Developing a fisheries management proposal for the

Dogger Bank SACs

Euan Dunn

Chair, NSRAC Spatial Planning WG

Three Special Areas of Conservation (SACs)

UK

NL

GER

Institutional framework for fisheries management proposal

Dogger Bank Steering Group

(UK, Neths, Germany, Denmark)

NSRAC SPWG Focus Group

Fishing industry NGOs

MASPNOSEFOREWINDLiaison

Five benthic communities

Van Moorsel, GWNM (2011) Species and habitats of the international Dogger Bank. ecosub, Doorn.

Danish sandeel fishing effort 2007-2009

(copyright ICES)

Beam trawl effort 2007-2009(copyright ICES)

MASPNOSE facilitated stakeholder meetings (Forewind participation at key stage)

Interactive spatial tools – joint fact finding

Result of NSRAC process

• Significant progress (NSRAC final position paper to DBSG) on mapping options and rationale but no consensus between NGOs and industry on closures (areas, gears)

• Formulation of proposal to the Commission then defaulted to the DBSG, with NSRAC stakeholders as observers

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Dogger Bank SAC Industry Map

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Dogger Bank SAC NGO Map

Comparison of maps

Dogger Bank Steering Gp Map (33.4% closure )

Forewind zone on the UK cSAC

Fishing industry presented DBSG with amended map (Oct 2012) on basis of emerging Forewind information

Rationale: • As Forewind projects are built, these are de facto

closures for bottom trawl gears• Once the combined coverage of fisheries

management zones and windfarm areas exceeds 30% (for the whole SAC complex), then the coverage of fisheries management zones should be reduced in order to maintain an effective 30% coverage of areas not accessible to bottom trawl gears

UK govt position on windfarm development in UK waters

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• Development consent will be considered after a full environmental impact assessment and, if necessary, an appropriate assessment under Article 6(3) of the Habitats Directive

No consensus (NSRAC, DBSG, national fisheries directors) on whether to exclude Seines from closed areas

- Commission will decide when DBSG submits proposal (end June?)

Scottish (or flyshooter) seine

Forewind Issues for NSRAC

• Spatial planning measures relating to fisheries• Fisheries mitigation measures• Appropriate assessment• Statements of Common Ground

NSRAC would like Forewind’s take on:

• Lay-out options for DB projects and potential fisheries limitations of those

• Long term perspective on total development (all potential projects)

• Legal position in relation to potential exclusion of fisheries from windfarm development areas

• Ecological assessments and implications for project development

• Future engagement and consultation with NSRAC