30 years ago, on the 1st of October 1991, the Agreement on the Conservation of Seals in the Wadden Sea (Wadden Sea Seal Agreement/WSSA)) entered into force and became the first international, legally binding agreement under the auspices of the UN Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals - established in the year 1979.

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

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.

The Wadden Sea was recognised with a dedicated session during the conference ECSA 58 - EMECS 13: Estuaries and coastal seas in the Anthropocene – Structure, functions, services and management which took place as an online event from September 6 to 9, 2021.

More than 100 dead harbour porpoises have washed up on the beaches of the Dutch Wadden Sea islands of Vlieland, Terschelling, Ameland and Schiermonnikoog in the last week, as reported by the University of Utrecht.

The third webinar working towards a trilateral Community of Understanding for sediment solutions was held in June.

WG-Swimway and invited guests drafted a policy statement based on existing guidelines and regulations with a direct link to the Trilateral Fish Targets at European level and how these have been implemented per country and trying to analyse their contribution to the realization of these targets.

Report on the first silt balance assessment for the trilateral Wadden Sea published.