A new marine protected area for birds in the Netherlands: Hollandse Kust
After years of dedication, our Dutch Partner Vogelbescherming has succeeded in securing a new marine protected area - the Hollandse Kust. This year, it will be officially designated as a new Special Protection Area (SPA) under the EU Birds Directive.
An important resting and feeding area for birds
The coastal area between Hoek van Holland and Bergen aan Zee has long been recognised as an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA), and it’s easy to see why. Research confirms what birdwatchers have known for years. This is an important resting and feeding ground for an impressive range of coastal and seabirds.
The area is home to the Great Cormorant, the Little Gull, the Great Crested Grebe, the Sandwich Tern, the Lesser Black-backed Gull, the Black-headed Gull, the Red-throated Loon, the Mew Gull, the Greater Scaup, the European Herring Gull, and Common Scoter – and for all of them, it meets the criteria for designation as a marine Special Protected Area.
Protection of the entire coastal zone
The Hollandse Kust slots neatly into an emerging mosaic of protected areas. It connects the SPA Voordelta in the south and the SPA North Sea Coastal Zone in the north. At approximately 100,000 hectares (1,000 km²), an area slightly larger than all of Berlin and fills a long-standing gap. With this addition, the entire Dutch coastal zone will soon be protected under the EU Birds Directive.
What happens next
Later this year, the Dutch Parliament will publish a draft designation decision defining both the boundaries of the area and the species for which it is being designated. A management plan will follow, including conservation measures to prevent disturbance and habitat deterioration. Human activities will only be permitted if it can be demonstrated with certainty that they will have no significant negative effects on species the area is designed to protect.
The recognition of this new Special Protected Area is not only fair for nature, but a legal obligation under the EU Birds Directive, and a direct outcome of the North Sea Agreement.
After years of tireless work and dedication by Vogelbescherming, this is a landmark moment. This incredible news proves that when governments and civil society work together, meaningful nature protection is possible. The birds of the Hollandse Kust, from the elegant Sandwhich Tern to the diving Greater Scaup, now have a real chance to thrive.
Photo: Red-throated Loon – Shutterstock
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