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close| Location | Netherlands, Groningen |
| Central coordinates | 6o 34.00' East 53o 26.00' North |
| IBA criteria | A4i, A4iii, B1i, B2, B3, C2, C3, C4, C6 |
| Area | 4,600 ha |
| Altitude | 0 - 2m |
| Year of IBA assessment | 2000 |
Ornithological information roost for waterbirds that feed in the Wadden Sea. This is also the most important breeding site for Recurvirostra avosetta in the Netherlands.
Site description An extensive area of intertidal mudflats, saltmarshes and grassland polders outside the Wadden Sea dyke of Groningen (total length 34 km), contiguous with the Wadden Sea itself (site 001). The site is adjacent in the east to Lauwersmeer (015) and to the Eems/Dollard estuary together with the port and industrial area of Eemshaven. Land reclamation by the furthering of natural accretion (intensified since the 1930s) has been ended, but the existing system of dams and ditches will be maintained to reduce erosion. One-third of the mudflats have been closed to shellfish fisheries.
Populations of IBA trigger species
| Species | Season | Period | Population estimate | Quality of estimate | IBA Criteria | IUCN Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis | winter | 1990 | 8,221 individuals | medium | A4i, B1i, B2, C2 | Least Concern |
| Brent Goose Branta bernicla | non-breeding | 1990 | 7,789 individuals | medium | A4i, B1i, C3 | Least Concern |
| Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna | non-breeding | 1990 | 9,349 individuals | medium | A4i, B1i, C3 | Least Concern |
| Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus | non-breeding | 1991 | 41,446 individuals | medium | A4i, B1i, C3 | Least Concern |
| Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta | breeding | 1991 | 1,263 breeding pairs | good | A4i, B1i, B3, C2, C6 | Least Concern |
| Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta | non-breeding | 1990 | 4,091 individuals | medium | A4i, B1i, C2, C6 | Least Concern |
| Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola | non-breeding | 1990 | 8,968 individuals | medium | A4i, B1i, C3 | Least Concern |
| Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica | passage | 1990 | 12,330 individuals | medium | A4i, B1i, C2, C6 | Least Concern |
| Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata | non-breeding | 1990 | 15,788 individuals | medium | A4i, B1i, C3 | Near Threatened |
| Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata | winter | 1990 | 14,693 individuals | medium | A4i, B1i, B2, C3 | Near Threatened |
| Common Redshank Tringa totanus | non-breeding | 1990 | 2,445 individuals | medium | B1i, C3 | Least Concern |
| Red Knot Calidris canutus | winter | 1990 | 889 individuals | medium | B2 | Least Concern |
| Dunlin Calidris alpina | non-breeding | 1990 | 26,474 individuals | medium | A4i, B1i, C3 | Least Concern |
| A4iii Species group - waterbirds | winter | 1990 | - | unknown | A4iii, C4 | |
| A4iii Species group - waterbirds | non-breeding | 1990 | - | unknown | A4iii, C4 |
Protected areas
| Protected area | Designation | Area (ha) | Relationship with IBA | Overlap with IBA (ha) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kwelders Groninger Noordkust | Nature Conservation Law | 81 | protected area contained by site | 90 |
|
| Kwelders langs de noordkust van Groningen | Natural Monument | 1,220 | protected area contained by site | 1,220 | |
| Uithuizerwad | Nature Reserve | 43 | protected area contained by site | 43 | |
| Waddenzee (Wadden Sea) | Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar) | 249,998 | protected area contains site | 4,600 | |
| Waddenzee - NL1000001 | Habitats Directive | 259,214 | protected area contains site | 4,600 | |
| Waddenzee - NL9801001 | Birds Directive | 272,027 | protected area contains site | 4,600 | |
| Waddenzee I | Natural Monument | 125,000 | protected area overlaps with site | 3,380 |
Habitats
| IUCN habitat | Habitat detail | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|---|
| Coastline | Mud flats & sand flats; Sand dunes & beaches | 100% |
Land use
| Land-use | Extent (% of site) |
|---|---|
| agriculture | 10% |
| fisheries/aquaculture | 66% |
| hunting | 30% |
| nature conservation and research | 100% |
| tourism/recreation | 100% |
Management considerations Apart from about 1,000 ha of summer polders, the site is largely included in the Ramsar-designated Wadden Sea.
Protection status National High International High2,270 ha of IBA covered by Natural Monument (Waddenzee I, 125,000 ha). 4,800 ha of IBA covered by Natural Monument (Noord-Friesland buitendijks, 4,800 ha). 700 ha of IBA covered by Natural Monument (Noord-Friesland buitendijks II, 700 ha). 670 ha of IBA covered by Natural Monument (Kwelder langs de noordkust van Friesland, 670 ha). 964 ha of IBA covered by Nature Reserve (Noord Friesland buitendijks, 940 ha). 9,310 ha of IBA covered by Special Protection Area (Waddenzee, `250,000 ha' [official, incorrect figure]). 8,360 ha of IBA covered by Ramsar Site (Waddenzee, `250,000 ha' [official, incorrect figure]).
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Recommended citation BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Groningen Wadden Sea coast. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 19/06/2013
To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife
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