Nationalpark Hamburgisches Wattenmeer

To preserve the Wadden Sea including the island of Neuwerk and the dune islands Scharhörn and Nigehörn in their entirety and their natural dynamics for its own sake and as a habitat of the species dependent on this unique habitat and the communities existing between them and to protect against impairments. The large and undisturbed natural landscape between the mouths of the Elbe and Weser rivers is of particular importance to science.

Species of Concern: Twaite Shad (Alosa fallax); River Lamprey (Lampetra fluviatilis); Sea Lamprey (Petromyzon marinus); Harbour Porpoise (Phocoena phocoena); Harbour Seal / Common Seal (Phoca vitulina); Grey Seal (Halichoerus grypus)

Restrictions

A. In the National Park it is prohibited to:
1. cut, pick, pull out, dig up, remove, or otherwise damage plants or parts of plants,
2. stalk, catch, injure, kill, disturb wild animals through other actions, or remove, destroy, or damage their eggs, larvae, pupae, or other developmental forms or nests,
3. hunt or fish, including crab and mussel fishing, including hook-and-line fishing or otherwise catching fish or crabs, and collecting mussels,
4. establish or release plants, animals, or other organisms,
5. enter the designated areas of the northern foreland of Neuwerk located in Zone II between April 1 and July 31 of each year,
a. Taking dogs or cats outside the farmyards in any way other than on a short leash, swimming them or letting them run around in the area,
b. to take off or land balloons or other aircraft, to fly fireworks, kites, drones or model aircraft of any kind, as well as to ride kite surfboards or model ships on the waters, with the exception of federal waterways,
6. to camp or camp outside the areas designated for this purpose in Zone II,
7. to pollute the area with waste, wastewater or in any other way,
8. to erect, construct or alter structures of any kind, overhead lines and pipelines as well as paths, stairs, bridges or walkways,
9. to erect or alter fences,
10. to change the type of crop, in particular to plough up permanent grassland,
11. to remove trees, shrubs or hedges completely or partially,
12. to use pesticides or apply fertilizers,
13. to build embankments, backfills or Excavations or the introduction of soil components or the formation of the soil in any other way.
14. Altering, removing, or drying up bodies of water or the formation of water bodies, in particular tidal creeks or brackish shores or mudflats, through excavations, the extraction or introduction of soil components, or in any other way.
15. Extracting mineral resources or soil components or blasting or drilling.
16. Damaging, picking up, collecting, or defaceing objects of scientific, natural history, or regional significance.
17. Disturbing the peace and quiet of nature or the enjoyment of nature through noise or in any other way.
18. Starting fires or throwing away or leaving behind burning or smoldering objects.
B. Maritime users must behave on federal waterways in the National Park in such a way that nature and the landscape, as well as flora and fauna, are not damaged or disturbed or impaired more than is unavoidable under the circumstances. The following measures also apply:
(1) It is prohibited to navigate federal waterways with ground-effect vehicles, hovercraft, and seaplanes.
(2) It is prohibited to navigate federal waterways:
1. with watercraft pulled by a kite or wing, in particular kitesurfing and wingsurfing, unless a permit zone has been designated,
2. with motor-driven water sports equipment, in particular water bobs, personal watercraft, or powered surfboards, unless suitable motor-driven water sports equipment is used as an escort vehicle for rescue purposes in water sports training or regattas,
3. with motor-driven watercraft towing water skis or other floating devices for sports and recreational purposes,
4. with watercraft towing a kite or parachute.
(3) Furthermore, it is prohibited to:
1. run aground with watercraft in the General Protection Areas or in the Special Protection Areas, unless a permit zone has been designated, or
2. navigate in Special Protection Areas outside the fairways, during the respective protection periods for seals, birds, or seagrass meadows, except for the designated protected area waterways and protected area routes.
(4) Unless otherwise specified, it is prohibited to travel with a motor-powered watercraft faster than 12 knots over ground.
(5) By way of derogation from (4), it is prohibited to navigate with a motor-powered watercraft:
1. faster than 16 knots over ground in fairways outside the Special Protection Areas,
2. faster than 8 knots over ground in the Special Protection Areas outside the fairways located there and subject to the permissibility of navigation outside the Protection times.
(6) By way of derogation from (4) and subject to (5), it is prohibited to sail motor-powered a watercraft seaward of the baseline at a speed exceeding 16 knots over ground.
(7) For the transport of goods and persons, a commercially used watercraft may operate at up to 24 knots over ground only:
1. in high-speed corridors,
2. in fairways, provided that it is a passenger ship that is located off the 15 February 1995, has been used for at least six months in the Wadden Sea or Heligoland trade.
(8) The authorization to operate a passenger ship pursuant to (7) 2 up to 24 knots shall be transferred from the previous passenger ship to the passenger ship used in the corresponding trade area and which, at the time of keel laying or at the start of conversion work, uses the best available technology with regard to wave formation and emissions. This must be documented by an expert opinion from a scientific research institute located in a Member State of the European Union or a Contracting State to the Agreement on the European Economic Area and a member of the Advisory Board of the International Towing Tank Conference Association, or from a recognized classification society. The first use of the replacement vessel may not take place later than 36 months after keel laying or after the start of conversion work.

