Mr. John Menarry:

No, marine protected areas, MPAs. The socioeconomic part of it was mentioned. I said to Mr. Noonan, half-joking, and you get more worried as the time goes along, that inshore fishermen will need an MPA to operate in because we are getting squeezed so much between SACs, Natura 2000 and offshore renewables. I asked where we would operate and said we might need an area protected for ourselves.

On the point about MPAs, we do not have a problem with MPAs in theory, but you have to identify what needs protecting first. You cannot just say, "We will protect this area." What will it be protected for? What needs protecting? Once you know what needs protecting, what does it need protecting from? We encounter whales, dolphins and all sorts of wildlife every day we are at sea. We pose no issue or threat to them. If they need protecting in the area, it is not from fishermen they need protecting. It is very important that there is proper engagement and that fishermen are listened to when these MPAs are being brought in.