Livelihoods of fishermen are being threatened to protect a sea creature that isn’t even endangered.

The government is proposing to ban fishing along 10 miles of coastline at Hythe Bay to protect a burrowing worm.

But the population of the green tongue spoon worm has almost doubled in the past decade, Folkestone and Hythe MP Damian Collins says.

He told Parliament: “Recent surveys by the government show a near 100% increase in the local spoon worm population, so this is a conservation success story.

“The trawlers are relatively small boats with light nets skimming the surface, not churning up the sea bed.

“You would have to have a very robust case to stop fishing there. We cannot have livelihoods jeopardised on a hunch.”

The Folkestone and Hythe MP had secured a debate at Westminster Hall.

Defra (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) wants to close off Hythe Bay from Dymchurch to Sandgate to protect the worm.

It would do this by creating a Marine Conservation Zone at recovery status, thereby stopping any fishing in the area.

Mr Collins argued this would put several local commercial fishing boats out of business, forcing fishing to transfer to the Rye area.

That would result in overfishing there and then create real conservation problems that didn’t previously exist.

There would also be a knock-on effect on Shepway businesses relying on the local fishing industry, and it would stop pleasure, sport and beach fishing, putting the area’s tackle and bait shops out of business.

This would endanger the futures of prestigious suppliers such as Dungeness Fish, which was placed in the final of BBC Radio 4’s Food and Farming Awards in 2009.

“The fishermen are not against marine conservation – their livelihoods depend on it” - MP Damian Collins

He said local fishermen had suggested the best solution would be to put the MCZ’s status under maintain rather than recovery, therefore allowing fishing while monitoring the local spoon worm population.

Mr Collins added the trawlermen had suggested placing the MCZ between Dover and Folkestone where there is little fishing, but that was rejected during the consultation.

He told MPs: “The fishermen are not against marine conservation – their livelihoods depend on it.”

He added that research by Kent Wildlife Trust showed that the Hythe Bay area had “an unusually rich assemblance of species”.

Public consultation over the MCZ ended in March and Defra would choose which of the country’s coastal areas would be given the status later in the year.

Richard Benyon, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defra, who is involved in the decision, was unable to attend the debate.

But David Heath, Minister of State for Agriculture and Food, said Mr Benyon was willing to meet Mr Collins and his constituents to discuss the matter.

He also said that all the evidence from the consultation would be examined by minister before a final decision is made.

Mr Heath added: “I understand that we need to strike a balance between conservation and important industries.”