WSNL 1997-1

Recommendations of the 9th International Scientific Wadden Sea Symposium

Norderney, Germany, November 05 - 08, 1996

The 9th International Scientific Wadden Sea Symposium was held on Norderney, Germany from 5 to 8 November 1996. The Symposium was attended by about 200 scientists and representatives from governmental and non-governmental organizations. The central theme of the Symposium was ecosystem research. Presentations were given on the issues of Black Spots, Eutrophication, Monitoring, Fisheries, Resilience, Exchange Processes and Management Related Research.

On the basis of the presentations and related discussions, the symposium participants formulated a number of recommendations to the Ministers, responsible for the protection of the Wadden Sea.

THE PARTICIPANTS

underlined the need for the selection of a representative set of tidal basins (including ebb deltas and adjacent coastal areas of the barrier islands) in which no or only little human activity is allowed. These areas should serve as reference areas for monitoring and research, as already decided at the 6th Trilateral Governmental Conference, Esbjerg 1991, as guidance areas for research and monitoring and as core areas for nature protection.

BLACK SPOTS

The Ministers are recommended to establish special national Task Forces for unpredictable events (e.g. the occurrence of large scale black spots) within one year. Each national Task Force shall have clear connections to the other trilateral partner forces. Such a Task Force will be able to react in time to evaluate the actual situation. It should be responsible for preparing a scientific program to document the ecological impact of sudden events.

The Ministers are recommended to initiate, within the next 3 years, a trilateral research project to learn about the geographical, geobiochemical, and hydrographical differences which led to the apparent sensitivity of the East Frisian Wadden Sea. Such a project should also include an inventory and analysis of historical events.

EUTROPHICATION

Continuing high inputs of nitrogen have caused a shift in N/P ratio which may enhance blooms of nuisance and toxic algae and algal growth. The latter causes an increased incidence of black spots. Atmospheric nitrogen inputs also affect nutrient-poor dune areas, thereby causing a reduction of biodiversity.

The Ministers, responsible for the protection of the Wadden Sea, are therefore urged to intensify their efforts to reduce nitrogen inputs to the Wadden Sea from all sources through reduction at source.

The Ministers are furthermore recommended to make the necessary resources for a trilateral evaluation of the effects of reduced nutrient inputs available. On the basis of this evaluation, proposals for a future strategy to reduce eutrophication will be developed.

There are indications that toxic substances negatively affect the grazing on phytoplankton, which may result in increased and/or longer blooms.

The Ministers are therefore requested to initiate the development of a proposal for a trilateral research project (or other relevant initiatives) into the effects of low level concentrations of toxic substances on the functioning of zooplankton.

MONITORING

The implementation of the Trilateral Monitoring and Assessment Program (TMAP) has made good progress. The program has been reviewed and updated during expert workshops, has produced guidelines and has implemented certain pilot projects. There are still some issues that require further attention.

The symposium therefore recommends that the ministers decide upon an action plan for the gradual implementation of the full TMAP during the period 1997-2000. This should include:

• safeguarding the continuation of ongoing long-term monitoring and assessment programs;
• the introduction of new, cost-effective, multipurpose monitoring techniques, such as aircraft and satellite based remote sensing, shipborne video, radar and sonar sensing and the testing of such techniques in trilateral pilot projects;
• the installation of trilateral expert groups as the working structure for monitoring and assessment;
• the extension of specimen banking to the entire trilateral cooperation.

One of the major problems in the production of trilateral reports, especially the Quality Status Report, is the data availability. The Ministers are therefore recommended to come to a trilateral 'DATA AVAILABILITY AGREEMENT' in which all relevant national, federal, regional and local institutions express their consent and cooperation to make data available in time for the production of trilateral reports.

RESILIENCE

Confronted with the isappearance and decline of key biotopes in the Wadden Sea (oyster beds, Sabellaria reefs, mussel beds, seagrass beds), it must be concluded that these can lose their potential for recovery (resilience).

The Ministers are therefore recommended to

• make resilience of key biotopes and processes a major topic of future conceptual research;
• include the concept of resilience into impact evaluations of natural and man-induced disturbances.

EXCHANGE PROCESSES

In order to reach the ecotarget 'An increased area of geomorphologically and biologically undisturbed tidal flats and subtidal areas', the Ministers are recommended to stimulate the occurrence of natural exchange processes by

• taking appropriate measures to allow the natural reestablishment of seagrass beds and mussel beds, because these biotopes play an important role in the transformation of organic matter and the sedimentation of particles;
• taking appropriate measures for establishing landward sedimentation basins, and improving transition zones between fresh and seawater, and land and water;
• restricting the impact of human activities (like sand extraction, gas extraction, civil engineering, mussel and cockle fisheries) on natural exchange processes.

SHELLFISH FISHERIES

In order to reach the goal of restoration and safeguarding of key habitats in the Wadden Sea, the Ministers are recommended to

• restrict mussel fishery to the subtidal areas;
• close cockle fishery in The Netherlands in areas with good prospects for development of habitat types such as seagrass and intertidal mussel beds.

The symposium expresses its concern about the large amount of discard from shrimp fisheries and its impact on the ecosystem, and it recommends to the Ministers to stimulate the development and introduction of techniques for the reduction of by-catch and the effects of discards.

INTEGRATED COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT

The future of the Wadden Sea area requires a broader management context compared to the present concept in terms of addressing the impacts stemming from activities outside the area and hence public participation and involvement in the decision making process.

The Ministers, responsible for the protection of the Wadden Sea, are therefore recommended to develop an integrated coastal zone management concept, which must identify and address the major impacts in the Wadden Sea region. The symposium participants emphasize that a precondition for an integrated management concept is that the existing national and international nature protection legislation and agreements (Esbjerg and Leeuwarden Declarations) at least be maintained.

The following premises must apply to such a concept:

• socioeconomic, safety and cultural aspects must be integrated with the ecological interests in order to identify opportunities;
• the cooperation area must be extended to adjacent mainland areas with close ecological links to the Wadden Sea;
• the participation of all interest groups (stakeholders) in the development of the concept must be enhanced.