{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-decision-2012-638/annex-I/division-1/division-2/division-15/division-4",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-decision-2012-638/annex-I/division-1/division-2/division-15/division-4.json",
  "legislation": "eudn/2012/638",
  "legislation_title": "Commission Implementing Decision of 24 September 2012 confirming measures proposed by the Netherlands for the protection of marine areas of conservation in the North Sea Coastal Zone, the Vlakte van de Raan and the Voordelta (notified under document C(2012) 6510) (Only the Danish, Dutch, English, French and German texts are authentic) (2012/638/EU)",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-decision-2012-638",
  "path": "annex/I/division/1/division/2/division/15/division/4",
  "kind": "division",
  "number": null,
  "heading": "Agreement on fisheries measures in protected areas of the North Sea (VIBEG)",
  "text": "The voluntary agreement on sustainable fishing in the North Sea (‘Maatschappelijk Convenant Noordzeevisserij: Duurzaam Vissen’) was signed on 5 June 2008 by parties representing the fishing industry, nature organisations and central government. The aim was to achieve sustainable and socially acceptable North Sea fisheries. One of the subjects included in the agreement concerns ‘a common approach to protected marine areas in the North Sea’. A joint process was to be organised to adopt goals and measures for protected areas in the North Sea, on the understanding that, if the parties failed to reach consensus, government would ultimately decide on these goals and measures.\nIn 2009 the Minister set up the VIBEG coordinating committee to promote mutual exchange of information and support in the development of national and international policy. Its membership is drawn from the Worldwide Fund for Nature, the North Sea Foundation (Stichting de Noordzee), the Fish Marketing Board, the Federation of Fishermen’s Associations, IMARES Wageningen and various departments of the Ministries of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation (EL&I) and Infrastructure and the Environment (I&M). In order to help the coastal zone process the committee worked on an agreement on fisheries measures in protected areas of the North Sea (known as the VIBEG agreement).\nAs part of the VIBEG agreement zones were established within the Natura 2000 site of the North Sea Coastal Zone to which access would be restricted, whether or not for a specified period or for a specified fishing method, under Article 20 of the Nature Conservation Act.\nThe VIBEG agreement, along with a future vision for shrimp fisheries (Perspectief garnalenvisserij), was signed and presented to Parliament in a letter of 15 December 2011 (Lower House, 2011-2012, 29675, No 140). The present decree serves, inter alia, to implement the agreements on the full or partial closure of parts of the Natura 2000 sites of the North Sea Coastal Zone and the Vlakte van de Raan under Article 20 of the 1998 Nature Conservation Act. The VIBEG agreement relates to fishing only. The present decree has a broader scope: it also regulates access restrictions for activities other than fishing.",
  "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eudn/2012/638/annex/I/division/1/division/2/division/15/division/4",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-11-01T15:15:20.233358+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}