PROTECTION OF THE WADDEN SEA
Already at the beginning
of the century smaller uninhabited islands were protected as
nature reserves for birds. Later, this was followed by protection
of salt marshes and, to a limited extent, also tidal areas. But
in the 70s it became evident that the whole ecosystem would have
to be protected including the tidal flats and subtidal areas.
This resulted in the establishment of protected areas, national
parks and nature and wildlife reserves. The major part of the
area between Den Helder in the Netherlands and Blåvandshuk
in Denmark is now under legal protection. The areas under conservation
are indicated on the map as Trilateral Conservation
Area.
A more detailed description of the
protection scheme and recent developments can be found in Chapter 1
of the Quality Status Report 1999 and
at the Esberjg 2001
Conference.
The Dutch Wadden Sea
Since 1980 the Netherlands Wadden Sea is protected according
to the key planning decision Wadden Sea (PKB), also called the
Wadden Sea Memorandum, which is a national physical planning
document defining the overall objectives of conservation, management
and use of the Wadden Sea (amended 1993). The objectives and
conditions of the Wadden Sea Memorandum are binding upon all
state, regional and local authorities. The area for which the
Wadden Sea Memorandum is valid, is , with the exception of the
major shipping lanes and areas directly south of the islands,
also a nature protection area.
According to the Dutch nature protection law it is prohibited
without permission to undertake activities which destroy and
damage the protected area including its flora and fauna or its
scenic importance. Within the protected area some areas have
been closed for the whole or part of the year. This concerns
mainly areas which are important for seals and breeding birds.
About a quarter of the tidal flats has been closed for cockle
and mussel fishery.
The German Wadden Sea
In Germany the coastal federal states are responsible for the implementation of the Federal Nature Conservation act. Schleswig-Holstein,
Lower Saxony and Hamburg have established national parks for
the major parts of the Wadden Sea in 1985, 1986 and 1990 respectively.
Within the federal state Bremen a small part of the Wadden Sea
is situated which has been partly designated as a nature reserve.
The objectives of the national parks are to protect the Wadden
Sea and to allow natural process to take place with a minimum
degree of disturbance and other detrimental effects of human
activities. The national parks have been divided into two or
three zones of which the zone I embraces ecological valuable
areas. Therefore, strict regulations apply to the zone I including
prohibition of public admittance. In zone II utilization and
activities are allowed under such conditions that the overall
protection objectives are not impaired. The national parks are
managed by an administrative unity, the national park administrations,
which are responsible for the implementation of the provisions
of the national park instruments.
The Danish Wadden Sea
In Denmark the Wadden Sea was declared a nature and wildlife
reserve by Statutory Order in 1982. The order has been amended
on two occasions; the last one was issued in 1999. The objective
is to conserve the Wadden Sea as a nature area of national and
international importance. It is, in general, prohibited to undertake
activities which destroy or permanently change the natural environment
of the Wadden Sea. Strict regulations apply to areas of special
importance for seals and birds in which public admittance is
prohibited. In other areas recreational boating and other recreational
activities have been strictly regulated. Mussel and cockle fishery
is prohibited in the major part of the tidal area. In the remaining
areas, particularly the main shipping routes and the area offshore
of the islands, no general restrictions apply.
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The Ramsar Convention, the EC Bird
Directive and the EC Habitat Directive
The Ramsar Convention
1971 is a world wide treaty for the conservation of wetlands:
shallow open waters and any land regularly or intermittently
covered or saturated by water. In the framework of the Convention
wetlands of international importance are designated by the contracting
parties. Major parts of the Wadden Sea have been designated as
Ramsar sites:
The Dutch Wadden Sea Memorandum Area is a Ramsar site. In Germany
the Wadden Sea Ramsar sites are basically the national parks
and a number of areas on the islands and the adjacent mainland.
In Denmark the Wadden Sea Ramsar site is the Nature and Wildlife
Reserve, the uninhabited parts of islands and the adjacent marsh
areas on the mainland (see
map).
The EC Bird Directive 1979 aims at the protection of all
species of naturally occurring birds in the territory of the
member states. According to the Bird Directive members states
shall classify the most suitable territories for the conservation
of these species including migratory species as special protection
areas (SPAs). The Dutch and the Danish Wadden Sea Ramsar
sites have also been designated as SPAs. In Germany major part of the
Wadden Sea and a number of adjacent areas (offshore and inland areas) have
been designated as SPA.
The EC Habitat Directive 1992 aims at the conservation
of habitats of wild flora and fauna in the member states. In
the framework of the Habitat Directive a coherent ecological
network, called NATURA 2000, shall be established. NATURA 2000
will consist of Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) designated
according to the Flora, Fauna and Habitat Directive, and the
SPAs of the Bird Directive. Major parts of the Wadden Sea have been
designated under the Habitats Directive and are included in NATURA 2000.
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