Fisheries management in NATURE 2000 areas (38797)

Approximately 17 % of the Danish sea territory is appointed as Nature 2000 areas. Many of these areas are also very important for fishery. To allow fishery to continue in Nature 2000 sites, it must be demonstrated that the fishery does not negatively impact the basis for appointment for the site.

The project aims to establish the science base for development of a concept for Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) for fishery and aquaculture in Nature 2000 areas, as well as establish interactions between the mussel fishery and the basis for appointment of Nature 2000 areas.

The results generated will provide input to the EIA conducted by DTU Aqua and to other advisory issues related to mussel fishery, and to improve the environment in Nature 2000 areas. The approach is a combination of field experiments, model development and theoretical work.

Through the project, knowledge will be generated on eelgrass, macrophyte and blue mussel ecology and abundance and interactions with mussel fishery. Development of the oyster fishery in the Wadden Sea will be developed with focus on the Nature 2000 site N89. Seabed mapping of the stone reefs in the Little Belt Sea will include an analysis of the impact of blue mussel fishery on these habitats. Finally the project will establish knowledge base for interactions between aquaculture and Nature 2000 areas.

The project is coordinated by DTU Aqua.

Research area: Ecosystem Based Marine Management
Research area: Observation Technology