Why is the government planning to ban fishing off parts of the British coast?
No fishing zones could be introduced off parts of the British coast as part of government plans to protect marine wildlife.
Five areas have been selected by Defra as potential sites to become Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs).
A consultation is taking place until 28 September for the public to share their views on the impact HPMAs will have on local communities.
What is a Highly Protected Marine Area?
HPMAs are areas of the sea, including the shoreline, that have the strictest possible environmental protection to allow marine ecosystems to recover.
It is thought activities such as fishing (both commercial and recreational), dredging, construction and anchoring will be prohibited in these zones.
By placing areas of the sea under high levels of protection, nature is able to recover to a more natural state and the ecosystem can thrive.
Which areas will become Highly Protected Marine Areas?
No decision has been made yet, but Defra is consulting on five potential HPMAs, which are geographically spread around English waters.
These include two inshore sites: Allonby Bay in the Irish Sea and Lindisfarne in the Northern North Sea
The government is also consulting on three offshore sites: North East of Farnes Deep in the Northern North Sea, Inner Silver Pit South in the Southern North Sea, and Dolphin Head in the Eastern Channel.
Why have these locations been picked?
The five candidate pilot sites have been selected because they have a wide range of biodiversity such as sheltered intertidal mudflats, sub-tidal kelp forests, and biogenic and rocky reef.
They are also home to valuable marine species, commercially important fish stocks, and include blue carbon habitats which play an important role in capturing and storing carbon.
Defra picked the sites using ecological analysis and advice from Natural England and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC).
How will HPMAs impact the fishing industry?
Fisherman in the proposed areas fear the ban on fishing in HPMAs will negatively impact their businesses and lead to conflict between crews competing for fish elsewhere.
Before introducing a HPMA, the government has to take into consideration the economic impact on local areas.
Those with vested interests have been asked to take part in a consultation and submit evidence on how they would be impacted by the introduction of a HPMA.