Category: SOURCE TO SEA

Experts from the Baltic and North-East Atlantic regions meet today in Gothenburg, Sweden to initiate cooperation on biodiversity indicators. The session will take forward the policy ambitions of all the twenty countries in the HELCOM and OSPAR Regional Seas Conventions.  There are many species that move between the North-East Atlantic and the Baltic Sea, including bird and fish species. Cooperation on activities to monitor and assess the state of these highly mobile animals and other biodiversity is crucial for a wider understanding of the marine environments of the North-East Atlantic and the Baltic Sea.  Both HELCOM and OSPAR have concluded that there is a need to cooperate on the implementation of their respective Regional Seas’ strategies and action plans, as well as the coherent implementation of other related frameworks in the two areas such as the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive.  It is hoped that the meeting will improve awareness, communication and coordination between experts working on similar issues for future knowledge and experience exchange and for cooperation on shared challenges.  Close cooperation between the Regional Seas Conventions delivers value at the same time as ensuring the best possible development of indicators, monitoring and assessment. This meeting is the first of many steps towards longer term ambitions for streamlining relevant biodiversity indicators between OSPAR and HELCOM. Furthermore, the HELCOM core indicators that are considered most appropriate for assessing the state of biodiversity and hazardous substances were discussed from a technical point of view in an expert workshop preceding today’s meeting. The established indicators were further strengthened and the relevance of new so called candidate indicators was assessed. The technical recommendations that the meeting produced will form the basis for a fully operationalized indicator-based assessment system by mid-2015 when the project ends. * * * Note for editorsThe Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, usually referred to as , is an intergovernmental organization of the nine Baltic Sea coastal countries and the European Union working to protect the marine environment of the Baltic Sea from all sources of pollution and to ensure safety of navigation in the region. Since 1974, HELCOM has been the governing body of the ‘Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area’, more commonly known as the Helsinki Convention. The was set up by the 1992 OSPAR Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic, which unified and updated the 1972 Oslo and 1974 Paris Conventions. It brings together the governments of Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, together with the European Community.  * * * For further information, please contact:Johanna LaurilaInformation SecretaryHELCOMTel: +358 40 523 8988E-mail: johanna.laurila(at)helcom.fi Lucy Ritchie Communications LeadOSPAR Commission / Bonn AgreementTel: +44 20 7430 5200E-mail: lucy.ritchie(at)ospar.org

Experts from the Baltic and North-East Atlantic regions meet today in Gothenburg, Sweden to initiate cooperation on biodiversity indicators.

HELCOM work towards sustainable agriculture will be presented by Chair as part of the region’s major annual agricultural Conference, held in Warsaw, Poland 23-24 September. Greener Agriculture for a Bluer Baltic Sea has been grown since 2009 into a large event, despite the lack of a stable organizing framework hence mainly by popular demand. The aim is to share visions of the farmers’ and agricultural advisory organisations around the Baltic Sea, joined by authorities, ministries and the private sector alike.  The HELCOM presentation in the Conference by the Chair, Harry Liiv, will highlight the need for tailor-made solutions, devised together with competent experts from agricultural field, and since tackling loads from agriculture has been acknowledged for long a challenging task.  Implementing innovative techniques and agri-environmental measures are included in the Estonian of the HELCOM Chairmanship. Furthermore, the 2013 HELCOM Ministerial Meeting agreed a few agriculture related measures addressing, among others, effective nutrient management, and recommending to apply nutrient accounting on a farm level by all regional countries. Other key measures include developing standards on nutrients contents; promoting phosphorus recycling; and the modernization of the agriculture related Annex of the cornerstone of HELCOM work – the Helsinki Convention. Moreover, in the conference starting today, the HELCOM presentation will remind the audiences of the announcement last week of the new HELCOM Group on Sustainable Agricultural Practices, a successor of the HELCOM Agriculture and Environment Forum. A key task of the new Agri Group is to review and update Part 2 of the Annex III of the Helsinki Convention as well as support the implementation of the other Ministerial commitments. The Group is to be composed of both agriculture and environmental authorities and will have a technical focus to deliver the outcomes within a five year timeframe. The first meeting of the group will be held on 20-21 November 2014.  * * * Note for editors:The Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, usually referred to as , is an intergovernmental organization of the nine Baltic Sea coastal countries and the European Union working to protect the marine environment of the Baltic Sea from all sources of pollution and to ensure safety of navigation in the region. Since 1974, HELCOM has been the governing body of the ‘Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area’, more commonly known as the Helsinki Convention. * * *For more information, please contact:Dmitry Frank-KamenetskyProfessional SecretaryHELCOMTel: +358 40 630 9933Skype: helcom68E-mail: dmitry.frank-kamenetsky(at)helcom.fiJohanna LaurilaInformation SecretaryHELCOMTel: +358 40 523 8988Skype: helcom70E-mail: johanna.laurila(at)helcom.fi

Greener Agriculture for a Bluer Baltic Sea Conference, starting today in Warsaw, has been grown since 2009 by popular demand.

First major HELCOM monitoring
project on in Kaliningrad has been completed and the indicate, among others, that several compounds from the eleven HELCOM priority hazardous
substances could be
detected both in water and sediment.  For
example, high levels of a common hygiene product ingredient, nonylphenol, was
found both in Kaliningrad waste canal as well as in leachate water from a major
landfill.   Most of the HELCOM hazardous
substances are not water soluble and therefore attach on solid material and sediment
in aquatic environment. In Kaliningrad, the sedimentation takes place in the
Curonian Lagoon which remarkably reduces discharge of the substances to the
Baltic Sea. Similarly, the hazardous substances leaching from landfills are
bound to the nearby sediments thus not released to the sea.  The data has been obtained within
the EU-funded . The project commissioned the screening of the HELCOM hazardous
substances in Kaliningrad, first time in the main river of Kaliningrad, as part of a larger effort to improve monitoring in Russia’s regions
in the Baltic Sea catchment area. The eleven priority hazardous substances defined by HELCOM are based on
their adverse effects: persistence, bio-accumulation and toxicity. In the study on hazardous compounds in Kaliningrad, water and sediment was sampled in
June 2014 from seven locations along the main river of Kaliningrad, the
Pregolya, and its tributaries that flow into the Curonian Lagoon before
discharging into the main basin of the Baltic Sea. Several groups of HELCOM
hazardous substances, such as organotins, chlorinated alcanes, PFOS- compounds,
and nonyl and octylphenols were not monitored from sediments because of lack of
locally available analytical method.  Another related activity of the
EU-funded HELCOM BASE Project confirms that water and sediment of the Pregolya
River, Kaliningrad, is heavily polluted with oil around the Kaliningrad Port
Oil Terminal, identified as a so-called referring to a regionally significant source of pollution. The delved deeper into the possibilities to minimize pollution from the
site. Explicit recommendations to the authorities in charge are included in the
report along with the Environmental Management Plan. The recommendations list
the construction of new oil recovery wells for removal of oil phase from ground
water surface, as well as upgrading the physical, chemical and biological waste
water treatment processes of the oil terminal. By implementation of the
Environmental Management Plan, 98 % of the present oil discharges to the
Pregolya is estimated to be eliminated.   Screening of HELCOM hazardous substances in water and sediment in Kaliningrad, BASE Project summaryPilot activity to minimize oil pollution to the Pregolya River from the Kaliningrad Port Oil Terminal​,
BASE Project summary   * * *Note for
editors: (2012–2014) supports the implementation of the Baltic Sea Action Plan
() in Russia.  BASE addresses
altogether three priority areas of the HELCOM BSAP: eutrophication, hazardous
substances, and biodiversity and nature protection. Within BASE, monitoring
activities to support and measure the progress within the abovementioned
segments are also being carried out. The pilot projects (See: ) are
implemented by experts from Russia with the support of EU experts, while the
overall Project, funded by EU, is managed by the HELCOM Secretariat and St.
Petersburg Public Organization . The Baltic
Marine Environment Protection Commission, usually referred to as HELCOM, is an
intergovernmental organization of the nine Baltic Sea coastal countries and the
European Union working to protect the marine environment of the Baltic Sea from
all sources of pollution and to ensure safety of navigation in the region.
Since 1974, HELCOM has been the governing body of the ‘Convention on the
Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area’, more commonly
known as the Helsinki Convention. * * *For further
information, please contact:Risto ValoBASE
Project ExpertPöyry
Finland OyTel: +358
400 577 548E-mail:
risto.valo(at)poyry.com Johanna
LaurilaInformation
SecretaryHELCOMTel: +358
40 523 8988Skype:
helcom70E-mail:
johanna.laurila(at)helcom.fi

