FIMPAS MEASURES REPORT 2011 FIMPAS STEERING GROUP Fisheries Measures in Protected Areas (FIM- PAS) within the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the Dutch part of the North Sea: areas out- side the 12 nautical miles zone: Proposals International Council for the Exploration of the Sea Conseil International pour l’Exploration de la Mer H. C. Andersens Boulevard 44–46 DK-1553 Copenhagen V Denmark Telephone (+45) 33 38 67 00 Telefax (+45) 33 93 42 15 www.ices.dk [email protected] Recommended format for purposes of citation: ICES. 2011. Fisheries Measures in Protected Areas (FIMPAS) within the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the Dutch part of the North Sea: areas outside the 12 nauti- cal miles zone: Proposals, Dates, Venue. FIMPAS Steering Group. 35 pp. For permission to reproduce material from this publication, please apply to the Gen- eral Secretary. The document is a report of an Expert Group under the auspices of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea and does not necessarily represent the views of the Council. © 2011 International Council for the Exploration of the Sea FIMPAS MEASURES REPORT 2011 i Contents 1 Foreword.......................................................................................................................... 1 2 Background and legislative context ........................................................................... 2 2.1 Conservation objectives ....................................................................................... 4 2.1.1 Habitats types ........................................................................................... 4 2.1.2 Species considered under the Habitats directive ................................. 4 2.1.3 Birds Directive .......................................................................................... 4 3 Fisheries impact ............................................................................................................. 5 4 Fishing gear and environmental impact .................................................................... 6 5 Marine Mammals ........................................................................................................... 9 6 Fishing in the Natura 2000 areas ................................................................................. 9 6.1 Economic evaluation .......................................................................................... 14 7 Designing management measures ............................................................................ 15 7.1 Low impact fishing (environmental friendly fishing) ................................... 16 7.2 Zoning approach ................................................................................................. 16 7.3 Formulating management measure proposals ............................................... 17 7.4 Principles ............................................................................................................. 18 7.5 Monitoring ........................................................................................................... 20 7.6 Effort displacement or re-rigging ..................................................................... 20 8 Proposal for management measures ........................................................................ 20 8.1 Conservation objective for “Marine mammals” ............................................. 20 8.1.1 Effect on seals from fishing................................................................... 21 8.1.2 Effect on Harbour porpoises from fishing .......................................... 21 8.1.3 Agreement on the analysis ................................................................... 21 8.1.4 Conclusion on need for action ............................................................. 21 8.1.5 Potential management options ............................................................ 22 8.1.6 Proposed management measures ........................................................ 22 8.2 Conservation objective for “Dogger Bank” (habitat type H1110, Habitats Directive) .............................................................................................. 22 8.2.1 Conservation objectives ........................................................................ 22 8.2.2 Fishing activity ....................................................................................... 23 8.2.3 Effect on habitat from fishing ............................................................... 23 8.2.4 Agreement on the analysis ................................................................... 23 8.2.5 Conclusion on need for action ............................................................. 24 8.2.6 Potential management options ............................................................ 24 8.2.7 Otter trawls ............................................................................................. 24 8.2.8 Proposed management measures ........................................................ 25 8.2.9 Monitoring .............................................................................................. 25 ii | FIMPAS MEASURES REPORT 2011 8.3 Conservation objective for “Cleaver Bank” (habitat type H1170, Habitats Directive) .............................................................................................. 25 8.3.1 Conservation objectives ........................................................................ 25 8.3.2 Fishing activity ....................................................................................... 26 8.3.3 Agreement on the analysis ................................................................... 26 8.3.4 Conclusion on need for action ............................................................. 27 8.3.5 Potential management options ............................................................ 27 8.3.6 Proposed management measures ........................................................ 27 8.3.7 Monitoring .............................................................................................. 28 8.4 Conservation objective for four bird species in the “Frisian Front” (Birds Directive) .................................................................................................. 28 8.4.1 Qualifying species .................................................................................. 28 8.4.2 Fishing activity ....................................................................................... 28 8.4.3 Agreement on the analysis ................................................................... 29 8.4.4 Conclusion on need for action ............................................................. 29 8.4.5 Potential management options ............................................................ 29 8.4.6 Proposed management measures ........................................................ 29 9 References ..................................................................................................................... 30 FIMPAS MEASURES REPORT 2011 1 1 Foreword This paper is based on summaries of the existing data and knowledge produced by consultants (Jak et al. 2009, Hal et al. 2010 and Oostenbrugge et al. 2010). References to the prime literature are found in these reports. These inputs were discussed at the two FIMPAS workshops 26-28 February and 26-28 June 2010. The reports from these workshops should be consulted for background on the discussions. The paper is presented as a basis for discussion at the FIMPAS Workshop 3 at 24-26 January 2011 (Den Helder). This proposal for fisheries measures in Natura 2000 areas in the Dutch EEZ is built on: 1 ) Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora (Habitats Directive) 2 ) Council Directive 79/409/EEC of 2 April 1979 on the conservation of wild birds (Birds Directive) 3 ) Guidelines for the establishment of the Natura 2000 network in the marine environment. Birds and Habitats Directive, European Commissions, May 2007 (http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/natura2000/marine/docs/marine_ guidelines.pdf) 4 ) Guidelines for fisheries measures for marine Natura 2000 sites: A consis- tent approach to requests for fisheries management measures under the Common Fisheries Policy (http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/natura2000/marine/docs/marine_ guidelines.pdf) 5 ) Notification of the areas by the Dutch government to the European Com- mission, December 2008. Subsequent placement on the EU list of Habitats of Community importance by the European Commission in December 2009 and notification of this new list in February 2010 (http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/natura2000/sites_hab/biogeog_re gions/index_en.htm) 6 ) Conservation objectives as guided by the Dutch government (Jak et al. 2009, Ch. 7) 7 ) Review of the data availability in relation to the conservation objectives and specification of reference periods as discussed and agreed at the FIM- PAS workshop 1, 22-24 February 2009 8 ) Review of the gear impact matrix and distribution of fishing effort as dis- cussed at FIMPAS workshop 2, 26-28 June 2009 9 ) Pre-assessment of the impact of fisheries on the conservation objectives (Deerenberg et al. 2010) 10 ) Additional analysis on effects of gillnets and effort distribution conducted during autumn 2010 and to be presented as an update of the IMARES re- port for FIMPAS workshop 2 11 ) Analysis of the geographical distribution of the effort, income, and value from capture fisheries (2006-2008). 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