Popular water sports like windsurfing and kitesurfing significantly disturb birdlife, particularly swans, ducks, and geese, leading to stress and displacement, especially during molting season when birds are unable to fly.

The Danish Ornithological Society (DOF) advocates for stricter regulations on windsurfing to protect waterfowl, citing instances where birds are frightened by high-speed kitesurfers and fluttering kites. This issue is exacerbated when waterfowl are shedding their plumage and cannot fly, forcing them to swim long distances to escape, potentially away from food sources, making it difficult for them to return to their preferred habitats.

Existing regulations, primarily established in the 1990s, do not account for the increasing popularity of kitesurfing and paddleboarding. Preben Clausen from Aarhus University emphasizes the need for updated traffic rules in protected natural areas, as highlighted in his 2023 reports. He suggests designating specific zones where mute swans and diving ducks can rest undisturbed by sailing activities during molting periods.

A balanced approach is possible, as demonstrated in Ringkøbing Fjord, where wildlife reserves coexist with designated areas for kitesurfing and windsurfing. Clausen stresses the importance of limiting unrestricted access. The Wildlife Management Council is currently revising movement regulations in Natura 2000 areas and wildlife reserves, a process described by the Danish Ornithological Society as significantly delayed.