New results indicate, among others, that several compounds from the eleven HELCOM priority hazardous substances could be detected both in water and sediment.

​​​​​A concise of all the finalized findings, data and recommendations is now released, presenting results of the on implementing the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan (BSAP) in Russia. The EU-funded HELCOM wraps up after two years of work, with a focus on three priority areas of the HELCOM BSAP: eutrophication, hazardous substances, and biodiversity and nature protection. Within BASE, monitoring activities to support and measure the implementation progress within the abovementioned segments have also been carried out. The print is available at HELCOM Secretariat, and all the , as well as full reports, through the website.  Key outcomes and recommendations:EUTROPHICATION – Agriculture Outcome: The implementation of a manure handling plan for Kaliningrad region will reduce the entry of nutrients into the environment from animal/poultry manure – nitrogen by 20–30% and phosphorus by 15%, which is equal to 1,100 tonnes and 210 tonnes per year, respectively.Recommendation: Use all cattle and poultry manure as organic fertilizers in agriculture in Kaliningrad.EUTROPHICATION – Scattered settlementsOutcome: An estimation of the nutrient inputs from scattered settlements according to their different sizes as per HELCOM recommendations (mainly up to 300 persons and 300-2,000 persons).Recommendation: Establish guidelines on best available solutions and technologies for better waste water treatment of small settlements in Kaliningrad & Leningrad regions  BIODIVERSITY – Marine protected zoneOutcome: The application is ready for submission to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of Russia, with the aim of legal status granted for the extension of the protected zone between Lithuania and Russia. Such an extension will contribute to the ecological coherence of the marine protected areas’ network.Recommendation:  Establish the extension for marine protected zone in Curonian Spit BIODIVERSITY – Luga salmonOutcome: There is a decline observed in wild salmon population in the River Luga. The main reason for the decline of wild salmon is unreported catch, the report states.Recommendation: Support the survival of wild salmon in river Luga, Leningrad region, by establishing an effective management plan HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES – PharmaceuticalsOutcome: The currently employed waste water treatment processes are insufficient for the anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac and much ends up in the Baltic Sea with a probable negative effect on living organisms.Recommendation: Continue to research the pharmaceuticals in urban waste water treatment. HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES – MicroplasticsOutcome: The results of this study show that the WWTPs may operate as a point source of microplastic litter into the aquatic environment. However, the reduction of the microplastic load is also remarkable in scale. Recommendation: Investigate more the amount and types of microplastic litter in waste water of St. Petersburg HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES – Oil terminalOutcome: Explicit recommendations to the authorities in charge are included in the report along with the Environmental Management Plan. Through the implementation of the Environmental Management Plan a 98 % reduction in the present oil discharges to the River Pregolya is expected.Recommendation: Upgrade physical, chemical and biological waste water treatment processes, and install new oil pumping wells along the pier in the Kaliningrad port oil terminal HOT SPOTS – Hot Spots inventoryOutcome: An analysis and conclusions on the different conditions for removing the 12 Russian hot spots examined  from HELCOM’s list.Recommendation: Submit application for removal of three Russian sites from the HELCOM Hot Spot list HOT SPOTS – Vistula lagoon and Curonian lagoonOutcome: Multi-stakeholder transboundary regional meetings gathered together participants respresenting Lithuanian, Polish and Russian authorities, practitioners and researchers to discuss practical problems, results of different studies, possible solutions and directions of joint sustainable use of water resources in the Curonian and Vistula Lagoon regions. Recommendation: Speed up the work among relevant Russian authorities across sectors for developing a plan to improve the environmental status of both of the lagoons in cooperation with Poland and Lithuania. NUTRIENT MONITORING Outcome: Nutrient data of previously unmonitored tributaries of rivers Neva and Pregolya is available in HELCOM Data and Map ServiceRecommendation: Improve data collection concerning the actual nutrient load from point sources in Russian catchment, concerning river Neva and its tributaries; and elaborate a monthly monitoring scheme in Kaliningrad region.The studies confirm that more than a half of the total nutrient load to the Gulf of Finland, about 110 thousand tonnes per year, comes with River Neva. The new results also indicate that the share of St. Petersburg in pollution of River Neva is less than 10 %, and that more than three quarters of the nutrient load via Neva to the Gulf of Finland originates from Lake Ladoga. INDICATORS Outcome: 31 HELCOM-CORESET indicators were analysed by Russian experts in the Russian part of the Gulf of Finland. Tens of Russian experts and consultants were involved in the work,, which has been a major step forward in developing the experts’ network to participate in HELCOM’s activities related to the development and implementation of the indicators.Recommendation: Secure the active participation of Russia in the operationalization of HELCOM core indicators PUBLIC AWARENESSRecommendation: Ensure that the awareness and involvement of the general public is maintained on the necessary actions to restore the good environmental status of the Baltic Sea ​ >>* * *>>

Note for
editors:    (2012–2014) supports the implementation of the Baltic Sea Action Plan
() in Russia.  BASE addresses
altogether three priority areas of the HELCOM BSAP: eutrophication, hazardous
substances, and biodiversity and nature protection. Within BASE, monitoring
activities to support and measure the progress within the abovementioned
segments are also being carried out. The pilot ​projects (See: ) are
implemented by experts from Russia with the support of EU experts, while the
overall Project, funded by EU, is managed by the HELCOM Secretariat and St.
Petersburg Public Organization “Ecology and Business”.​The Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, usually referred to as ,
is an intergovernmental organization of the nine Baltic Sea coastal
countries and the European Union working to protect the marine
environment of the Baltic Sea from all sources of pollution and to
ensure safety of navigation in the region. Since 1974, HELCOM has been
the governing body of the ‘Convention on the Protection of the Marine
Environment of the Baltic Sea Area’, more commonly known as the Helsinki
Convention.

>>* * *>>For more information, please contact>>Saija Vuola Project Manager HELCOM BASE Tel: +358 40 668 4657  Skype: helcom48 E-mail: saija.vuola(at)helcom.fi Johanna LaurilaInformation SecretaryHELCOMTel.  +358 40 523 8988Skype: helcom70E-mail: johanna.laurila(at)helcom.fi

A concise summary of all the findings, data and recommendations is now released and available in print, representing results of the 12 components of BASE Project.

