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

Ascension Island Government currently maintains a closed area of approximately 220,000 square kilometres to commercial fishing. Working with a coalition of academic institutions, scientists and non-governmental organisations, the Island Government is currently developing a scientific roadmap to determine the location of the final Marine Protected Area ahead of formal designation. Scientific research is underway to assist in this process and once collected and analysed will inform the final designation, which is on track to occur within the next few years.