Criteria for assessing the value of representative or unique wetlands.
1. A wetland should be considered internationally important if it is a particularly good example of a specific type of wetland characteristic of its region. A wetland could be considered for selection under this criterion if:
1a: it is an example of a type rare or unusual in the appropriate biogeographical region;
1b: it is a particularly good representative example of a wetland characteristic of the appropriate region;
1c: it is a particularly good representative of a common type where the site also qualifies for consideration under criteria 2a, 2b or 2c;
1d: it is representative of a type by virtue of being part of a complex of high quality wetland habitats. A wetland of national value could be considered of international importance if it has a substantial hydrological, biological or ecological role in the functioning of an international river basin or coastal system;
1e: in developing countries, it is a wetland which, because of its outstanding hydrological, biological or ecological role, is of substantial socio-economic and cultural value within the framework of sustainable use and habitat conservation.
2. General criteria for using plants or animals to identify wetlands of importance. A wetland should be considered internationally important if:
2a: it supports an appreciable assemblage of rare, vulnerable or endangered species or subspecies of plant or animal or an appreciable number of individuals of any one or more of these species;
2b: it is of special value for maintaining the genetic and ecological diversity of a region because of the quality and peculiarities of its flora and fauna;
2c: it is of special value as the habitat of plants or animals at a critical stage of their biological cycles;
2d: it is of special value for its endemic plant or animal species or communities.
3. Specific criteria for using waterfowl to identify wetlands of importance. A wetland should be considered internationally important if:
3a: it regularly supports 20,000 waterfowl;
3b: it regularly supports substantial numbers of individuals from particular groups of waterfowl indicative of wetland values, productivity or diversity;
3c: where data on populations are available, it regularly supports 1% of the individuals in a population of one species or subspecies of waterfowl.