Fishing regulations in Marine Protected Areas
We are working strategically to regulate fishing in Marine Proteced Areas and take suitable measurements with the purpose to reduce the negative impact from fishing in those areas.
In 2014 a survey sent to Swedish county governments who has Marine Protected Areas (MPA) in their county. The question was if it was necessary to regulate the fishing in those areas. The result from the survey showed that 30 of 300 MPA's needed fishing regulations. Today we have regulated fishing in three areas: Kosterhavet National park, Väderöarnas Wildlife preserve and the Bratten MPA.
Zoom imageAreas with fishing regulations in the Bratten MPA. Click on the image to enlarge.
Zoom imageAreas with fishing regulations in the Väderöarns Wildlife preserve. Click on the image to enlarge.
Zoom imageAreas with fishing regulations in the Koster National park. Click on the image to enlarge.
Fishing can be regulated with support from the Swedish Environmental Code or by the fishing legislation. By getting support from the Environmental Code it is possible to forbid fishing partly or entirely in MPA's.
If fishing in an Natura 2000 area makes a considerable impact on the environment, the permission to fish can be reconsidered. SwAM, together with Swedens five county governments who has coastal areas, has made a guide about fishing regulations in MPA's (the guide is written in Swedish).
Our intention with fishing regulations is to make a legislation that prevents negative impact on the environment in MPA's. In areas outside the Swedish trawl limit, it is collective regulations from the EU-commission that sets the boundaries.
Fishing in Marine Protected Areas?
If you are able to fish in an MPA depends on which protection the area got and why the area is protected. If the purpose is to protect reefs or seabirds, fishing may be allowed, as long as it's not harmful for the environmental values that need protection.
If fishing is allowed or not is decided by the local county government.
