Activities/Thematic Focus

• General and fundamental issues relating to national and international marine and coastal nature conservation (see also  Habitat Mare Natura 2000)
• Involvement with international conventions:
  • OSPAR working group on Biological Diversity, including chairmanship of the Marine Protection Areas (MPA) project group
  • Chairmanship of the  HELCOM HABITAT (formerly EC-Nature) working group
  • International North Sea Protection conferences and trilateral cooperation on the Wadden Sea
• Identifying, selecting, monitoring and administering NATURA 2000 sites (EU Habitats Directive and Birds Directive designated sites) in the German North Sea and Baltic Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)
• Marine nature conservation activities in the joint German government and Länder committee on the North Sea and the Baltic (BLANO), including chairmanship of the BLANO dialogue on marine and coastal nature protection and participation in the BLANO dialogue on fisheries
• Coordinating, initiating and supporting studies and research projects on a wide range of marine nature conservation issues
• Assessing the marine and coastal environmental and landscape impacts of various human activities (high-voltage submarine cables, gas rigs and pipelines, marine sand and gravel extraction, etc.) and identifying potentially more sustainable alternatives
• Assessing adverse effects of marine fisheries on ecosystems and developing mitigation strategies