Mapping of Marine Protected Areas and their associated fishing activities in the Atlantic, Baltic, North Sea and Outermost Regions

The final report presents an in-depth understanding of the distribution, spatial extent, structure and function of the marine protected areas, and fishing activities undertaken within and surrounding them in the North Sea, Baltic Sea, and Western Waters of the Atlantic including Macaronesia. The study is funded under the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF).

The European Union (EU) Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 sets the target for protected areas in the EU at 30% of its sea area, one third of which needs to be strictly protected. While there is growing interest in studying the progress of ocean protection, there is a need for an overview of the status of marine protected areas (MPAs) and associated fishing activities in EU waters.

This study identifies and characterises fishing activities within and surrounding more than 800 marine protected areas, and quantitatively assesses them to determine which fishing activities are compatible with conservation objectives in the marine protected areas.

Findings reveal that most marine protected areas allow some level of commercial or recreational exploitation of fisheries, which can include a range of fishing activities. Fishing activities are not necessarily incompatible with conservation objectives, but this depends on the objectives and the type of fishing activity within marine protected areas.

Using a case study approach, this study examines in more detail the spatial reallocation of fishing activities in response to marine protected areas implementation in eight Member States: the Netherlands, Belgium, Latvia, Denmark, Sweden, Ireland, Portugal (including Madeira Archipelago), Spain (Canary Islands). It also gathered and described the perception of relevant stakeholders.

The case studies demonstrate that the designation and implementation of marine protected areas did not bring about any change in fishing behaviour. Changes in fisher behaviour, including fishing effort and landings, were evident only after specific fisheries regulations were put in place.

Overall, this information brought together within a single database helps to improve the understanding of fishing activities in EU marine protected areas, while also providing the basis to inform future policy discussions.

This work concludes that marine protected areas in the EU have not been established for fisheries management, but predominantly as a biodiversity conservation tool. The development of marine protected areas as a fisheries management tool will need to further consider and understand the broader impacts of no-take marine protected areas and fishing activities on marine ecosystems and include stakeholder involvement at all stages of the planning, designation, and implementation of the marine protected areas.

Overcoming the limitations of existing marine protected areas to address fisheries challenges must entail the designation of marine protected areas with management plans that are categorically built around conservation objectives that lead to fisheries sustainability.