Science and youth engagement are two of the key topics in this year’s Annual Report from the Common Wadden Sea Secretariat. There is also an update on all the activities of the Trilateral Wadden Sea Cooperation from 2021 – a year in which, despite lockdowns and restrictions has seen lots of things to celebrate.

With the start of November, the Common Wadden Sea Secretariat (CWSS) has a new staff member: Simone Prestes Dürrnagel. Simone will organise the first Wadden Sea Youth Conference, to be held in autumn 2022 at the same time as the Trilateral Governmental Conference.

Since October, multiple cases of bird flu have been reported in the Wadden Sea. Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands all confirmed that the highly pathogenic bird flu virus HPAI has been identified in dead migratory birds found within the Wadden Sea.

The 15th International Scientific Wadden Sea Symposium, which this year will be held in Büsum, Schleswig-Holstein (D) on 30 Nov - 3 Dec 2021, is now at full capacity in line with the local restrictions for events, with 180 participants. It is therefore no longer possible to book at place at the event.

A milestone for the remarkable recovery of the Wadden Sea harbour seal population.

During two weekends in September, the first ever East Atlantic Flyway Youth Forum took place. 79 enthusiastic young conservationists from 34 countries had signed up for the event to discuss the role and importance of youth engagement in flyway conservation.

The 15th International Scientic Wadden Sea Symposium will be held as an in person event in Büsum, Schleswig-Holstein (D) on 30 Nov - 3 Dec 2021

As part of the collaboration with the Swiss watch maker Oris, and in celebration of World Clean Up Day, this weekend saw specially invited guests spend two days in the Dutch Wadden Sea in order to pick marine litter and learn more about local efforts to make the Wadden Sea more sustainable

The Wadden Sea is well known for the large flocks of birds that visit the area during the annual migration to and from the Arctic. In recent years, there has been increased concern about these Arctic travellers due to the impact of changing climatic conditions in the Arctic.