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Increased protection granted to five Natura 2000 sites in the Baltic Sea
© Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN)
Today, the EU adopted a set of conservation measures to strengthen the environmental protection of five Natura 2000 sites in the German Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the Baltic Sea. The initiative, put forward by Germany and agreed by all Baltic EU countries, prohibits fishing with mobile bottom contacting gears in areas of the Fehmarnbelt, Kadetrinne and Pommersche Bucht mit Oderbank and in the entire sites of the Westliche Rönnebank and Adlergrund.
The measures will protect sensitive seabed habitats, such as sandbanks and reefs, and will contribute to revert the unfavourable environmental status of species and biotopes.
The reinforced protection of these marine areas is a success of the regionalisation process of the common fisheries policy (CFP). They stem from a joint recommendation proposed by the Baltic EU countries to the European Commission.
The Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF) assessed the measures positively and they will contribute to achieving compliance with the requirements of the Habitats Directive concerning management of these Natura 2000 sites, and good environmental status of marine waters as required by the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD).
These measures also deliver on the European Green Deal and the EU’s Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, and contribute to the objectives of the Nature Restoration Law. Protecting these habitats is also key to secure long-term benefits of healthy marine ecosystems for fisheries and to increase their resilience to climate change.
Källa: European Commission