Fisheries and nature conservation: Increased protection of Natura 2000 sites in the North Sea

Today, 8 December 2022, the Commission adopted a set of fisheries conservation measures to strengthen the environmental protection of six Natura 2000 sites and two national marine protected areas (MPAs) in the North Sea.

The new regulation introduces measures for four German (Sylt Outer Reef, Borkum Reef Ground, Dogger Bank and Eastern German Bight) and two Dutch (Cleaver Bank and Frisian Front) Natura 2000 sites, as well as the Frisian Front and Central Oyster Grounds MPAs.

The measures will protect sensitive seabed habitats, such as sandbanks and reefs, from the impact of mobile bottom contacting gears. In addition, they will also contribute to protecting harbour porpoises and six seabird species by reducing their bycatch in gillnets and entangling nets.

The fisheries conservation measures are based on joint recommendations submitted by Germany and the Netherlands and supported by the neighbouring Member States fishing in the area (Belgium, Denmark, France and Sweden), further reinforcing the role of regionalisation in the implementation of the common fisheries policy (CFP).

Reviewed and positively evaluated by the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF), the regulation delivers on the European Green Deal and EU’s Biodiversity Strategy for 2030. Furthermore, it contributes to the implementation of the Habitats Directive, the Birds Directive and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD).

Next steps

The regulation will now be submitted to the European Parliament and the Council of the EU for a two month scrutiny period. It will enter into force after being published in the Official Journal. 

Maps from

Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF) – 60th Plenary Meeting Report (PLEN-19-01). Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, 2019, ISBN 978-92-76-02904-5, doi:10.2760/56785, JRC116423

Review of Joint Recommendations for Natura 2000 sites at Dogger Bank, Cleaver Bank, Frisian Front and Central Oyster grounds (STECF-19-04). Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, 2019, ISBN 978-92-76-11227-3, doi:10.2760/422631, JRC117963

More information

COMMISSION DELEGATED REGULATION (EU) …/... of 8.12.2022 amending Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/118 as regards conservation measures in Sylter Aussenriff, Borkum-Riffgrund, Doggerbank and Östliche Deutsche Bucht, and in Klaverbank, Friese Front and Centrale Oestergronden