On Wednesday 29 October, the European Commission published in the Official Journal of the European Union a Delegated Regulation establishing new rules to protect the Dogger Bank, an emblematic Natura 2000 site located in German and Dutch waters.
From 18 November 2025, fishing with mobile gear that comes into contact with the seabed will be prohibited in certain areas of the site.
The aims of these conservation measures are to minimise disturbance to the sandbanks, preserve their ecological integrity and improve the quality of the seabed habitat, including that of its typical and threatened species.
Typical Dogger Bank species include sea-pens, the tube-building worm (Sabellaria spinulosa), the ophiuroid (brittle star), the rayed trough shell and the thornback ray.
These measures (https://aeur.eu/f/j92 ) are the result of a joint recommendation submitted by EU countries bordering the North Sea, in particular the Netherlands and Germany.
Strengthening the protection of these marine areas is an obligation under the Habitats Directive and a key objective of the Marine Action Plan. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)