Oceana’s commitment for the protection of the Baltic

Organisation: Oceana Europe

Time: 6/1/2010 – 1/1/2015

Description:

Oceana’s commitment for the Baltic is related to three different areas. We are preparing a campaign to improve fisheries policy in the Baltic, to restore Baltic marine ecosystems and to eradicate IUU fishing. Oceana has successfully been campaigning in these areas in the Mediterranean and North East Atlantic for the last five years.

Under the European Union Marine Strategy Directive, governments have the obligation to achieve a Good Environmental Status of the Baltic by 2020. Oceana is working with governments and the European Commission to achieve a better Common Fisheries Policy under the main objective of long-term ecological sustainability and with goals of rebuilding and protecting ocean ecosystems and recovering ocean biodiversity. We are focusing our work on contributing to the implementation of the precautionary principle and an ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management in the Baltic.

Oceana is preparing a campaign to assure correct management of Baltic fisheries through TACs (Total Allowable Catches), effort control and technical measures. Baltic fish stocks must be restored by 2015 by-catch and discards must be eradicated in Baltic fisheries.

Biodiversity protection is another element of Oceana’s commitment to the Baltic. A minimum of 10% of the Baltic must be designated a Marine Protected Areas by 2012. Oceana is campaigning to achieve this aim and will concentrate on further expansion of Baltic Marine Reserves from 20% to 30% as recommended by the IUCN.

Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated fishing remains a major problem in the Baltic and is a threat to healthy fish stocks and the marine ecosystem. The third element of Oceana’s work in the Baltic will be the eradication of IUU fishing and the closure of markets around the Baltic for IUU-caught fish and seafood.

Oceana campaigns to protect and restore the world’s oceans. Our teams of marine scientists, economists, lawyers and advocates win specific and concrete policy changes to reduce pollution and to prevent the irreversible collapse of fish populations, marine mammals and other sea life. Global in scope and dedicated to conservation, Oceana has campaigners based in North America ( Washington, DC; Juneau, AK; Los Angeles, CA ), Europe ( Madrid, Spain; Brussels, Belgium ) and South America ( Santiago, Chile ).

Contributing to the implementation of the precautionary principle and the ecosystem based approach to fisheries management and the restoring of the Baltic marine biodiversity and ecosystems