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For the general public harbour and grey seals are the symbol of the Wadden Sea. The Wadden Sea is an ideal environment for seals: sandbanks that fall dry at low tide are important for rest and for suckle pups. However, the total population of harbour seals has first stabilized and later decreased in recent years, while the annual number of pups born has increased, but the mechanisms underlying this mismatch remain unclear. Furthermore, the harbour seal population has declined since 2022, but the cause of this decline is also unknown. The objective of the proposed study is to increase our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the population trends of harbour seals currently observed in the Dutch Wadden Sea. The study will be carried out by a consortium, involving key players involved in seal conservation and research in the Netherlands. Furthermore, to ensure that the research is embedded in the international context, the Common Wadden Sea Secretariat is a partner in the consortium. The consortium partners have concluded that essential monitoring data on harbour seals is missing and therefore we propose to investigate and report on four themes: (1) mapping of governance, stakeholders and data landscape, (2) identifying mechanisms underlying the observed population numbers, by reviewing available evidence and exploring possible mechanisms, (3) evaluation and improvement of harbour seal monitoring and (4) communication and advice for governance. We will share our findings through reports, scientific papers, infographics, conference presentations, workshops, and proposed monitoring protocols. We will synthesize and communicate our findings targeting four specific groups: (1) the general public (2) the scientific community, (3) educational institutions, and finally (4) the ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (LNV), providing them with advice on how to advance research, conservation and management of the harbour seal population in the Dutch Wadden Sea.