Denmark plans five new marine national parks

Denmark’s new government has pledged to establish five marine national parks before its term ends, a commitment outlined in its policy platform and welcomed by WWF Denmark.

The conservation group has proposed 18 potential locations, including Skagerrak—a region so rich in biodiversity it could rival nature documentaries, according to WWF marine biologist Thomas Kirk Sørensen.

“Skagerrak could feature in a BBC nature series,” Sørensen said. “Many Danes don’t realize the extraordinary marine life in our waters. At Skagen’s Grenen, two seas meet, but people just see water—they don’t know what lies beneath.”

The area includes some of Denmark’s deepest waters, plunging to 500 meters, and hosts thriving fish populations, orcas, beluga whales, and abundant birdlife.

WWF’s proposals also highlight Hirsholmene, where underwater gas vents form limestone pillars, and Limfjorden, one of the last habitats for native oysters and home to soft corals and sea anemones in shallow, highly saline waters.

The government’s plan follows the designation of Denmark’s first two marine national parks in Øresund and Lillebælt earlier this year. In Lillebælt, motorboat restrictions were introduced to protect harbor porpoises.

Sørensen emphasized that the parks should prioritize conservation, restoration, and public engagement. “We must protect, restore, and learn about these ecosystems—and give Danes more ways to experience them.”