Transboundary strategy for law enforcement and ecological restoration required
Immediate and comprehensive action from both Germany and Poland is needed to improve the ecological status of the Oder delta and the lagoon waters in the short term.Everything must be done to stop the current overloading of the water ecosystems and allow the vulnerable ecosystems to regenerate. The implementation of national and European legislation must be secured, particularly the EU Habitats Directive, the EU Water Framework Directive, and the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive.
An important step towards the sound protection and development of the Oder delta in the long term is a long-pending transboundary strategy between Germany and Poland for the natural regeneration of the Szczecin Lagoon. This connectivity is crucial to revitalising the lagoon as an important habitat for migratory fish such as sturgeon and maraena whitefish, as well as transitional biotopes as a habitat for priority protected species after the EU Habitats Directive. No-take fishing zones and a Sturgeon Action Plan for Germany and Poland must accompany activities to restore fish stocks of important species like the Atlantic salmon, Baltic sturgeon and eel.
Another important measure is to strengthen natural water retention in the floodplain. This way, important ecosystem services like water storage and natural filters can be revitalised, and natural flood protection can be improved by restoring floodplains with riparian forests and peat land on a large scale.
First European “Threatened Lake of the Year”
The GNF and the Living Lakes Network announce the "Threatened Lake of the Year" every year on World Wetlands Day to draw attention to the global threat to lakes and wetlands. Lake Titicaca was the "Threatened Lake of the Year 2023", and the Szczecin Lagoon in the Oder delta is the first European wetland to receive the title.