Although large parts of the Danish marine environment are protected according to the authorities, only a portion of the areas are actually protected. This is according to the think tank Hav, which has examined the level of protection of Danish marine areas in an analysis.
According to the analysis, a maximum of 8.3 percent of Denmark's marine area is actually protected against, for example, fishing with bottom-trailing gear, extraction of raw materials or new construction projects.
With the Agreement on the Danish Marine Plan from June 2023, a total of 31.7 percent of the Danish marine area has been designated as protected. Of these, 6 percent should be designated as strictly protected, which should increase to 10 percent in 2030.
However, according to the think tank Hav, activities such as fishing with bottom-trawling gear, extraction of raw materials, dumping of dredged port material and the establishment of offshore wind turbines are currently permitted or planned in three-quarters of the protected areas.
And this does not go hand in hand with real nature protection, the think tank believes. According to Liselotte Hohwy Stokholm, CEO of the think tank Hav, real protection of marine areas can help to provide, among other things, more and larger fish and higher biodiversity.
- To ensure a vibrant and robust marine environment, we must protect marine nature - not just point it out on a map, she says in a press release.
Ready with recommendations
The analysis states that a number of political agreements plan to further ban fishing with bottom-trawling gear. When these bans come into force, 15.3 percent of Denmark's marine area will be effectively protected.
In connection with the analysis, the Sea Think Tank comes up with ten recommendations and a plan to ensure that 30 percent of Denmark's marine area is effectively protected by 2030. Of this, 10 percent must be strictly protected.
Among other things, it is recommended that a standard be set for generally protected areas, where, for example, dumping, new infrastructure, extraction of raw materials and fishing with bottom-trailing gear are not permitted.
A number of companies and organizations that are members of the Sea Think Tank support the ten recommendations. This applies, among others, to the Danish Fisheries Association, Green Power Denmark, the Danish Nature Conservation Association and Ørsted.
/ritzau/
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