Report to inform appropriate assessment of fishing operations on the Dogger Bank SACs

This joint NGO scientific-legal report addresses the unlawful commercial fishing taking place in the Dogger Bank marine protected area. Despite being protected under the EU Habitats Directive, the governments of the UK, Germany and the Netherlands are yet to introduce conservation measures to address the impacts of commercial fishing on the Dogger Bank.

This scientific review concludes that the ecological integrity of the Dogger Bank Natura 2000 sites can only be protected by closing the entire area to fishing with bottom-contacting gear, which measure should be taken as soon as possible. For other fishing gears, such as pelagic gears and pots and traps, the report finds that fishing can only be permitted if they can be properly controlled and fully monitored. Unless these measures are introduced as soon as possible, there is no prospect of the Dogger Bank achieving favourable conservation status.