Report | April 16, 2024

A quantification of bottom towed fishing activity in marine Natura 2000 sites

A quantification of bottom towed fishing activity in marine Natura 2000 sites

There are over 2100 marine Natura 2000 sites designated across Europe’s seas under the EU Habitats Directive. Member States have designated such sites to protect and recover both important marine habitats such as reefs and sandbanks and a range of iconic species including the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) and grey and common seal (Halichoerus grypus and Phoca vitulina).

Using fishing effort data from the Global Fishing Watch (GFW) database, this report quantifies the extent to which bottom towed fishing gear has been used within marine Natura 2000 sites designated under the Habitats Directive over the past nine years in MPA Project partners countries: Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden.