1 July 2011: The Secretariat of the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Convention) has reported that the Government of Hungary has designated its 29th wetland of International Importance, the fishponds and marshlands south of Lake Balaton (Dél-Balatoni Halastavak és Berkek).

The site, which consists of several sub-sites in the South of Lake Balaton Ramsar Site, consists of natural or near-natural marshland, meadows and fishponds. It supports globally and regionally threatened species of plants, fish species, several breeding bird species and mammal species. This Ramsar Site also is an important staging area during migration and wintering season for over 20,000 waterbirds.

Hungary’s designation contributes to one of the goals contained in the Ramsar Convention’s Strategic Plan for 2009-2015, which is to reach a protected area of 250 million hectares by 2015. [Ramsar Press Release]