Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent progress has been made on establishing a fully protected marine reserve around Ascension Island.

The Ascension Island Government has committed to establishing a fully protected marine reserve in at least 50% of their waters by 2019. Through the Blue Belt programme, the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science and the Marine Management Organisation have supported delivery of the Ascension Island Government's scientific roadmap. They have also provided advice to strengthen legislation to facilitate a future Marine Protected Area declaration.