Ramsar COP8 DOC. 6: Report on the List of Wetlands of International Importance

"Wetlands: water, life, and culture"
8th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties
to the Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar, Iran, 1971)
Valencia, Spain, 18-26 November 2002

Ramsar COP8 DOC. 6

Report of the Secretary General pursuant to Article 8.2 (b), (c), and (d) concerning the List of Wetlands of International Importance

1. Article 8.2 of the Convention states that: "The continuing bureau duties [the Ramsar Bureau, or convention secretariat] shall be, inter alia : …

Article 2.5 of the Convention states that " Wetlands should be selected for the List on account of their international significance in terms of ecology, botany, zoology, limnology or hydrology. In the first instance wetlands of international importance to waterfowl at any season should be included."

Article 3.2 in turn states that: "Each Contracting Party shall arrange to be informed at the earliest possible time if the ecological character of any wetland in its territory and included in the List has changed, is changing or is likely to change as the result of technological developments, pollution or other human interference. Information on such changes shall be passed without delay to the organization or government responsible for the continuing bureau duties specified in Article 8."

b) to maintain the List of Wetlands of International Importance and to be informed by the Contracting Parties of any additions, extensions, deletions or restrictions concerning wetlands included in the List provided in accordance with paragraph 5 of Article 2 ;

c) to be informed by the Contracting Parties of any changes in the ecological character of wetlands included in the List provided in accordance with paragraph 2 of Article 3 ;

d) to forward notification of any alterations to the List, or changes in character of wetlands included therein, to all Contracting Parties and to arrange for these matters to be discussed at the next Conference;

e) to make known to the Contracting Party concerned, the recommendations of the Conferences in respect of such alterations to the List or of changes in the character of wetlands included therein."

2. The present report of the Secretary General conveys to the 8th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties the information requested under Article 8 concerning the List of Wetlands of International Importance since the closure of Ramsar COP7 on 18 May 1999.

3. The Bureau maintains up to date the Ramsar List, always available in the Ramsar Web site and in hard copy in two versions: a) the basic List organized in alphabetical order of Contracting Parties (English language) with the name of the sites also in alphabetical order, date of designation, state/province where the site is located, area of the site, and geographical coordinates of the site; and b) the Annotated List, which in addition contains a brief description of each site.

4. In the case of the designation of new Ramsar sites or extension of the area of existing sites, once the Bureau is satisfied that the Ramsar Information Sheet and map for each new site or extension has been produced in accordance with COP Resolutions on the required data for Ramsar sites, the Secretary General authorizes the addition or change in the List, the announcement is made in the Ramsar Web site, and an official letter and certificate confirming the addition to the List or extension of area is sent to the Party concerned.

5. Pursuant to Article 8.2 d), Annex 1 contains the relation of sites added to the List in the period under review, as well as the extension in area of sites designated before 18 May 1999.

6. Concerning deletions, no site has been deleted from the List during the period under consideration.

7. Concerning restrictions, the Government of Germany decided to invoke Article 2.5 of the Convention, which permits a Party to reduce the boundaries of a site for reasons of urgent national interests, in a case involving the excision of 170 hectares (from a total of 675 hectares) of the Mühlenberger Loch Ramsar site, an extensive area of tidal mudflats on the Elbe River near Hamburg, to make room for expansion of the industrial complex of DASA (Airbus Industries).

8. In summary, the developments have been as follows.

8.1 On the basis of information received at the Bureau to the effect that there were plans to excise a portion of this Ramsar site, the Secretary General expressed concern about this situation in a letter to the Administrative Authority (AA) dated 25 November 1998. On 27 January 1999 the Bureau reiterated its concerns.

8.2 The AA replied on 11 February 1999 explaining how the issue was going to be dealt with within the context of the Habitats Directive of the European Union. The Bureau responded on 15 March 1999 requesting information on how the German Government was planning, in addition, to respond to the requirements of Articles 2.5, 3.1, 3.2 and 4.2 of the Ramsar Convention. On 5 July 1999 the Bureau received a reply indicating that the question of invoking "urgent national interests" was still pending, awaiting the applicant's obtaining the planning permission.

