Environmental organisations have taken the Dutch government to court over continued bottom trawling in the protected Dogger Bank area of the North Sea.
On 11 March, Stichting Doggerland, ARK Rewilding Nederland, ClientEarth and Blue Marine Foundation appeared before the District Court in The Hague, arguing that the Netherlands is failing to properly protect its section of the Dogger Bank.
The groups say the government is breaking its own conservation rules by allowing destructive bottom trawling across most of the protected seabed.
READ MORE: Netherlands sued over Dogger Bank trawling
Emilie Reuchlin, director of Stichting Doggerland, said the situation has gone on too long. “Where the government has a duty to protect and restore nature in this area, we instead see continued decline,” she said. “After ten years of wrangling over its use, this must end. We now demand clarity for both nature and the fishing sector.”
Campaigners describe the Dogger Bank as the “nursery of the North Sea”, home to species including harbour porpoises, minke whales, grey seals and seabirds such as gannets and puffins. The seabed also plays a role in storing carbon, making it important in efforts to address climate change.
Karel van den Wijngaard, programme lead for the North Sea at ARK Rewilding Nederland, urged the government to prioritise restoration. “The new government wants to implement the Nature Restoration Law and is seeking opportunities for large-scale recovery,” he said. “Start with the Dogger Bank and provide the peace and space befitting a nursery ground.”
Legal experts involved in the case argue that EU conservation laws require stronger protection for Natura 2000 sites. John Condon, senior lawyer at ClientEarth, said: “This hearing is about holding the Dutch government accountable and ensuring protected areas truly mean protection.”
The court’s decision could shape future fishing restrictions across the North Sea.
