Petition

Ban Bottom Trawling in all of the UK's Marine Protected Areas

Rejected 9 signatures

What the petition asks

We call on the Government to ban bottom trawling in all of the UK's Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).
Bottom trawling represents a highly destructive fishing practice in which weighted nets are dragged across the seabed, indiscriminately killing all types of sea life.

Despite their designation, bottom-trawl fishing persists within the majority of MPAs. Enforcing robust protections is essential to ensure that these areas fulfil their purpose—supporting the recovery of rare, threatened, and ecologically important habitats and species in UK waters.

Why it was rejected

There was already a petition about this issue. Duplicates are rejected so signatures collect in one place.

The following petition calls for a similar action:

Ban Trawling in All Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in UK waters
Ban Trawling in All Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in UK waters

Timeline

18 May 2025 Petition opened for signatures
16 Jun 2025 Rejected by the Petitions Committee

Key facts

Signatures 9
Status Rejected
Rejected 16 Jun 2025

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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 1 Sep 2026.