Monitoring of Marine Birds and Mammals in Schleswig-Holstein

This contract involves monitoring marine and coastal birds, marine mammals, and human activities affecting areas in the Schleswig-Holstein Baltic Sea. The focus is on three designated nature reserves, particularly regarding the implementation of navigation regulations. The primary goal is to assess the populations of migratory birds (marine and coastal) and their spatial and temporal distribution in the planned nature reserves and surrounding areas in the Baltic Sea. This will include supplementing winter-based land surveys of waterfowl with observations from hard-to-see Baltic Sea areas. Alongside the bird population assessment, there will be visual monitoring of marine mammals and documentation of current human activities and disturbances in these areas. Specific data will be collected to understand the spatial distribution of certain species in strictly protected areas, identify conflicts with existing uses, and manage future usage accordingly.