Appoint a single nature manager for the Wadden area
Thirteen managing authorities currently active; complex organisation an obstacle to achieving goals
Management of the Wadden area should be reorganised. It is currently not streamlined despite central government's recent decentralisation of a number of tasks to the three provinces concerned. The current 13 managing authorities for the Wadden area do not always work well together. Average nature quality in the Wadden area has remained stable since the 1980s. Central government policy for sustainable protection therefore seems to be working. This does not mean, however, that nature in the Wadden area is in good health. Nature development is behind target, even though it has been a central government goal since 1980. The regulations on both nature management and permit issuance for such activities as fishing, gas extraction, dredging, military exercises, recreation and the construction of wind turbines and high water protection in this protected area are complicated. Time should be taken to define central government's ambitions, transfer nature management to a single organisation and review responsibility for coordination.