Natura 2000 and fisheries : a question of competence or willingness?

One of the greatest accomplishments of the 1992 Habitats Directive1 is the establishment of a European ecological network of protected areas that is known as Natura 2000. However, in line with the global trends, the development of the Natura 2000 network in the marine environment has long lagged behind its terrestrial counterpart. In recent years, more and more inshore and offshore sites have been added to the network covering extensive ocean areas that fall within the jurisdiction of Member States of the European Union (EU). EU Member States such as Denmark, Poland, Estonia, the Netherlands and Belgium have recently designated a great number of marine Natura 2000 sites in their marine waters. Currently, Germany leads the pack, having designated no less than 45 per cent of its marine waters as a Natura 2000 site.2 Although the designation process for the marine Natura 2000 network is by no means complete, the attention is increasingly shifting towards the protection of designated marine sites and the management of the potential harmful activities conducted therein