​​​Polluting nutrient loads entering the Baltic Sea from and regions have been assessed and quantified by the HELCOM . The studies confirm that more than a half of the total nutrient load to the Gulf of Finland, about 110 thousand tonnes per year, comes with River Neva. The new results also indicate that the share of St. Petersburg in pollution of River Neva is less than 10 %, and that more than three quarters of the nutrient load via Neva to the Gulf of Finland originates from Lake Ladoga. Contribution of Kaliningrad region to the nutrient input, excluding transboundary loads, is near 11 thousand tons per year both for nitrogen and phosphorus. All the new data is freely available in the HELCOM Data and Map .  By filling gaps in the nutrient load data from the Russian part of the Gulf of Finland catchment, the EU-funded HELCOM Project has helped to measure Russian progress in achieving the nutrient reduction targets in the HELCOM . The updated country-wise reduction targets were jointly agreed on in October 2013 (see table below), by all HELCOM member countries and the EU, to help reach a Baltic Sea unaffected by eutrophication by 2021. Monitoring is the basis for the formulation of policies as well as setting of priorities for cost-efficient actions to better protect the Sea. In the Project design, particular attention was paid to previously unmonitored tributaries of River Pregolya, Kaliningrad, and River Neva, Leningrad region. In Neva, the pollution load share originating from Lake Ladoga was more than 75 %. In the same region, the inspected transboundary loads through River Narva showed that over 80 % of nutrients originate from diffuse sources, namely the agriculture sector. Meanwhile in the Kaliningrad region, sampling and analysis covered the 12 tributaries of River Pregolya, the Kaliningrad city waste water discharge canal as well as the Matrovska canal, among others.  he recommendations of the Project state that the state monitoring programme of the Russian Federation should be further developed, suggesting a monthly monitoring scheme in Kaliningrad region and as per River Neva and its tributaries, to improve nutrient load data collection from point sources. Bilateral cooperation is also recommended, to assist in assessing any transboundary loads. otal nutrient load from Leningrad region, Russian territory to the Gulf of Finland and Gulf of Riga(Note: based on four rounds of measurements – not comparable to constant monitoring)* Showing point sources discharging to the actual Gulf and Neva Bay. Data received from the BASE Project’s Russian Partner.** The value shows the sum of the nitrogen fractions, the total load is higher.  ELCOM nutrient reduction targets 2013Country-wise annual nutrient reduction targets for nitrogen and phosphorus per country: * = figures after ‘+’ refer to loads originating from the country but being discharged to the Sea via another country; additional specific footnotes to the above table can be found in the text of the Ministerial Declaration Download reports:  All the new data is freely available in the (Land-Based -> Sources -> BASE Project) * * Note for editors: (2012–2014) supports the implementation of the Baltic Sea Action Plan () in Russia.  BASE addresses altogether three priority areas of the HELCOM BSAP: eutrophication, hazardous substances, and biodiversity and nature protection. Within BASE, monitoring activities to support and measure the progress within the abovementioned segments are also being carried out. The pilot projects (See: ) are implemented by experts from Russia with the support of EU experts, while the overall Project, funded by EU, is managed by the HELCOM Secretariat and St. Petersburg Public Organization “” he Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, usually referred to as , is an intergovernmental organization of the nine Baltic Sea coastal countries and the European Union working to protect the marine environment of the Baltic Sea from all sources of pollution and to ensure safety of navigation in the region. Since 1974, HELCOM has been the governing body of the ‘Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area’, more commonly known as the Helsinki Convention. * * *For further information, please contact:Saija Vuola Project Manager HELCOM BASE Tel: +358 40 668 4657  Skype: helcom48 E-mail: saija.vuola(at)helcom.fi Dmitry Frank-Kamenetsky Professional Secretary HELCOM Tel: +358 40 630 9933 Skype: helcom68 E-mail: dmitry.frank-kamenetsky(at)helcom.fi

The studies cover both Leningrad and Kaliningrad regions and confirm that more than a half of the total nutrient load to the Gulf of Finland comes with River Neva.

