Lower Saxony proposes fishing-free zones in North Sea to meet EU biodiversity targets

EU targets drive new restrictions

The EU Biodiversity Strategy obliges member states to place at least 30% of their marine waters under protection by 2030. Within that, 10% of the total marine area must be strictly protected, meaning all fishing activity is banned. Lower Saxony, as a North Sea coastal state, is responsible for implementing these targets in its territorial waters. The Wadden Sea National Park already covers a large share of the state's coastal sea, so the 30% protection target is already fulfilled, according to the agriculture ministry. However, the 10% strict-protection target is still far from being met. To bridge the gap, the state government launched the Lower Saxony Fisheries Dialogue in April 2025. The forum includes the agriculture and environment ministries, fishing and environmental associations, the Heimatbund, the chamber of agriculture, and representatives of coastal municipalities. Its goal is to produce a spatial plan that reconciles the stricter protection requirements with the economic interests of the fishing industry.

The proposed zones

On 19 July 2026, the two ministries presented a draft map of the planned no-fishing zones. The areas marked for closure include waters north of the island of Borkum, southeast of Wangerooge, the eastern part of the Jadebusen bay, and stretches off the Wurster North Sea coast. These locations are among the most important fishing grounds for the region's small-scale coastal fleet. The map was drawn up after a consultation phase in which fishing businesses, environmental organisations, and local actors could submit statements and raise objections at regional conferences.

Government and fishermen at odds

Agriculture Minister Miriam Staudte called the plan a balanced proposal that takes the interests of coastal fisheries and municipalities into account.

The area concept now on the table is a balanced proposal that also significantly considers the interests of coastal fisheries and coastal municipalities.

Environment Minister Christian Meyer stressed that the zone selection was designed to avoid threatening individual businesses or harbour sites.

The area selection was made in such a way that the implementation of the fishing-free strict protection zones calls into question neither the existence of individual businesses nor that of the harbour sites.

Fishermen have reacted with resistance. They argue that the proposed closures target precisely their main fishing hotspots, the areas where they catch most of their fish. For many small-scale operators, these waters account for the bulk of their annual catch. The conflict sets the stage for a difficult discussion at the upcoming dialogue meeting.

Next steps

The draft map will be the central topic at the next Fisheries Dialogue session on Tuesday, 21 July 2026. Both ministers are expected to attend. No formal vote is planned, but the government says it is aiming for a result that is as consensus-based as possible. The proposal is intended to form the basis for concluding the dialogue, which has now been running for more than a year. Whether a compromise can be found remains uncertain, given the tension between the EU's environmental mandates and the livelihoods of the coastal fishing communities.