Summary Description
- Reduces incidental bycatch by prohibiting the use of non-selective fishing methods
- TopicThe topic of the legislation or policy covered by the text
- Climate & environmental protectionWild-caught fishing
- SpeciesThe animal, or type of food production, covered by the text
- Fish
- JurisdictionCountry or geographical area where the text applies
- EU
- Sub-jurisdictionCountry or state where the text applies
- N/A
- Type of ActWhether the act is a law, regulation, or policy, or another type of text
- Legislation
- StatusIndicates whether the act is in force or not
- In force
- Legal ValueWhether the text is binding or not
- Binding
- Date enactedDate the text was adopted
- 1992
- Date updatedDate when the entry was last updated by the CALF team
- June, 2023
- Official citation
- Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora OJ L 206, 22.7.1992, p. 7�50 (EU)
Strengths & Weaknesses
- Strengths
- Establishes a protection regime for natural areas ('Special Areas of Conservation'), including marine ecosystems.
- Establishes a protection regime for certain animal species, including marine species ('Priority Species'), and specifically prohibits the taking of all mammal species as well as certain sea turtles and fishes.
- Prohibits 'the use of all indiscriminate means capable of causing local disappearance of, or serious disturbance to' listed species. Prohibited means of capture and killing include nets that are non-selective and explosives.
- Weaknesses
- The statute provides numerous derogations and exemptions to the prohibition on the taking of protected animals, including for the purpose of preventing 'serious damage, in particular [...] to fisheries and other types of properties,' and 'for other imperative reasons of overriding interests including those of social and economic nature.'