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Trilateral Wadden Sea Plan Eighth Trilateral
Governmental Conference
on the Protection of the
Wadden SeaStade, Germany,
October 22, 1997
7 Offshore Area The offshore zone ranges from the 3-sea-mile line to an artificial line connecting the outer tips of the islands. The border between the offshore zone and the beaches on the islands is determined by the average low-tide-water mark (Leeuwarden Declaration Annex I).
Status The natural morphology of the offshore zone is closely related to the natural dynamics in the tidal area and the beaches and dunes: there is a net transport of sand from the North Sea up till the 20 m isobath, into the Wadden Sea and this transport is determined by the overall water circulation. The area is important for foraging and moulting ducks, for seals and Harbour Porpoises.
There is little experience within the trilateral cooperation with the management of the offshore area. Parts of the German national parks are situated in the offshore area. The whole of the Danish offshore part of the Wadden Sea Area has a protected status. In the Schleswig-Holstein part, oil and gas exploration and exploitation are allowed only in the concession area of the Mittelplate.
In the Danish offshore area, shell fishery on species other than mussel, cockle and shrimp, is not allowed. In those parts of the German offshore area which belong to the national parks, the extraction of sand is, in principle, not allowed. As to cockle fishery, it is not planned to grant permits. Further restrictions to human use have not been imposed.
The offshore area in The Netherlands, as a part of a zone up to the 20 m isobath, is defined as the Environmental Zone: an area for which a special level of protection is offered in order to contribute to the protection, recovery and development of the entire North Sea and Wadden Sea ecosystems.
Targets An increased natural morphology, including the outer deltas between the islands.
A favorable food availability for birds.
Viable stocks and a natural reproduction capacity of the common seal, grey seal and harbour porpoise.
Assessment Because the natural dynamics in the tidal area are directly related to coastal defence activities on the mainland coast, the islands and the offshore zone, future coastal protection policies should, as a principle, be based on these currently better understood interrelationships and taken into account in coastal protection management.
The extraction of sand is not, in all cases, regulated on the basis of the importance of the offshore area and, more specifically, the area up till the 20 m isobath, for the overall Wadden Sea sand balance.
The offshore zone is important for birds in periods of food shortage. Safeguarding the food situation of (diving) birds is closely connected to the shellfish fishery in the area (e.g. Spisula fishery). At the Leeuwarden Conference, it was therefore decided to investigate shellfish stocks (e.g. Spisula) and the impact of fishery on the benthic stocks outside the islands and, depending on the outcome, discuss the results on a trilateral basis with the aim of safeguarding the food stocks for birds (LD §54).
It was, furthermore, decided to investigate the possibilities of a common research project on the effects of shrimp fishery (including industrial shrimp fishery) and flatfish fishery on the bottom fauna, within the realm of national competencies, with the aim to define trilateral proposals in 1997, and to consider, depending on the outcome of the investigations, further regulations, including the possibility of closing parts of the German and the Dutch Wadden Sea (LD §51).As has become clear from the recently finalized Joint Seal Project, Common Seals spend part of their time in a zone up to 20 km offshore. Harbour Porpoises appear in considerable numbers in the adjacent coastal part of the North Sea, especially in winter, partly in spring. The Schleswig-Holstein offshore area near Sylt seems to have become an important rearing area for Harbour Porpoises.
How to proceed Because of the interactions between hydrological and geomorphological processes in the offshore zone, the dunes and beaches, the tidal area and the salt marshes, policies aiming at increasing the natural dynamic situation in these habitats need to be tuned carefully.
Policies for safeguarding the food situation for birds are necessary for the whole offshore area and will be developed on the basis of the results of currently running research projects.
The management of seals in the offshore area is covered by the Seal Management Plan (see Chapter 10). This plan will be amended and updated at regular intervals.
In view of the high numbers of Harbour Porpoises in the offshore area, policies aiming at stimulating this development, especially in rearing areas, will be initiated.
7.1 Trilateral policy and management 7.1.1 Future coastal protection policies will, as a principle, be based on an integrated approach to coastal defence activities on the mainland coast, the islands and the offshore zone.
7.1.2 Increased attention will be given to the role of the offshore zone in the total Wadden Sea sand balance.7.1.3 Sand extraction will only be carried out from outside the Wadden Sea Area. Exemptions for local coastal protection measures may be granted, provided it is the Best Environmental Practice for coastal protection.
7.2 Trilateral projects and actions 7.2.1 A study into the possible effects of enhanced sea level rise by a Trilateral Expert Group to be established under the coordination responsibility of the competent authorities and, on the basis of these studies, the development of proposals for future integrated coastal defence and nature protection policies. (Identical with 3.2.1, 4.2.1, 5.2.2).
An investigation on shellfish stocks (e.g. Spisula) and the impact of fishery on the benthic stocks, seaward of the islands and, depending on the outcome, a discussion of the results on a trilateral basis with the aim to safeguard the food stock for birds.
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