Managing and protecting Natura 2000 sites (original) (raw)
Under the Habitats Directive, EU Member States are required to designate Natura 2000 sites for 9 specific marine habitat types and 16 marine species. In addition, the Birds Directive identifies 60 bird species that depend on marine environments and require protection through the Natura 2000 network. To support Member States in this process, the Commission has issued Guidelines for the establishment of the Natura 2000 network in the marine environment.
To date, more than 3,000 marine Natura 2000 sites have been designated across the EU, covering over 9% of Member States' marine waters.
The Marine Expert Group, established by the European Commission, supports the implementation of marine Natura 2000. It fosters the exchange of experience, knowledge and best practices related to site designation and management.
The Commission is currently developing a common EU methodology to assess and report on the management effectiveness of Natura 2000 sites and other protected areas.
Marine Natura 2000 and other policies
The Habitats and Birds Directives and Marine Strategy Framework Directive all include aspects of marine biodiversity conservation. See the Frequently Asked Questions on the interactions, differences and potential areas for greater coordination between these instruments to conserve marine biodiversity.
Fishing and the harvesting of marine aquatic resources are the most common and significant pressures facing marine ecosystems. The revised Common Fisheries Policy sets out the rules for adopting conservation measures necessary to comply with EU environmental law.
- Guidance on establishing conservation measures under the Common Fisheries Policy for Natura 2000 sites and for Marine Strategy Framework Directive purposes
- Common methodology for assessing the impact of fishing activities on marine Natura 2000 sites (2012)
- Overview of the potential interactions and impacts on commercial fishing methods on marine habitats and species protected under the EU Habitats Directive (2014)
- Review of fisheries management measures in Natura 2000 (2018)
- Risk assessment of bycatch of protected species in fishing activities for the North-Eastern Atlantic (2020)
Socio-economic benefits of marine Natura 2000
European seas are amongst the most productive in the world. They offer a wide range of ecosystem goods and services. These support the livelihoods of over 5 million Europeans and generate a gross added value of almost €500 billion a year.