Extra protection for nature reserves in the Dutch North Sea

Stricter nature conservation regulations now apply to three areas in the Dutch part of the North Sea. The bottom of the North Sea must be left alone, and fishing with trawl nets is no longer permitted. "A milestone" and "great news for nature," the North Sea Foundation called it. The organization calculated that the measures that took effect Thursday will "effectively protect" 5 percent of the Dutch North Sea floor from seabed disturbance, an area the size of Drenthe.

A European Union publication listed the measures. So-called bottom fishing is no longer allowed in areas such as Klaverbank, Friese Front and the Central Oyster Grounds. Such restrictions have also been imposed in parts of the German North Sea, for example around Dogger Bank. The countries around the North Sea have reached agreements in this regard.

The Dutch areas themselves were under protection for a while, but now stricter rules apply than before. According to the North Sea Foundation, protection used to be inadequate. According to the organization, only 0.3 percent was really sufficiently protected before. "This five percent is an important first hurdle on the way to a truly healthy North Sea with a resilient nature," director Wytske Postma said in a statement.

In the so-called North Sea Agreement, all stakeholders agreed in 2020 that the protected area should grow to 15 percent by 2030. Fishermen did not sign this agreement because they believe that the combination of natural areas and the sharp increase in wind farms leaves too little space for them. The fishermen's union had previously said that the plans "close too many vital fishing grounds" and that there are too few prospects for fishermen.