8.3 After participating in a technical meeting organized by NGOs and a field visit to the site, the Regional Coordinator for Europe wrote to the AA on 14 October 1999 with a series of observations on the values of the site and on the process that had thus far been followed to choose a site for this industrial development.

8.4 On 18 October 1999 the Secretary General wrote to the Commissioner for the Environment in the European Commission expressing concerns about the future of the site. The Commissioner responded on 8 November 1999 informing the Bureau that the issue was following the due legal course within the Commission.

8.5 In an opinion delivered on 19 April 2000, the European Commission ruled that the adverse environmental impact of extending a factory belonging to the DASA group on the Mühlenberger Loch in Hamburg can be justified on the grounds of overriding public interest.

8.6 On 23 January 2001, the Administrative Authority wrote to the Bureau transmitting a letter from the German State of Hamburg, dated 11 December 2000 and also addressed to the Bureau, in which the State informed the Bureau that "the boundaries of the Mühlenberger Loch, which was designated a RAMSAR [sic] site with the diploma of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature on 9 June 1992 are to be changed in accordance with the project plans approved on 8 May 2000. This is expected to occur before the end of 2000". The letter provided further information on the reduction of the area of the Ramsar site and included a copy of a plan for compensatory measures for the Deutche Airbus extension, as provided by Article 4.2 of the Convention.

8.7 The Bureau responded on 16 February 2001: a) requesting, for the sake of good order, that the Federal Ministry should be the one formally communicating to the Ramsar Bureau Germany's decision to reduce the boundaries of the Ramsar site in question and the proposed compensation; and b) elaborating in detail on the application of the "urgent national interests" clause and on the proposed compensation.

9. It should be noted that, in the meantime, the proposed development at the Mühlenberger Loch was challenged in court and the issue reached the highest court in Germany. The court passed judgement in favor of the continuation of the project.

10. After several exchanges with the AA, the Bureau, in collaboration with Germany's Federal Ministry of the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, organized a Ramsar Advisory Mission (RAM) on 24-26 September 2001 in order to examine the manner in which the "urgent national interests" clause in Article 2.5 was invoked and study the compensation measures proposed. Accompanying Ramsar's Regional Coordinator for Europe were an international legal expert, David Pritchard of BirdLife International, and an expert on mudflats ecology, Dr Mike Pienkowski, in addition to a representative of the Federal Ministry, officials of the Hamburg Environment Authority, and representatives of the German NGO NABU/BUND.

11. The RAM report pointed out general issues linked to Articles 2.5 and 4.2 and analysed the case of the Mühlenberger Loch and the proposed compensation. The compensatory measures were at that stage far from being completed (in the legal, technical and scientific sense), and therefore the conclusions and recommendations of the RAM could still be of use in dealing with this case; they may also be useful, in a more general sense, for similar cases in other countries.

12. The RAM report, after a first round of amendments to the original text, was transmitted to the German Government on12 June 2002. The Bureau has not yet received the formal approval of the report, so as to make it public.

13. In the meantime, since the issue is not considered formally closed and no new Ramsar Information Sheet for the site after the excision of the 170 hectares has been received, the area of the Mühlenberger Loch Ramsar site has not yet been formally changed in the Ramsar List.

14. In a development also related to the "urgent national interests" clause of the Convention, the Government of the United Kingdom announced on 12 July 2001 its decisions on the first of its Multi-Modal Studies examining some of the most severe transport problems around the country. The study looked at transport issues in Kent and the area around Hastings in southeast England. Although the proposed highway bypasses would offer the opportunity for environmental improvement within Hastings, they would themselves cut through areas of designated high environmental value. Stephen Byers, Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, said: "Both 'A New Deal for Trunk Roads in England' and the Ten Year Plan provide a strong presumption against harming sensitive sites including sites of special scientific interest, AONBs and habitats given international protection. The requirements of the Ramsar convention would only permit damage to the Pevensey levels site in the 'urgent national interest' and the Ramsar policy statement issued by DETR in November 2000 makes it clear that derogation of the urgent national interest can be used only where there are no alternatives and the benefits of the development demonstrably outweigh the acknowledged international status of the site. In my view, the balance of the arguments presented in favour of the bypasses is not sufficient to outweigh these very strong environmental requirements. I believe, therefore, we must look for alternative means to prevent the further decline of the area and to optimise its economic potential."

15. Subsequently, in a letter of 23 September 2001, the UK invoked its urgent national interests to construct flood defence works affecting the Humber Flats and Marshes Ramsar site. In addition to disturbance caused during the works, the extension of the existing wall will cause a direct loss of 0.15 hectares of mudflats. The letter indicates that "in accordance with the Ramsar Policy statement which was published last year, an assessment of these proposals has been carried out and the advice of English Nature sought on the implications of these schemes for the conservation objectives of the site. The assessment concluded that these schemes in combination would adversely affect the integrity of the Humber Flats and Marshes Ramsar site. Notwithstanding the negative outcome of the assessment, the UK authorities have concluded that these works should be approved in the urgent national interest. They are satisfied that there is no less damaging alternative solution that would deliver a satisfactory level of coastal defence".

16. As a compensation measure 80 hectares of land have been set aside and managed to create new intertidal habitat suitable for overwintering and breeding waterbirds through a formal legal agreement. The Ramsar Bureau was assured that the compensatory habitats are created as part of the realignment of the flood defence scheme and will be available by the time of completion of the flood defence works. The timing of the interventions is so as to minimize disturbance to water birds and their habitats. The UK will notify the Bureau about the Ramsar site area modification after the completion of the flood defence and compensation works in 2003, with a new Ramsar site map and RIS.

17. In relation to reports of Contracting Parties concerning changes in the ecological character of Ramsar sites (Article 3.2), the following inclusions were made by Parties in the Montreux Record of sites where changes in ecological character have occurred, are occurring, or are likely to occur as a result of technological developments, pollution or other human interference:

a) Algeria, Oasis de Ouled
b) Argentina, Laguna de Llancanelo
c) Democratic Republic of Congo, Parc National des Mangroves
d) Mauritania, Parc National du Diawling
e) United Kingdom, Ouse Washes Ramsar

