Formal Consultation – MMO management of fishing activity impacts in marine protected areas – Stage 3
4.16 Cape Bank
This section is for specific responses in relation to Cape Bank MPA.
If you have general comments for MPAs in the Western Channel and South West please place these in the ‘region - regional comments’ section.
Alternatively, if your comments are overarching, for the consultation as a whole, please place these in the ‘General comments’ section.
A summary for Cape Bank MPA, the Stage 3 MPA Fisheries Assessment, associated Impact Assessment (De minimis Assessment), methodology and draft byelaw can be found in the related information section below. Three Impacts Evidence documents can also be accessed in the related information section, describing the interactions between different fishing gear types and designated MPA features.
The map of the management area for this site can be found below. WebApps displaying the management areas alongside site data have also been produced. Access the WebApps here, guidance on their use can be found in the related information section below.
As detailed on the overview page, we have provided guidance questions which may help with structuring your response:
- Do you have any additional information about the location, condition, or sensitivity of the designated features?
- Do you have information on the type, location, frequency, or intensity of fishing activity within the MPAs?
- Do you agree or disagree with the proposed management measures? Do you have any suggestions for other management measures?
- How would the proposed management measures affect you? Or those you represent?
- What impacts, if any, do you anticipate the proposed management measures will have on UK fishing vessels, operators, or supply chains?
- What impacts, if any, do you anticipate the proposed management measures will have on non-UK fishing vessels, operators, or supply chains (including those from the EU)?
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What other impacts could the proposed management measures have? For example, on fishers, the wider fishing community, coastal communities, employment, upstream and downstream supply chains, people with protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010, fish stocks, the marine environment.
Related Information
Cape Bank MPA is an MCZ covering 474 km2 off the southwest coast of Cornwall. The site straddles the 12 nm and 6 nm limits with approximately 360 km2 extending beyond the 6 nm limit. The Cape Bank MPA partially overlaps the Land’s End and Cape Bank MPA.
The MMO Marine Protected Areas Bottom Towed Fishing Gear Byelaw 2023 came into force on 22 March 2023 and prohibits the use of bottom towed fishing gear throughout Cape Bank MPA.
The portion of this site inshore of 6 nm is within the Cornwall Inshore Fisheries and Conservation District. MMO is therefore working with the Cornwall IFCA to ensure effective management of fishing in this site. MMO is assessing fishing in the portion of the site beyond 6 nm, and the Cornwall IFCA is assessing fishing within 6 nm. MMO will be responsible for implementing any fisheries management measures required for the portion of the site offshore of 6 nm.
The designated features that occur in the portion offshore of 6 nm are:
- moderate energy circalittoral rock; and
- subtidal coarse sediment.
The MMO draft site assessment concludes that ongoing fishing using traps and anchored nets and lines over the circalittoral rock and subtidal coarse sediment features will not result in a significant risk of hindering the achievement of the conservation objectives of the MPA.
No further management for this MPA is therefore proposed.
MMO is proposing that the current bottom towed gear prohibition in the MMO Marine Protected Areas Bottom Towed Fishing Gear Byelaw 2023 is incorporated into and replaced by the draft Western Channel and Southwest Channel Marine Protected Areas Fishing Gear Byelaw 2024.
The Cape Bank site assessment can be viewed and downloaded below.
Cape Bank MPA Fisheries Site Assessment (opens in new tab)
Other relevant related documents can be viewed and downloaded below:
The Western Channel and South West Marine Protected Areas Fishing Gear Byelaw 2024
MMO Stage 3 MPA Fisheries Assessment Methodology
MMO Stage 3 MPA WebApp Guidance
Anchored Nets and Lines Fishing Gear Impacts Evidence