The work forms a test bed of how measures may be developed subsequently within UK waters and this is particularly significant for the Dogger Bank where the UK is expected to formally submit the UK section of the Dogger to the European Commission as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) this summer. The workshop concluded that it would be necessary to progress measures for the Dogger by considering also the UK and German sections in tandem. This will be progressed with the intention of holding a further workshop in the summer and with the expected close involvement of the North Sea RAC.
Dale Rodmell, NFFO Assistant Chief Executive, said: “Naturally, we had deep concerns over initial alarmist proposals brought to the meeting for blanket bans for beam and otter trawling in both the Dogger and Cleaver Bank areas. This highlights the failure yet to bed down the setting of management measures for MPAs in a sufficiently scientifically informed process. This is something which the industry, in the face of sometimes over-zealous green lobby interests, has to keep a close eye upon. We now have alternative industry proposals on the table with view to moving forward on a more sensible footing.”
