{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-decision-2012-638/annex-I/division-1/division-2/division-18",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-decision-2012-638/annex-I/division-1/division-2/division-18.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/18",
  "kind": "division",
  "number": null,
  "heading": "Explanatory notes",
  "text": "The zoning primarily affects fishing, but also vessels and activities other than fishing. The overview below lists for each type of fisheries and vessel where, how and when the activity concerned is permitted within the Natura 2000 sites of the North Sea Coastal Zone and the Vlakte van de Raan.\nTrawling with tickler chains is permitted:\nin the Natura 2000 site of the North Sea Coastal Zone: until 1 January 2014 outside research areas in the zone III areas near Petten and Eierlandsegat;\nin the Natura 2000 site of the North Sea Coastal Zone: outside the zone I, II and III areas until 1 January 2016 outside the research areas with a licence issued under the Nature Conservation Act;\nin the Natura 2000 site of the Vlakte van de Raan until 1 January 2016 outside the research areas with a licence issued under the Nature Conservation Act.\nShrimp fishing is permitted:\nin research areas within the Natura 2000 sites of the North Sea Coastal Zone and the Vlakte van de Raan, only where necessary for research purposes;\nin the Natura 2000 site of the North Sea Coastal Zone: until 1 January 2014 in zones II and III outside research areas and thereafter in zone III with a licence issued under the Nature Conservation Act (see also article 4 part a);\nin the Natura 2000 site of the North Sea Coastal Zone: from 2015 in zone II areas with a licence issued under the Nature Conservation Act if research proves conclusively that shrimp fishing with bobbins has no demonstrable adverse effects on the seabed and its fauna;\nin the Natura 2000 site of the North Sea Coastal Zone: outside the zone I, II and III areas;\nin the Natura 2000 site of Vlakte van de Raan outside the research areas with a licence issued under the Nature Conservation Act.\nTrawl net fishing using the ‘best available techniques and fisheries practice’ is permitted:\nin research areas within the Natura 2000 sites of the North Sea Coastal Zone and the Vlakte van de Raan, only where necessary for research purposes;\nin the Natura 2000 site of the North Sea Coastal Zone: in the zone II area off Petten (green cross-hatched area on map in annex: zone II**) pulse trawling until 1 January 2016;\nin the Natura 2000 site of the North Sea Coastal Zone: both in and outside zone III areas, outside research areas;\nin the Natura 2000 site of the North Sea Coastal Zone: outside the zone I and II areas, outside research areas;\nin the Natura 2000 site of the Vlakte van de Raan outside the research areas with a licence issued under the Nature Conservation Act.\nPelagic trawl net fishing is permitted:\nin research areas within the Natura 2000 sites of the North Sea Coastal Zone and the Vlakte van de Raan, only where necessary for research purposes;\nin the Natura 2000 site of the North Sea Coastal Zone: outside zone I, II and III areas;\nin the Natura 2000 site of the North Sea Coastal Zone: in zone II and III areas except for pelagic fishing using gear which is also suitable for seabed fishing;\nin the Natura 2000 site of the Vlakte van de Raan, outside research areas.\nShellfish fishing is permitted:\nin the Natura 2000 site of the North Sea Coastal Zone: in zone III areas outside research areas and only where regulated either by a licence granted under the Nature Conservation Act or by the management plan, with the exception of spisula fishery in the zone III area above Ameland;\nin the Natura 2000 site of the North Sea Coastal Zone: outside zone I, II and III areas and only where regulated either by a licence granted under the Nature Conservation Act or by the management plan;\nin the Natura 2000 site of the Vlakte van de Raan outside research areas, where regulated either by a licence granted under the Nature Conservation Act or by the management plan;\nExtraction of shells is permitted:\nin the Natura 2000 site of the North Sea Coastal Zone: until 1 January 2014 from 1 April to 1 November in zone I but only under the terms of the concession;\nin the Natura 2000 site of the North Sea Coastal Zone: until 1 January 2014 in zones II and III but only under the terms of the concession;\nFrom 1 January 2014 in zones II and III but only under the terms of the concession and provided it is licensed under the Nature Conservation Act.\nIn the N2000 site of the Vlakte van de Raan, outside the research areas, with a licence under the Nature Conservation Act or as regulated by the management plan.\nFixed fishing gear, beyond the research areas, is permitted:\nin the Natura 2000 site of the North Sea Coastal Zone: outside zone I areas;\nin the Natura 2000 site of the North Sea Coastal Zone: in zones II and III;\nIn the Natura 2000 site of the Vlakte van de Raan with a licence issued under the Nature Conservation Act.\nHandline fishing is permitted:\nin the Natura 2000 site of the North Sea Coastal Zone: only outside the zone I areas;\nin the Natura 2000 site of the North Sea Coastal Zone: in and outside zone II and III areas;\nin the Natura 2000 site of the Vlakte van de Raan.\nMussel seed capture installations are permitted:\nin the Natura 2000 site of the North Sea Coastal Zone: in zones II and III, outside research areas;\nin the Natura 2000 site of the North Sea Coastal Zone: outside zone I, II and III areas and outside research areas;\nin the Natura 2000 site of the Vlakte van de Raan, outside research areas, with a licence issued under the Nature Conservation Act.\nSand replenishment vessels are permitted:\nIn addition to the options available to all vessels, sand replenishment vessels also have the option of transiting via a variable corridor from 1 April to 1 November.\nAll vessels are permitted:\nin the Natura 2000 site of the North Sea Coastal Zone: until the adoption of the management plan for the North Sea Coastal Zone, year-round transit from one area to the other for all vessels is only possible through the zone I area off Petten close to the coast, without fishing and with fishing gear stowed away or in such condition that it cannot be readily used;\nin the Natura 2000 site of the North Sea Coastal Zone: as from the adoption of the management plan for the site zone I areas other than those off Petten will not be accessible to vessels except from 1 April to 1 November;\nin the Natura 2000 site of the North Sea Coastal Zone: transit and anchoring in zones II and III outside research areas;\nin the Natura 2000 site of the North Sea Coastal Zone: navigation and anchoring outside the zone I, II and III areas and outside research areas.\nIn the Vlakte van de Raan, in accordance with article 6.",
  "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/18",
    "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."
}