Allowed

A. Certain prohibitions do not apply:
1. to the proper agricultural land use on the dyked island core of Neuwerk, provided that non-genetically modified organisms are established or released,
2. to measures taken by the Federal Waterways and Shipping Administrations to fulfill their statutory duties, including waterway maintenance within the meaning of the Federal Waterways Act, as amended, and to ensure traffic safety, as well as disaster control, maritime rescue, and oil spill response measures,
3. to nature conservation and landscape management measures by the responsible authority or in agreement with the responsible authority,
4. to the care and maintenance of existing green spaces and gardens,
5. to the control of brown rats and water voles, 6. to dogs on the main dike of Neuwerk Island, on the paths within the dike, and for swimming between the two jetties on the west side,
7. to kites on the dike body of the main dike between the equipment shed of the Volunteer fire department in the north westwards to the farmers' harbor in the south of the island of Neuwerk as well as for fireworks on New Year's Eve on the island of Neuwerk,
8. for the proper maintenance of existing and legally constructed structures, paths and fences on the dyked island core of Neuwerk,
9. for the extraction of sand by residents of Neuwerk in small quantities for local use,
10. for exploration and extraction rights to mineral resources as well as other public law usage and administration rights with regard to the subsoil according to Article 3 of the Implementing Agreement to the Cuxhaven Treaty of June 14th/7th August 1967 (Hamburg Law and Ordinance Gazette, page 285), insofar as these rights are granted in individual cases in agreement with Hamburg according to Article 3 paragraph 2 of the Agreement, if the protective purpose does not conflict with the exercise of the rights,
11. for traditional and campfires on the developed parcels of land and those approved as tent or caravan sites in the inland meadows of Neuwerk, as well as for the burning of mown reeds on parcel 125-00117.
B. The following exceptions and exemptions apply:
(1) The prohibitions on running aground and navigation in General Protection Areas or Special Protection Areas do not apply to navigation:
1. for the performance of sovereign duties, if this is necessary for their fulfillment,
2. for the monitoring and repair of pipelines and cables after timely notification to the locally responsible electricity and shipping police authority,
3. for maritime rescue operations,
4. for research purposes of state research institutions of the Federal Government, the states, or a Member State of the European Union,
5. with watercraft in the lawful exercise of commercial fishing, and
6. in the event of distress at sea or to avoid other dangers to life and limb.
(2) The speed limits do not apply to navigation:
1. for the performance of sovereign duties, if this is necessary for their fulfillment,
2. Sea rescue operations,
3. in the event of distress at sea or to avoid other dangers to life and limb.