News item | 17-11-2025 | 6:15 PM
As of November 18, part of the Dogger Bank will be closed to bottom fishing. This concerns a ban on fishing gear that makes contact with the seabed. The measure was adopted by the European Commission as part of the common fisheries policy. The aim is to protect the vulnerable seabed and the species that live there and to enable recovery.
By closing the sub-areas, nature in and around the Dogger Bank can recover. This applies in particular to the permanently flooded sandbanks. This is a protected habitat under the Habitats Directive. The area has high ecological value and is currently only protected to a limited extent. The regulation allows the restoration and conservation of protected habitat, which also benefits other parts of the ecosystem. Think of fish, marine mammals and birds.
The Dogger Bank is protected under the Habitats Directive and is part of Natura 2000, a European network of protected natural areas. With these fishing measures, the Netherlands is working to implement international obligations.
The basis of the legislation is a Dutch-German proposal that has been in the works for more than 10 years. The decision was preceded by a careful and lengthy process. The proposal has been shared and discussed with all parties involved. Including in the North Sea Consultation, the Scheveningen Group, the NSAC (North Sea Advisory Council), and the European Commission.
The exact boundaries of the closed areas can be viewed in the Open Data Viewer. The precise coordinates can be found in the European regulation.