Baltic Sea newsroom

16 Jun 2008
Only a complete rehaul of the European agricultural policy can save the Baltic Sea

WWF today calls on Prime Ministers around the Baltic Sea to act to combat eutrophication of the sea. A new report “No more EU-trophication” outlines how governments can save the Baltic Sea by reforming the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Governments need to change the way subsidies are given to farmers in order to save the Baltic Sea, the report concludes.

Farming around the Baltic Sea today contributes around half of the nutrients that are causing eutrophication of the sea. The report describes how the current policy has favored intensification and specialization, resulting in fewer, larger farms with greater emphasis on monocultures and substantive use of pesticides and fertilizers. The use of nitrogen and phosphorus based fertilizers has increased enormously and resulted in an excess of nutrients that sooner or later reach the Baltic Sea. Intensive livestock production has increased the amount of manure and other waste that add to the problem.

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09 Jun 2008
Marine dead zones – a growing problem globally and in the Baltic Sea
The global science community is watching the problem of oxygen depletion in marine and coastal areas with growing concern. Over the last few years the number of known dead zones globally has increased from 44 in 1995 to 169 according to a recent report from the World Resource Institute (WRI). » Read more

28 May 2008
Climate change threatens to thwart actions against eutrophication
A new report commissioned by WWF and released today, shows that agreed measures to combat eutrophication in the Baltic Sea will not be enough when predicted effects of climate change are taken into consideration. » Read more

11 Dec 2007
New Finnish National Park becomes the first marine area to be certified as Best of Europe’s wilderness
Archipelago National Park in the Baltic Sea has received recognition this week of being one of the best managed wilderness areas in Europe. As a result of undergoing an intensive independent assessment of its conservation, visitor management and sustainable tourism development it received the coveted status of being a certified PAN Park. Oulanka National Park was the first Finnish national park in the PAN Parks network. » Read more

15 Nov 2007
Baltic Sea action plan short on actions
Krakow, Poland – A plan to achieve a good ecological status of the Baltic Sea lacks strong commitments to protect one of the world’s most threatened marine ecosystems, says WWF. » Read more

24 Sep 2007
Poland must apply the rule for Baltic cod
Although the EU has closed cod fisheries for the Polish fleet in the eastern Baltic Sea, Poland has allowed fishermen to continue operating this week, thus breaking international law and putting the endangered stock at greater risk of collapse. » Read more

22 Aug 2007
Baltic Sea governments get bad grades for marine protection
Regional governments are failing in their efforts to protect and conserve the Baltic Sea, according to a WWF scorecard launched at this year's International Baltic Sea Festival. » Read more

17 Jun 2007
Shipping companies commit to wastewater discharge ban in the Baltic
A new WWF survey reveals that most cruise and ferry companies operating in the Baltic Sea have failed to voluntarily ban the polluting practice of wasterwater dumping. But some companies are heeding the call.
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19 Apr 2007
Banning ship waste in the Baltic
WWF is calling on shipping companies operating in the Baltic to protect the marine environment by halting the practice of dumping polluted waste water into the sea. » Read more

28 Mar 2007
A recipe for ending illegal fishing in the Baltic Sea
WWF research shows that introducing a system where fish can be traced from "sea to table” would help cod stocks recover, boost the revenues of legal fishermen and significantly reduce illegal fishing.
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