Statement, published in 2022 by the 4 UK fisheries policy authorities. 

Fishing and offshore Marine Protected Areas

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are places at sea which are designated to protect important wildlife and habitats. It is vital that activities that are likely to cause damage to protected habitats or species are excluded from these special areas. 

Under the EU's Common Fisheries Policy, in order to impose controls on fisheries to protect offshire MPAs (beyond 12 nautical miles) the UK had to seek agreement of the EU Member States whose vessels regularly fish in UK seas. This often led to compromise rather than conservation for offshore MPAs. Areas were left open to damanging fishing activities to appease fishing interests. 

The Wildlife Trusts worked hard during exit negotiations, talking to the Government to ensure that offshore MPAs would be fully protected after the UK left the EU. We believe this protection means: 

1. All damanging activities must be excluded from offshore MPAs
2. Any non-UK vessels must abide by the same rules as UK boats
3. While there needs to be discussion with other countries, the UK government must have the final say

Management measures in English MPAs

The powers set out in the Fisheries Act 2020 have allowed the Marine Management Organisation (who manage England's offshore seas) to introduce new byelaws. These byelaws manage fishing activity within offshore MPAs in England.

The Government set its own target of ensuring all fishing in offshore MPAs is appropriate managed by the end of 2024. However, this target has been missed. By the end of 2024 only 5 out of the 50 offshore MPAs in English waters have management measures protecting the whole-site from bottom-towed fishing gear. A further 13 prohibit bottom-towed fishing within certain areas of the MPAs.

Management measures for other fishing gears are yet to be introduced for offshore English MPAs (aside from The Canyons, where a prohibition on anchored net and line gears is in place for within a specified area of the site). 

We're continuing to talk to the UK Government to ensure that appropriate management measures for the remaining MPAs are brought in as quickly as possible.

What is bottom trawling? Find out more