The North and Baltic Sea are among the most popular holiday destinations in Germany. But both habitats are under massive pressure: pollutants, garbage, overfishing and climate change threaten animals, plants and entire ecosystems. However, vacationers can do a lot to protect nature there.
Seas should be clean, healthy and productive and be used sustainably. This is what the Federal Environment Agency calls a “good environmental condition”. In their latest report from 2024, however, experts issue a bad testimony to the German Eastern and North Sea waters: Both the North Sea and the Baltic Sea have again not reached the “good environmental condition”. Too many negative influences by humans therefore burden the seas and the organisms that live in them.
According to the report, the habitats outdoors are almost affected: In the Baltic Sea, it was around 93 percent from the Kiel Bay to the Bornholmbecken, in the North Sea from Elbehne to Doggerbank even 100 percent of the sea areas.
Local species threatened
One cause is the surplus of nutrients in the water, which is triggered by fertilization in agriculture. Algae multiply due to the fertilizer, the plankton composition changes, the water becomes melee. Climate change, pollutants such as mercury and plastic waste also affect the living things in the east and North Sea. On the bottom of the North Sea, for example, there are more than 600,000 cubic meters of garbage.
The biological diversity of both German seas is under pressure. Because these developments affect the entire food network. Slowly growing species such as sharks, rays and wandering fish species such as sturgeon, eel and salmon are particularly affected. In the North Sea, the existence of smooth butt, cod, sandaal, sole and pocket cancer is in poor condition. In addition, there are harmful non-home species that can be found their way into German waters, especially by shipping.
The state of the porpoise is also worrying. They suffer from the risk of accidentally getting into fishing networks, as well as from the pollution and underwater noise. In addition to shipping traffic, the reason for the noise under water is the increasing expansion of offshore wind energy. Many sea and coastal birds are also at risk because their habitats are destroyed by shipping and fishing and they lack food.
What can I do on vacation myself?
The vacation on the east or North Sea can offer a way to get to know and protect these endangered ecosystems. On the North Sea you can discover the unique plants and animals of the landscape between the sea and the country at watt hikes. The hike through the mud and observing sea snails can already inspire children for the natural area. When discovering the nature reserves independently, visitors should always stay on the designated paths to protect sensitive species.
If you want to watch the animals on a trip across the water, you should choose sustainable providers, use the small ships and respect the retreat of the animals. Cruises are not recommended for ecological reasons because they produce a lot of noise under water and consume as much energy as a small town. A sailing ship is better for the trip across the sea.
Less plastic for the sea
If you want to protect nature on the North and Baltic Sea, you can collect garbage on the beach: whether you can pick up a plastic film flying past when playing at the stand or explicitly devotes yourself to a so-called clean-up walk for half an hour. This prevents even more plastic from polluted the sea.
Group events of local environmental protection organizations can also motivate or you organize an event yourself: With the water rescuer app, you can point out other active people to a strongly dirty place and find like-minded people. It is particularly important that the collected garbage is disposed of in closed waste containers so that they do not end up in nature in the next wind.
Avoid
To ensure that the sea is less dirty, you can also pay attention to your own garbage production. A simple measure: drink the coffee to go from a reusable instead of disposable cups. Cafés have been obliged to offer reusable options since 2023. In the case of mineral water, it is also advisable to buy a reusable bottle instead of a disposable plastic bottle. Many places now offer drinking fountains where you can fill up your bottle for free. An ice cream in the waffle saves the plastic -coated cup. Plastic bags can be replaced with fabric bags and shopping nets.
Many cosmetic products and cleaning agents contain microplastics. These tiny plastic particles get into the sewage while bathing and washing into the sewage and ultimately into the sea. When buying detergent, sunscreen and the like, you should therefore pay attention to the ingredients and prefer ecological products without microplastics. Clothing and towels made of natural fibers are also better than synthetic materials, otherwise plastic fibers will get into the sea with every laundry. The most environmentally friendly are fabrics made of organic cotton. Plaster flaps and flush sponges can also be bought from ecologically degradable materials instead of plastic.
Only eat selected fish
Fish rolls and matjes are part of the stay on the lake for many vacationers. However, the population of many fish species of the North and Baltic Sea has suffered greatly from human influences in recent years. A network of consumer advice centers and environmental protection organizations therefore issues the “good fish list” annually – a recommendation which fish species you can eat without a guilty conscience. The list has become shorter and shorter in recent years. In 2025, she primarily recommended flounder, plaice and Kliesche from the Baltic Sea, the stocks of which are still stable. Mussels made of linen culture and shell fish are recommended from the North Sea, provided that they have not been caught with basic towing networks.
When fishing with basic towing networks, funnel -shaped nets are pulled across the sea floor and destroy underwater habitats with stone reefs and mussel benches. Meer -friendly methods are passive fishing methods such as reuses, fish traps and actuators. It is best to buy your fish directly from the fishermen and ask for fishing method and area. The fish guide of the WWF also helps with a sustainable decision on the fish market.
In any case, you should avoid Schillerlocke, Seaal and the European eel, as these species are very threatened. Salmach is also no longer recommended as a sustainable fish because it suffers from the consequences of climate change. In general, eating less fish helps the environment. Fortunately, the coast also offers other specialties such as sea buckthorn cake or East Frisian tea with Kluntjes and Wulkje. Products from seaweed are also becoming increasingly popular in the Netherlands.
