Ketelmeer and Vossemeer

Ketelmeer en Vossemeer

Ketelmeer and Vossemeer

  • Country: 
    Netherlands (Kingdom of the)
  • Site number: 
    1274
  • Area: 
    3,900 ha
  • Designation date: 
    29-08-2000
  • Coordinates: 
    52°35'N 05°45'E
Materials presented on this website, particularly maps and territorial information, are as-is and as-available based on available data and do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the Ramsar Convention concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.

Overview

The Site is formed by artificial freshwater lakes created by the construction of dykes in the reclaimed IJsselmeer polders. In 2014 the Site was aligned with the Natura 2000 site, resulting in an increase in its area of 2,060 hectares. The lakes receive their water from the Rhine and Ijssel rivers. The Site is of international importance for endangered bird species such as bittern, spotted crake and great reed warbler. It is also particularly important for the conservation of breeding, foraging and resting bird species. The Site also supports more than 1% of the individuals of the northwestern European population of gadwall. The lakes play an important role as reservoirs for irrigating the surrounding agricultural land, while they are also used for boating, commercial fisheries, shipping traffic, water management and sand extraction. Threats include reed cutting, aquaculture and pollution with nutrients increasing eutrophication.

Administrative region: 
Overijssel,Flevoland

  • National legal designation: 
    • National Ecological Network (NEN) - Ketelmeer & Vossemeer
  • Regional (international) legal designations: 
    • EU Natura 2000
  • Last publication date: 
    01-11-2022

Downloads

Ramsar Information Sheet (RIS)

Additional reports and documents