of a first-of-its-kind study on pharmaceuticals flows from waste waters in St. Petersburg has been published as part of the findings of HELCOM BASE Project. An estimated load of 400kg of a common anti-inflammatory pain killer ends up via River Neva to the Gulf of Finland annually.  he results clearly indicate that the currently employed waste water treatment processes are insufficient for the anti-inflammatory drug and much ends up in the Baltic Sea with a probable negative effect on living organisms. Therefore an improvement of technology is the first necessary step to take. Consuming less pharmaceuticals or substituting persistent substances with greener more environmentally friendly ones is another goal. he new study also found that the concentration of the pain killer Diclofenac in the out-going waste water was often higher than in unpurified sewage water. This phenomenon can be explained by the liberation of Diclofenac during the waste water treatment process. Similar observations have been made at a number of other waste water treatment plants elsewhere in the world. lso a common synthetic hormone (Ethinylestradiol, EE2) was studied. Concluding from pharmaceutical sales statistics and population analysis of St. Petersburg, the amount of EE2 excreted into the sewage system did not exceed 315 g per year which means that the concentration of the hormone in purified waste water was not significant. ithin the study, naturally produced human estrogen E1 was found in raw sewage and, based on the results of the chemical analysis, approximately 40 kg of E1 is excreted annually. In the effluent, E1 was detected in only three out of 31 samples; the average concentration in the effluent was therefore judged to be below the detection limit of 10 ng/L.  Pharmaceuticals and their harmful effects in waterways are a growing concern and only recently, the elevated concentrations have been measured in the marine environment, and also in the Baltic Sea. Baltic Sea is especially sensitive since it is the final basin of the pharmaceuticals residues consumed by more than 80 million people. The BASE Project component to identify sources and flow patterns of pharmaceuticals in St. Petersburg to the Baltic Sea focused on three substances: a common synthetic hormone and a natural hormone, as well as the anti-inflammatory drug Diclofenac. All of them are included in European Union’s pharmaceuticals monitoring watch list, from 2013. The sampling series were carried out at St. Petersburg’s Central, Northern and South-Western treatment plants. The EU-funded HELCOM Project on Implementation of the Baltic Sea Action Plan in Russia (BASE) has cooperated on these previously unstudied concerns with the State Unitary Enterprise Vodokanal of St. Petersburg.  * * *Note for editors: (2012–2014) supports the implementation of the Baltic Sea Action Plan () in Russia.  BASE addresses altogether three priority areas of the HELCOM BSAP: eutrophication, hazardous substances, and biodiversity and nature protection. Within BASE, monitoring activities to support and measure the progress within the abovementioned segments are also being carried out. The pilot projects (See: components) are implemented by experts from Russia with the support of EU experts, while the overall Project, funded by EU, is managed by the HELCOM Secretariat and St. Petersburg Public Organization “Ecology and Business”. The Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, usually referred to as , is an intergovernmental organization of the nine Baltic Sea coastal countries and the European Union working to protect the marine environment of the Baltic Sea from all sources of pollution and to ensure safety of navigation in the region. Since 1974, HELCOM has been the governing body of the ‘Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area’, more commonly known as the Helsinki Convention. * * *For more information, please contactVladimir NikiforovScientific Research Center for Ecological SafetyRussian Academy of SciencesTel. +7 921 9354408E-mail: vovanikiforov(at)yahoo.co.uk Niina VienoEnvieno KyTel. +358 50 544 8431E-mail: niina.vieno(at)envieno.com Johanna LaurilaInformation Secretary, HELCOMTel.  +358 40 523 8988E-mail: johanna.laurila(at)helcom.fi

The final report of a first-of-its-kind study on pharmaceuticals flows from waste waters in St. Petersburg has been published as part of the findings of HELCOM BASE Project.

All the processed animal and poultry manure in Russia’s Kaliningrad Region could be used as an organic fertilizer in the region, a by HELCOM concludes. Even if the animal or poultry stock would grow significantly, the produced manure will be in high demand as there is currently a shortage of organic fertilizers in the region. The report prepares for a long-term manure management plan which is ready for submission to the Ministry of Agriculture. he study was motivated by the need to identify measures for reducing the flow of nutrients into the Baltic Sea. Experts estimate that the implementation of a manure handling plan for Kaliningrad Region will reduce the entry of nutrients into the environment from animal/poultry manure – nitrogen by 20–30% and phosphorus by 15%, which is equal to 1,100 tonnes and 210 tonnes per year, respectively. The pilot activity under BASE Project was conducted by the State Scientific Institution North-West Research Institute of Agricultural Engineering and Electrification () of the Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences with the support of . urthermore, the study identified several necessary measures to secure that the production of organic fertilizer from manure is both profitable and environmentally sustainable, to assist in the adoption and implementation of the manure management plan. For assisting each individual farm to choose the most appropriate technology, the farmers and stakeholders should use the on-line database of technologies, machines and equipment for manure processing at . Decision-makers should take advantage of the decision-making guidelines developed based on nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorus) balance calculation, on farm level as well as on regional level. Various decoupled subsidies should be used in order to support the production of organic fertilizer.  he results of the study have been submitted to the Kaliningrad Ministry of Agriculture. * * *Note for editors: (2012–2014) supports the implementation of the Baltic Sea Action Plan () in Russia.  BASE addresses altogether three priority areas of the HELCOM BSAP: eutrophication, hazardous substances, and biodiversity and nature protection. Within BASE, monitoring activities to support and measure the progress within the abovementioned segments are also being carried out. The pilot projects (See: components) are implemented by experts from Russia with the support of EU experts, while the overall Project, funded by EU, is managed by the HELCOM Secretariat and St. Petersburg Public Organization “Ecology and Business”.The Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, usually referred to as , is an intergovernmental organization of the nine Baltic Sea coastal countries and the European Union working to protect the marine environment of the Baltic Sea from all sources of pollution and to ensure safety of navigation in the region. Since 1974, HELCOM has been the governing body of the ‘Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area’, more commonly known as the Helsinki Convention. * * *For more information, please contactAleksandr Briukhanov (in Russian only)The State Scientific Institution North-West Research Institute of Agricultural Engineering and Electrification (SZNIIMESH) of the Russian Academy of Agricultural SciencesTel. +7 921 653 5133E-mail: sznii(at)yandex.ru Harri HuhtaMTT Agrifood Research FinlandTel. +358 40 522 7785E-mail: harri.huhta(at)mtt.fi Johanna LaurilaInformation Secretary, HELCOMTel.  +358 40 523 8988E-mail: johanna.laurila(at)helcom.fi