Ramsar Sites Designated after COP7 - Ramsar Database 29 October 2002
Sitios Ramsar designados después de la COP7 - Base de Datos, 29 de octubre de 2002
Sites Ramsar inscrits sur la Liste après la COP7 - Base de données au 29 octobre 2002
Country / País / Pays	Date of designation	Area	RAMSAR SITE / SITE RAMSAR / SITIO RAMSAR
	Date de désignation	Superficie
	Fecha designación	Área
ALGERIA	02/02/2001	855,500	Chott Ech Chergui
ALGERIA	02/02/2001	362,000	Chott El Hodna
ALGERIA	02/02/2001	337,700	Chott Merrouane et Oued Khrouf
ALGERIA	02/02/2001	56,870	Sebkha d'Oran
ALGERIA	02/02/2001	42,100	Complexe de zones humides de la plaine de Guerbes-Sanhadja
ALGERIA	02/02/2001	6,500	La Vallée d'Iherir
ALGERIA	02/02/2001	35,100	Les Gueltates d'Issakarassene
ALGERIA	02/02/2001	44,500	Marais de la Macta
ALGERIA	02/02/2001	25,400	Oasis de Ouled Saïd
ALGERIA	02/02/2001	95,700	Oasis de Tamantit et Sid Ahmed Timmi
ARGENTINA	14/12/1999	580,000	Lagunas de Guanacache
ARGENTINA	20/09/2000	157,000	Lagunas de Vilama
ARGENTINA	10/10/2001	492,000	Jaaukanigás
ARGENTINA	18/01/2002	24,550	Lagunas y Esteros del Iberá
ARGENTINA	28/05/2002	996,600	Bañados del Río Dulce y Laguna de Mar Chiquita
AUSTRALIA	14/06/1999	93,160	Great Sandy Strait (incl. Great Sandy Strait, Tin Can Bay, and Tin Can Inlet)
AUSTRALIA	14/06/1999	823	Gwydir Wetlands: Gingham and Lower Gwydir Watercourses
AUSTRALIA	14/06/1999	44,612	Myall Lakes
AUSTRALIA	14/06/1999	5,531	Narran Lake Nature Reserve
AUSTRALIA	05/01/2001	677	Becher Point Wetlands
AUSTRALIA	05/01/2001	4,017	Lake Gore
AUSTRALIA	05/01/2001	10,631	Muir-Byenup System
AUSTRALIA	29/08/2001	261	Edithvale-Seaford Wetlands
AUSTRIA	22/12/1999	13,000	Waldviertel ponds, peatbogs & floodplains
AUSTRIA	01/03/2002	2,180	Lafnitztal
AZERBAIJAN	21/05/2001	500	Agh-Ghol
AZERBAIJAN	21/05/2001	99,060	Ghizil-Agaj
BANGLADESH	10/07/2000	9,500	Tanguar Haor
BELARUS	22/11/1999	19,384	Sporovsky Biological Reserve (zakaznik)
BELARUS	10/08/2001	90,447	Mid-Pripyat State Landscape Zakaznik
BELARUS	10/08/2001	94,219	Olmany Mires Zakaznik
BENIN	24/01/2000	47,500	Basse Vallée du Couffo, Lagune Côtiere, Chenal Aho, Lac Ahémé
BENIN	24/01/2000	91,600	Basse Vallée de l'Ouémé, Lagune de Porto-Novo, Lac Nokoué
BOLIVIA	13/06/2000	5,500	Cuenca de Tajzara
BOLIVIA	17/09/2001	615,882	Bañados del Izozog y el río Parapetí
BOLIVIA	17/09/2001	856,754	Palmar de las Islas y las Salinas de San José
BOLIVIA	17/09/2001	3,189,888	Pantanal Boliviano
BOLIVIA	06/05/2002	31,124	Laguna Concepción
BOLIVIA	11/07/2002	967,607	Lagos Poopó y Uru Uru
BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA	24/09/2001	7,411	Hutovo Blato
BRAZIL	28/02/2000	1,775,036	Baixada Maranhense Environmental Protection Area
BRAZIL	28/02/2000	34,556	Par.Est.Mar. do Parcel Manoel Luís incl. the Baixios do Mestre Alvaro and Tarol
BURUNDI	05/06/2002	1,000	Delta de la Rusizi de la Réserve Naturelle de la Rusizi et la partie nord de la zone littorale du lac Tanganyika
CAMBODIA	23/06/1999	28,000	Boeng Chmar and Associated River System and Floodplain
CAMBODIA	23/06/1999	12,000	Koh Kapik and Associated Islets
CAMBODIA	23/06/1999	14,600	Middle Stretches of Mekong River North of Stoeng Treng
