Integrated System for Conservation of Marine Environments

Bordering the coastlines of Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands, is a unique natural area: the Wadden area. Having a surface area of more than 8,000 square kilometers, it is one of the largest and most important marine nature areas in Europe. For several decades, the three countries bordering it have worked hard to do whatever possible to protect the area against various kinds of threatening (human) influences: industrialization, overfishing, water and air pollution, mass recreation, mineral (oil and gas) extraction, and land reclamation.
The authors have examined in detail the protective regimes of the three countries, analyzed them carefully, and evaluated their effectiveness. They have concluded that the area, which should be considered an ecological entity, is not protected and managed as such. This book offers – for the first time – a comprehensive survey of the protective regimes in the three countries, including protection measures based on European law. It is a valuable and necessary source of information for everybody working in the field of nature conservation of large transboundary nature areas.