Sites outside the 12-mile zone

To arrive at a recommendation for measures at the sites in the Exclusive Economic Zone (i.e. outside the territorial sea), the Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality has started an international decision-making process under the leadership of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES). This was requested by the nature conservation organisations and the fishermen.

The project was given the name Fisheries Measures in Protected Areas (FIMPAS) and all the parties – scientists, government, nature conservation and fisheries – can participate in it. FIMPAS is generating proposals to the Dutch Agriculture Minister for measures at the named sites. The Minister will read the proposals and pass them on to the European Commission. She will request that they be converted into regulations within European law. This is expected to happen at the end of 2011.