CHAD	11/01/2002	1,648,168	Partie tchadienne du lac Tchad
CHINA	11/01/2002	32,600	Chongming Dongtan Nature Reserve, Shanghai
CHINA	11/01/2002	78,000	Dafeng (Elaphurus davidianus) National Nature Reserve
CHINA	11/01/2002	740,000	Dalai Lake National Nature Reserve, Inner Mongolia
CHINA	11/01/2002	11,700	Dalian National Spotted Seal (Phoca vitulina) Nature Reserve
CHINA	11/01/2002	7,680	Eerduosi National Nature Reserve
CHINA	11/01/2002	21,836	Honghe National Nature Reserve
CHINA	11/01/2002	400	Huidong Harbor Sea Turtle National Nature Reserve
CHINA	11/01/2002	168,000	Nan Dongting Wetland and Waterfowl Reserve
CHINA	11/01/2002	164,400	San Jiang National Nature Reserve
CHINA	11/01/2002	4,000	Shankou Mangrove Nature Reserve
CHINA	11/01/2002	35,000	Xi Dongting Lake (Mupinghu)Nature Reserve
CHINA	11/01/2002	222,488	Xingkai Lake National Nature Reserve
CHINA	11/01/2002	453,000	Yancheng National Nature Reserve
CHINA	11/01/2002	20,279	Zhanjiang Mangrove National Nature Reserve
COLOMBIA	08/01/2001	39,000	Laguna de la Cocha
COSTA RICA	07/03/2000	67,296	Cuenca Embalse Arenal
CUBA	12/04/2001	452,000	Ciénaga de Zapata
CYPRUS	11/07/2001	1,585	Larnaca Salt Lake
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC	15/05/2002	20,000	Lago Enriquillo
ECUADOR	14/03/2000	22,500	Abras de Mantequilla
ECUADOR	07/06/2000	1,836	La Segua
ECUADOR	31/10/2000	4,705	Isla Santay
ECUADOR	02/02/2002	46	Refugio de Vida Silvestre Isla Santa Clara
ECUADOR	02/02/2002	113	Laguna de Cube
GUATEMALA	28/01/2000	132,900	Punta de Manabique
GUINEA	17/01/2002	1,015,450	Niger-Mafou
GUINEA	17/01/2002	1,046,400	Niger-Niandan-Milo
GUINEA	17/01/2002	180,400	Niger Source
GUINEA	17/01/2002	400,600	Niger-Tinkisso
GUINEA	17/01/2002	1,015,200	Sankarani-Fié
GUINEA	17/01/2002	896,000	Tinkisso
HONDURAS	10/07/1999	69,711	Sistema de Humedales de la Zona Sur de Honduras
HUNGARY	14/08/2001	2,075	Baradla Cave System and related wetlands
HUNGARY	14/08/2001	2,227	Ipoly Valley
INDIA	22/01/2002	183	Kanjli
INDIA	22/01/2002	1,365	Ropar
IRAN, ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF	01/11/1999	75,000	Govater Bay and Hur-e-Bahu
IRAN, ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF	29/12/1999	870	Sheedvar Island
IRAN, ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF	05/11/2001	17,700	Gomishan Lagoon
JAPAN	14/10/2002	323	Fujimae-Higata
JAPAN	14/10/2002	41	Miyajima-numa
KENYA	27/08/2001	10,700	Lake Bogoria
KENYA	10/01/2002	31,469	Lake Baringo
LEBANON	03/08/2001	415	Palm Islands Nature Reserve
LIBYAN ARAB JAMAHIRIYA	05/04/2000	Not confirmed	Ain Elshakika
LIBYAN ARAB JAMAHIRIYA	05/04/2000	Not confirmed	Ain Elzarga
MAURITANIA	10/11/2000	15,500	Chat Tboul
MAURITIUS	30/05/2001	26	Rivulet Terre Rouge Estuary Bird Sanctuary
MEXICO	07/12/2000	61,707	Dzilam (reserva estatal)
NICARAGUA	08/11/2001	85,000	Cayos Miskitos y Franja Costera Immediata
NICARAGUA	08/11/2001	81,700	Deltas del Estero Real y Llanos de Apacunca
NICARAGUA	08/11/2001	5,415	Lago de Apanás-Asturias
NICARAGUA	08/11/2001	43,000	Refugio de Vida Silvestre Río San Juan
NICARAGUA	08/11/2001	86,501	Sistema de Humedales de la Bahía de Bluefields
