Decision-maker contact
Tell UK Leaders: Ban Bottom Trawling in Marine Protected Areas
This contact period is closed
Emails sent directly to the formal public consultation and regional MPs
Update
Action closed
Ahead of the UN Ocean Conference, Blue Marine Foundation, Oceana UK, and partners launched a public campaign calling on the UK Government to ban bottom trawling in UK Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). Thanks to your support, over 18,000 emails were sent directly to Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Steve Reed — making it clear that the public wants urgent action to protect our seas.
That pressure paid off. At UNOC in June 2025, the UK Government announced its intention to ban bottom trawling in 41 offshore MPAs in England — a major milestone in safeguarding our marine life. Following the announcement, the Government opened a public consultation (June 9th – September 29th, 2025). Together, partners mobilised more than 10,000 formal submissions to the consultation and an additional 10,000 emails to MPs, keeping bottom trawling firmly on the national and local political agenda.
What’s next? The Government will now review the consultation and announce its final decision. Until then, we will keep you updated on progress — and will be watching closely, ready to mobilise again to make sure promises are actioned.
Massive nets, some of which are as large as a football pitch, scrape the seabed bare. They bulldoze everything in their path, including kelp forests, seagrass meadows, coral gardens and other vital ecosystems, indiscriminately catching untargeted wildlife.
Nowhere is this reckless practice more shocking than in the United Kingdom’s marine ‘protected’ areas (MPAs) — where bottom trawling is permitted in 90% of their range. This creates an illusion of protection, masking the daily destruction along the seafloor.
We have to act fast
There’s light on the horizon. The UK government has finally announced a plan to ban bottom trawling in 41 MPAs. The catch? It’s not a done deal. A public consultation is open NOW before anything is finalised — and your voice is needed to turn these promises into real progress.
What happens next depends on people like you. The consultation window is very narrow — it will close on 29 September 2025 — so now is the time to act. Add your voice today to help make this plan law and set a powerful precedent for true ocean protection.
Soft coral garden in the North Sea · Juan Cuetos, Oceana
Campaign goals
We’re urging the UK government to take action. It has the power to:
Land lasting legislation
Force the UK to follow through with a full, permanent ban on bottom trawling in all 41 proposed MPAs.
Ensure conservation takes centre stage
Resist industry pressure that could water down or delay protections.
Build momentum for more marine protection
Strengthen enforcement and commit to rolling out full protections in additional MPAs in the future.
Why your voice matters
This consultation is our chance to show the UK Government that the public overwhelmingly supports real protection for the ocean — not just words, but action.
Your voice will help protect critical ocean life and secure a better future for our seas and for the communities that depend on them.
Grey seal in a kelp forest in the Farne Islands · Juan Cuetos, Oceana
What happens next
Your email will be sent directly to the official public consultation on the government’s proposed ban as well as your local MP.
This is a rare moment where public input can directly shape the future of marine protection in the UK. The consultation period will determine whether the UK’s plan moves forward — and whether it delivers strong, enforceable protections or gets watered down.
Let’s make sure bottom trawling is finally banned where it never should have been allowed: in marine protected areas.
Sunstar with soft coral in the North Sea · Juan Cuetos, Oceana
