Marine protected areas in Germany

In Germany, marine protected areas cover around 45 per cent of the North Sea and Baltic Sea. These areas include national parks, nature reserves and Natura 2000 sites. They are intended to protect species such as the harbour porpoise, grey seal and sturgeon, as well as marine habitats such as reefs and seagrass beds. However, many of these areas are still open to fishing, shipping and raw material extraction. Only a small part remains completely undisturbed. More stringent measures are required for effective protection.

More on marine protected areas in Germany