Summary/History
The Netherlands coastline lies against the North Sea. It's priority bird species include the Black Scoter (NT), the Arctic Tern (LC), Sandwich Tern (LC) and the Lesser Black-backed Gull (LC). Protected areas designated under the Birds Directive are also important for a range of other birds including the species of gulls and terns which breed and migrate along the coast, an in the case of gulls overwinter in near-shore waters. A 2010 report identified several potential MPA sites which also meet marine IBA criteria and more may become apparent when offshore sites have more than just aerial data available.

Key threats to Dutch seabirds include:
o Shipping
o Pollution
o Overfishing and bycatch

National priorities
o A full marine IBA inventory
o Recognition of several proposed MPAs as IBAs and incorporation of them into the legal protection scheme
o Preserve marine biodiversity by urgent measure: sustainable fishery, reconstruction of natural processes and coastal transitions, avoiding habitat degradation by careful spatial planning of wind farms
o Raising awareness amongst both the public and key decision makers
o Ammend the Dutch Nature Law to allow protection of sites on the Continental Shelf

Government's support/relevant policy
A SPA has been proposed at Frisian Front because of its regularly occurring vulnerable concentrations of common guillemots with their chicks in summer. The Government has decided, in its National Spatial Strategy, that more SPAS should be identified, particularly in the offshore parts of the EEZ and some new MPAs have been proposed. Please see policy tab for list of agreements that this country is party to.

References
o Lindeboom, H., Geurts van Kessel, J., and Berkenbosch, L. 2005. Areas with special ecological values on the Dutch Continental Shelf. Rapport RIKZ/2005.008, Alterra Rapport nr. 1203, 103p.
o Jak, R.G., Bos, O.G.,Witbaard, R. and Lindeboom, H.J. 2009. Instandhoudingsdoelen Natura 2000-gebieden Noordzee (Conservation objectives Natura 2000-areas North Sea), Rapport nr. C065/09, 177p.
o Poot, M., van Horssen, P.W., Fijn, R.C., Collier, M.P., Viada, C., 2010. Do potential and proposed Marine Protected Areas in the Dutch part of the North Sea qualify as Marine Important Bird Areas (MIBAs)? Bureau Waardenburg under supervision of Vogelbescherming Nederland en Stichting de Noordzee, Report Bureau Waardenburg 10-035, 104p.

o Van Leeuwen, S.J., Boogaardt, M.-J, Wortelboer, F.G. 2008. Noordzee en Waddenzee: natuur en beleid, achtergronddocument bij de Natuurbalans 2008 (Nature Balance 2008 North Sea), PBL Report 500402013/2008, 150p