NICARAGUA	08/11/2001	43,475	Sistema de Humedales de San Miguelito
NICARAGUA	08/11/2001	16,850	Sistema Lagunar de Tisma
NIGER	17/06/2001	66,829	Complexe Kokorou-Namga
NIGER	17/06/2001	340,423	Lac Tchad
NIGER	17/06/2001	88,050	Zone humide du moyen Niger
NIGERIA	02/10/2000	58,100	Nguru Lake (and Marma Channel) complex
NORWAY	06/08/2002	1,915	Balsfjord Wetland System
NORWAY	06/08/2002	4,000	Bliksvaer
NORWAY	06/08/2002	366	Dokkadelta
NORWAY	06/08/2002	785	Fokstumyra
NORWAY	06/08/2002	4,000	Havmyran
NORWAY	06/08/2002	1,547	Hynna
NORWAY	06/08/2002	5,000	Karlsoyvaer
NORWAY	06/08/2002	3,300	Kvisleflået
NORWAY	06/08/2002	10,800	Ovre Forra
NORWAY	06/08/2002	5,500	Skogvoll
NORWAY	06/08/2002	1,200	Slettnes
NORWAY	06/08/2002	3,360	Tanamunningen
NORWAY	06/08/2002	670	Trondheimfjord wetland system
NORWAY	06/08/2002	920	Tufsingdelta
PAKISTAN	10/05/2001	5,000	Astola (Haft Talar) Island
PAKISTAN	10/05/2001	27,000	Hub (Hab) Dam
PAKISTAN	10/05/2001	125,000	Indus Dolphin Reserve
PAKISTAN	10/05/2001	4,600	Jiwani Coastal Wetland
PAKISTAN	10/05/2001	706	Jubho Lagoon
PAKISTAN	10/05/2001	55,000	Miani Hor
PAKISTAN	10/05/2001	2,540	Nurri Lagoon
PAKISTAN	10/05/2001	2,400	Ormara Turtle Beaches
PERU	05/06/2002	3,827,329	Complejo de humedales del Abanico del río Pastaza
PHILIPPINES	12/11/1999	14,568	Naujan Lake National Park
PHILIPPINES	12/11/1999	14,836	Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary
PHILIPPINES	12/11/1999	33,200	Tubbataha Reefs National Marine Park
PORTUGAL	24/10/2001	50	Paúl de Tornada (Tornada Marsh)
PORTUGAL	24/10/2001	233	Paúl do Taipal (Taipal Marsh)
REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA	20/06/2000	19,152	Lower Prut Lakes
ROMANIA	15/06/2001	17,586	Small Island of Braila
SAINT LUCIA	19/02/2002	25	Savannes Bay
SAINT LUCIA	19/02/2002	60	Mankoté
SIERRA LEONE	13/12/1999	295,000	Sierra Leone River Estuary
SLOVAK REPUBLIC	02/02/2001	622	Domica
SLOVENIA	21/05/1999	305	Skocjanske Jame (Skocjan Caves)
SOUTH AFRICA	16/10/2001	5,891	Verloren Valei Nature Reserve
SRI LANKA	03/08/2001	1,397	Annaiwilundawa Tanks Sanctuary
SWEDEN	19/11/2001	20,100	Aloppkölen-Köpmankölen
SWEDEN	19/11/2001	12,200	Asköviken-Sörfjärden
SWEDEN	19/11/2001	12,500	Blekinge archipelago
SWEDEN	19/11/2001	17,300	Dalälven-Färnebofjärden
SWEDEN	19/11/2001	3,350	Dumme mosse
SWEDEN	19/11/2001	1,580	Emån
SWEDEN	19/11/2001	910	Fylleån
SWEDEN	19/11/2001	1,650	Kallgate-Hejnum
SWEDEN	19/11/2001	4,070	Komosse
SWEDEN	19/11/2001	1,980	Lundåkra Bay
SWEDEN	19/11/2001	2,740	Mörrumsån-Pukavik Bay
SWEDEN	19/11/2001	950	Mossaträsk-Stormyran
SWEDEN	19/11/2001	7,210	Nordre älv estuary
SWEDEN	19/11/2001	10,100	Oldflån-Flån
SWEDEN	19/11/2001	1,350	Skälderviken
SWEDEN	19/11/2001	3,610	Södra Bråviken
SWEDEN	19/11/2001	7,040	Storkölen
SWEDEN	19/11/2001	350	Sulsjön-Sulån
SWEDEN	19/11/2001	12,300	Tönnersjöheden-Årshultsmyren
SWEDEN	19/11/2001	410	Tysjöarna
SWEDEN	19/11/2001	4,170	Västra Roxen </

Ramsar Sites Designated after COP7 - Ramsar Database 29 October 2002

Sitios Ramsar designados después de la COP7 - Base de Datos, 29 de octubre de 2002

Sites Ramsar inscrits sur la Liste après la COP7 - Base de données au 29 octobre 2002