The Netherlands and the designation of marine protected areas in the North Sea Implementing international and European law

There is general agreement that representative and ecologically coherent networks of marine protected areas (MPAs) should be created to maintain biodiversity and to conserve specific species, habitats and ecological processes. This article addresses the contribution that is made by the Netherlands to the North Sea MPA network. It reviews the applicable legal obligations with regard to the designation of MPAs contained in global and regional treaties and EU law, and provides a critical assessment of the actions that have thus far been taken by the Netherlands to implement these obligations. The... Mehr ...