A legal bottleneck blocking EU marine protection

npj Ocean Sustainability 2026 Open access

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Authors: Barbara Horta e Costa, Jorge M. S. Gonçalves
DOI: 10.1038/s44183-026-00212-2
Cited by: 1
References: 15

Abstract

The EU’s goal of 10% strict marine protection is unlikely to succeed without fisheries regulation in offshore MPAs. Yet this depends on Article 11 of the Common Fisheries Policy – an overlooked legal mechanism that has struggled to deliver fisheries regulation in offshore MPAs, undermining EU conservation efforts in the EEZ. Reforming this bottleneck is essential to deliver EU biodiversity targets and guide high seas governance under the BBNJ Treaty.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Coastal and Marine Management International Maritime Law Issues Maritime Security and History

Publication details

Journal / source
npj Ocean Sustainability
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Volume
5
Issue
1
Publication date
5 June 2026
Language
EN