1. Policy & Management

International Goose workshop

On 19-20 November 2008, an international workshop on goose management was held in Ribe. The workshop, organized jointly by the Environment Centre Ribe, the Wadden Sea Forum and the Common Wadden Sea Secretariat was attended by some 30 representatives from science, agriculture, nature conservation societies, hunters and responsible authorities. The presentations and discussions during the workshop focused on the current situation with regard to geese damage, development of the populations of goose species and, most of all, on best practice solutions for handling geese grazing on farmland.

In conclusion, the workshop recommended

• To designate refuge areas for geese with compensation for farmers
• To develop tools to bring the geese into these areas and to chase them outside the areas
• To positively use the existing framework regulations of the EU
• To establish a working group with experts to prepare a strategic management plan to be submitted to TC 11. WSF will take the initiative

Further information and the press release can be found on the WSF web site www.waddensea-forum.org/WSFnewSpecialissues.htm

Wadden Sea Forum Meeting

The Wadden Sea Forum (WSF) has held its 13th plenary meeting 18-19 November on Fanø. The meeting was attended by more than 30 representatives, who were, as a starting point, guided through the outstanding cultural environment Sønderho in the south of the island.

Following, the Forum discussed several issues of great actuality and took decisions accordingly. The WSF will support actions to safeguard container shipment, will initiate a study about perspectives for costal fisheries and will elaborate a common marketing strategy. Furthermore, marine spatial planning was an important issue, particularly with regard to the German spatial plan for the EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone). In this respect, the Forum will contribute to the planning process, representing a transnationaland cross-sectoral approach.

An issue of particular interest was the electric grid connection between off-shore wind parks and the mainland. A presentation from EON Net informed about the technical challenges, the economic developments and the effects on the environment. The presentation is available on the WSF website www.waddensea-forum.org/Specialissues/EON_Netz_Offshore.pdf.

More information about the Wadden Sea Forum at:
http://www.waddensea-forum.org/

2. Research & Monitoring

Number of Harbour Seals increased in 2008

The total number of 20,250 harbour seals counted in 2008 is the highest number ever counted in the Wadden Sea during the moult. It indicates that the population is still growing prosperously and has evidently passed its pre 2002-epizootic level of 17,700 animals.

http://www.waddensea-secretariat.org/news/news/Seals/Annual-reports/seals2008.html

3. Information & Education

Sixth meeting of the Wadden Sea visitor centres

After the launch of the International Wadden Sea School in 2003, the cooperation of environmental educationalists from Danish, Dutch and German Wadden Sea visitor centres is well established. In mid-November, the IWSS network partners met for the 6th time on a two-day workshop to celebrate their joint achievements and to further their common approach to trilateral Wadden Sea education.

A growing choice of jointly developed international teaching resources and educational activities facilitates the integration of trilateral issues in the local and regional Wadden Sea education. For the coming year, the network partners aim at the further development of the IWSS as common brand for trilateral education and at an increasing public work and visibility of the IWSS.

The workshop was hosted by the National Park Visitor Centre “Das Wattenmeerhaus” in Wilhelmshaven. On a visit to the Common Wadden Sea Secretariat, the group was informed about recent issues of the Trilateral Cooperation such as the nomination of the Wadden Sea as World Heritage site. All educationalists offered their support for the communication of the contents and aims of the Trilateral Wadden Sea Cooperation also in the general visitor information at the various sites. In 2009, the IWSS will explore the individual solutions for the increasing integration of trilateral issues in the centres’ exhibitions for a Wadden Sea wide public information offer.

The IWSS is a trilateral information and environmental education program of the Trilateral Wadden Sea Cooperation. Further information at: http://www.iwss.org/

4. New Publications

Observing the coastal sea

Observing the Coastal Sea. An Atlas of Advanced Monitoring Techniques. Roland Doerffer (GKSS), Franciscus Colijn (GKSS), Justus van Beusekom (AWI). LOICZ Reports and Studies No. 33

http://www.loicz.org/products/publication/reports/index.html.en

5. Trilateral Meetings

TMAP Workshop on mapping of subtidal habitats
16 December 2008, GKSS, Germany

Trilateral Workshop on Blue Mussel fishery
14 January 2008, Kiel, Germany

Trilateral Working Group (TWG)
25 February 2009, Wilhelmshaven, Germany

SO Meeting
26 February 2008, Wilhelmshaven, Germany

A complete overview is at:
http://www.waddensea-secretariat.org/trilat/meetings/meetings.html

Meetings of the Wadden Sea Forum (WSF) are at:
http://www.waddensea-forum.org/WSFnewCalendar.htm

6. Symposia & Workshops

Upcoming events:

Science for Nature Conservation and Management: The Wadden Sea ecosystem and the EU Directives

The draft program of the 12th International Scientific Wadden Sea Symposium will be published in December 2008.

The symposium is organized by the Ministry of Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, Nationalpark Wattenmeer (Niedersachsen, Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein), and the Common Wadden Sea Secretariat (CWSS) in Wilhelmshaven on 30 March – 3 April 2009.

More information at:
http://www.waddensea-secretariat.org/news/symposia/ISWSS-2009.html

New events:

Only new events are listed. A complete list of upcoming events is at:
http://www.waddensea-secretariat.org/news/events/otherconf.html

29 August - 04 September 2009, Dublin, Ireland
Estuarine Goods and Services
45th International Symposium of ECSA (Estuarine and Coastal Sciences Association)
More information: http://www.ecsa-news.org or the conference co-ordinator v.n.de.jonge@planet.nl