Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the success of the Pitcairn Islands Marine Reserve in enhancing and protecting marine life; and how many enforcement actions have been taken against illegal fishing in the reserve since its designation.
The Pitcairn Islands Marine Protected Area (MPA) was declared in September 2016. This MPA prohibits all commercial fishing. The MPA is being actively monitored by satellite surveillance, remote sensing technology, and aerial patrol. There is good evidence that the MPA is being largely respected by local fishing fleets.