The Wadden Sea World Heritage Centre (WEC) will go bankrupt within two weeks unless the Province of Groningen and the Municipality of Het Hogeland provide financial support. The managing director and supervisory board of the Pieterburen Seal Centre Foundation announced the situation on Monday.
The WEC said the measure would stop the rescue of distressed seals and cost 40 jobs. The centre is home to the seal rescue operation previously based in Pieterburen.
The financial problems arose after the construction and opening of the new location led to “unexpected costs”. The centre opened in April 2025.
“At the same time, financial reserves were already limited, as operations in previous years lagged behind the budget. The proposed bankruptcy is an incredibly difficult conclusion,” the WEC said.
Last week, the Province of Groningen and the Municipality of Het Hogeland announced that they would not provide any further financial support.
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