Permit requirement: preventing, mitigating, compensating for effects on nature and the environment, such as with respect to significant effects on BHD species and areas.

Expansion of scope of Nature Conservation Act (BHD operationalisation) and Flora and Fauna Act to include EEZ.

Termination of fishery with tickler chains as per 1 January 2016 for the purpose of preventing and mitigating significant effects on BHD species and areas (does not apply to shrimp fishing).

Zoning and phasing of activities outside the breeding ground and breeding season: preventing and mitigating significant effects on BHD species.

Recovery of natural age composition of fish populations and benthic fauna and restoration of order for marine mammals and birds.

Elaboration of plans for achieving the objectives of OSPAR’s North-East Atlantic Environmental Strategy for 16 animal species and five habitat types.

Designation of Cleaver Bank, Dogger Bank and Frisian Front as Natura 2000 areas. Conservation goals have been established for each area.

Restoration of migration of diadromous species of fish – HD and WFD.

Management of fish stocks in 2015-2018 at the level of a maximum sustainable yield (MSY) with related level of maximum fish mortality.

As per 1 January 2015, landing obligation of catches for (some) pelagic trawlers; as per 1 January 2016, landing obligation of all catches of target species determined by fisheries.

Introduction of alternative methods enabling more selective fishing.

Development and adoption of criteria for an eco label for fisheries and aquaculture at EU level.

Implementation of the action plan with recommendations from the national Porpoise Protection Plan, revised in 2020. Actions are included on the topics of policy and regulation, population numbers and ecology, strandings, bycatch and underwater noise

Activities are permitted to a limited extent in designated Natura 2000 areas, partly to prevent and mitigate significant effects on bird and marine mammal species on the basis of the VR and HR. For example: Frisian Front: seasonal closures for gillnet fishing due to foraging guillemots; North Sea coastal zone: closure of zone 1 areas (established under the VIBEG-II agreement) for all fisheries, to prevent disturbance of protected bird species; Voordelta: resting areas for birds, where no activities or activities are allowed under certain conditions.

Species protection plans are developed and implemented for vulnerable species, including birds, marine mammals, fish and benthic animals that are identified on the basis of international guidelines and the Ecology and Cumulation Framework (KEC). Threatened bird species will be protected by measures described in the future protection plans. We expect the plans to be operational from 2024.