PROTECTION
OF THE WADDEN SEA: The Trilateral Wadden Sea cooperation
Already in the beginning
of the 70s environmental scientists stated that the ecosystem
of the Wadden Sea cannot be divided according to national borders.
The Wadden Sea is, from an ecological point of view, one system.
The politicians from the three Wadden Sea countries were called
upon to work together in the protection and conservation of the
area .
The first trilateral governmental conference on the protection
of the Wadden Sea was held in 1978 in The Hague, The Netherlands.
The second Wadden Sea Conference took place two years later in
Bonn, Germany.
In 1982, at the third Conference in Copenhagen,
Denmark a Joint Declaration was agreed upon by the three countries.
According to the Joint Declaration the Wadden Sea countries declare
their intention to coordinate their activities and measures to
implement a number of international legal instruments in the
field of natural environmental protection, amongst others the
Ramsar Convention and the EC Bird Directive, for a comprehensive
protection of the Wadden Sea region as a whole, including its
flora and fauna.
Since 1982 four more Governmental Wadden Sea Conferences were
held and the trilateral cooperation strengthened and intensified.
Other important trilateral events are the International Scientific
Wadden Sea Symposia which are held every three years. At the
Symposia, scientists from the three Wadden Sea countries exchange
relevant research findings and formulate recommendations to the
politicians. The Symposia also deal with management issues. The
findings of the scientific symposia have been and are important
for the development of trilateral policies.
Trilateral Governmental Wadden Sea
Conferences and their main results
1978 - 1st Wadden Sea Conference, The
Hague, NL
Decision to strengthen the cooperation on the protection of the
Wadden Sea
1980 - 2nd Wadden Sea Conference, Bonn, D
Coordination of scientific research
1982 - 3rd Wadden Sea Conference, Copenhagen, DK
Adoption of the Joint Declaration
1985 - 4th Wadden Sea Conference, The Hague, NL
Decision to establish a common secretariat
1988 - 5th Wadden Sea Conference, Bonn, D
Adoption of the Agreement
on the Protection of Seals
1991
- 6th Wadden Sea Conference, Esbjerg, DK
Adoption of the guiding principle, common management principles
and objectives for human use
1994
-
7th Wadden Sea Conference, Leeuwarden, NL
Adoption of a common delimitation and common ecological targets
1997
-
8th Wadden Sea Conference, Stade, NL
Adoption of a trilateral Wadden Sea Plan and a common package of
monitoring parameters.
2001 - 9th Wadden Sea Conference,
Esberjg, DK
Adoption of a Wadden Sea Forum, application to the IMO for the designation
of a Wadden Sea PSSA, adoption of a new Seal Management Plan, adaptation
of the boundaries of the Wadden Sea Area and Conservation Area.
2005 - 10th Wadden Sea Conference,
NL
