In order to achieve its conservation objectives for protecting the seabed, the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) has recently launched a public consultation on banning bottom-trawling in over 40 Marine Protected Areas including the Goodwin Sands. It also wants to ban bottom-set nets, lines and traps in specific areas.
As part of the consultation, the MMO has asked for suggestions for further conservation measures.
Banning sand mining (marine aggregate extraction) in MCZs would seem an appropriate measure as it is far more destructive to the ecosystem than the surface damage caused by bottom-trawling.
Allowing marine aggregate extraction in areas where bottom-trawling is prohibited completely undermines the MMO’s conservation efforts for protecting the seabed.
We fully support the ban on bottom-trawling in all MCZs but want to take this opportunity to suggest a ban on marine aggregate extraction in the same areas – especially on the Goodwin Sands!
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Responding to the consultation is very easy.
We suggest you write to the MMO saying:
1. you support the ban on bottom-trawling in order to protect the seabed in MCZs and to further the MMO’s conservation objectives
2. you suggest that as a further conservation measure the MMO also bans marine aggregate extraction in the same areas as it is far more destructive than the surface damage caused by bottom-trawling
If you want to look at the consultation documents in more detail you can do so here
You can respond in several ways:
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online at https://consult.defra.gov.uk/mmo/stage-3-formal-consultation
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by email to conservation@marinemanagement.org.uk
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by calling 0300 123 1032
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in writing to Stage 3 MPA Formal Consultation, Marine Conservation Team, Marine Management Organisation, Lancaster House, Newcastle Business Park, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE4 7YH