Convened by the German Federal Ministry of Environment, Nature Conservation and
Nuclear Safety, Nationalpark Wattenmeer (Niedersachsen, Hamburg,
Schleswig-Holstein), and the Common Wadden Sea Secretariat (CWSS)
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Recommendations from the Symposium
General Preamble
Nature conservation and management in the Wadden Sea should, as
formulated in the trilateral Guiding Principle, aim “to achieve, as far
as possible, a natural and sustainable ecosystem in which natural
processes proceed in an undisturbed way”. Much has already been achieved
in recent decades but the Wadden Sea is still facing issues of concern
such as retarded recovery of biological diversity, the loss of salt
marshes, and ongoing contamination with new chemical substances. There
is also the need to develop strategies to deal with the consequences of
global developments such as climate change and invasive alien species.
Finally, in terms of policy and management, there is an increasingly
complex system of international, European and national legal instruments
and agreements which can both lead to confusion and/or work at
cross-purposes. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a better
integration in research, monitoring and management with timely
involvement and participation of all stakeholders (researchers from
various disciplines, government agencies, NGOs and other sectors). A
similar holistic and integrative approach should be applied when
exploring possibilities for EU-funding.
The Twelfth International Scientific Wadden Sea Symposium discussed
these issues under the title ‘Science for Nature Conservation and
Management’. Given that the trilateral Wadden Sea Cooperation serves as
an example in the wider European or even global context, the symposium
considered the following recommendations to be of strategic importance
for the three Wadden Governments.
Recommendations to the Trilateral Governmental Conference
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Develop one comprehensive scheme for the conservation and
sustainable development of the trilateral Wadden Sea in order to
implement the various EU Directives more effectively. Such a scheme
will serve as an example for the wider EU. In this context it is
important that:
-
The trilateral Wadden Sea is considered as a sub-region
according to the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and
-
The definitions of “Good Ecological Status / Favourable
Conservation Status / Good Environmental Status” as respectively
required by the Water Framework Directive / Habitats and Species
Directive and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive have to be
harmonised to ensure that also the implementation of these
Directives is harmonised.
-
The Ecosystem Approach should be applied to Wadden Sea policy
and management.
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We must build on existing trilateral structures, agreements and
instruments, including monitoring and data handling.
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Extend the trilateral cooperation area by adding the adjacent
off-shore conservation areas, because there is a strong relationship
between the Wadden Sea and these areas and treat the inshore and
near offshore areas as a single system.
-
The monitoring efforts of the trilateral area should not be
restricted to the minimum requirements resulting from the
Natura2000, Water and Marine Strategy Framework Directives as these
do not provide sufficient information for a proper and
scientifically sound ecosystem management of the Wadden Sea.
Accordingly, the TMAP should be expanded to develop trilateral
strategies and methodologies for monitoring and assessing the
ecological values of in particular the subtidal area. Furthermore, a
large effort should be given to the development of conservation
objectives which underpin the whole management process.
-
Where necessary and possible restore the natural structure and
functioning both to increase resilience to the impacts of
accelerating sea level rise and to enhance sustainable economic
development, taking due account
of geo-morphological conditions.
-
The natural landscape of the Wadden Sea and the cultural landscape
of the adjacent land area must be regarded as complementary parts of
the same landscape. Therefore cooperation between the cultural and
environmental heritage should be improved.
-
Governments need to join and reinforce ongoing international efforts
to prevent alien species introductions and develop an alien species
management strategy for the Wadden Sea.
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For further information on the symposium please contact:
Mr. Harald Marencic
Common Wadden Sea Secretariat (CWSS)
Virchowstr. 1
D-26382 Wilhelmshaven
Phone: +49 (0)4421 9108 15
marencic@waddensea-secretariat.org
