Fishing activities may be restricted from operating in certain areas to preserve the fishing stocks, protect sensible or declining species or even habitats. The fisheries closure layer shows where fishing is not allowed for one or more fleets.
This is a static but editable layer, the ecosystem simulation will take into account the areas where fisheries are not allowed. If the fisheries closure is not specific to a fishing fleet, all fishing fleets will be considered banned from the area.
Fisheries closures will affect the ecosystem simulation by communicating to the respective EwE models that none of the fleets are allowed to fish in these areas.
Return to protected areas
Return to fishing.
In the North Sea Edition of the MSP Challenge the fisheries closure is under Marine Protected Areas.
The fishing closures were integrated under the Marine Protected Areas data layer in 05/2025.
In the Sand Extraction Edition of the MSP Challenge, the fisheries closure layer is called Shrimp Closure, and represent the areas closed to fishing for shrimp.
Not applicable.
Rijkswaterstaat
"noordzeekustvisserijakkoord_2017_vibeg2"
Not available.
In the Baltic Sea there are two fisheries closure data layers, one for all fleets and another one for cod. The layers are not visible in the menu but are taken into account in the ecossystem simulation.
HELCOM
Fisheries closure and cod fisheries closure
Not available. Implemented in MSP Challenge on 2017/10.
Implemented as retrieved.
The Fisheries Closure layer in the Western Baltic Sea Edition remains consistent with that featured in the Baltic Sea edition.
This data layer is not available in the Clyde Marine Region Edition.
This data layer is not available in the Adriatic Sea Edition.
This layer is not present in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea.
Co-funded by the European Union.