Less polluting nutrients to the Baltic Sea is the goal of a proposed manure management plan to the Ministry of Agriculture in Kaliningrad, produced by the HELCOM BASE Project.

​The River Luga is
the only river in the Russian part of the Baltic Sea in which naturally wild
salmon reproduce. According to a report published today by HELCOM BASE Project,
there is a decline observed in wild salmon population in the River Luga. The main reason for the decline of wild salmon is
unreported catch, the report states. Unreported catch is mainly occurring in
the lower courses of the river and close to major settlements. ‘Unreported
fishing’ includes illegal fishing (poaching) and overfishing for the needs of
the Luga h​atchery. Poaching and concealing catches by professional fishermen is
encouraged by the high market price of salmon and the lack of sufficient control
by law enforcement authorities. In
order to maintain and restore the small population of wild salmon in the River
Luga a management plan must be developed with strong involvement of all
responsible authorities.Photo Sergey Titov &
GosNIORKhRiver Luga was
identified as a key river by (2010) which looked at salmon population habitats in rivers
flowing to the Baltic Sea. Identifying habitats and drawing up management plans
in order to conserve threatened wild salmon population is one of the measures
all Baltic Sea countries have agreed to in
(BSAP) of 2007. The activities in the HELCOM BASE Project support Russia in
fulfilling the commitments made under the BSAP.The report on ‘’ was
completed in the framework of under
.—————-Note for editors: (2012–2014) supports the implementation of the Baltic
Sea Action Plan () in
Russia. BASE addresses altogether three priority areas of the HELCOM BSAP:
eutrophication, hazardous substances, and biodiversity and nature protection.
Within BASE, monitoring activities to support and measure the progress within
the abovementioned segments are also being carried out. The pilot projects
(See: components) are implemented by experts from Russia with the support of EU
experts, while the overall Project, funded by EU, is managed by the HELCOM
Secretariat and St. Petersburg Public Organization “Ecology and
Business”.The Baltic
Marine Environment Protection Commission, usually referred to as , is an
intergovernmental organization of the nine Baltic Sea coastal countries and the
European Union working to protect the marine environment of the Baltic Sea from
all sources of pollution and to ensure safety of navigation in the region.
Since 1974, HELCOM has been the governing body of the ‘Convention on the
Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area’, more commonly
known as the Helsinki Convention.* * *For further information, please contact:Marta PlichtaProject
ResearcherHELCOM BASETel: +358 40
669 3090 Skype: helcom55E-mail:
marta.plichta(at)helcom.fi

​Sergey RezvyiBASE Pilot project coordinatorBaltic Fund for Naturetel: +7 812 328-9620E-mail: sergey_rezvyi (at)bfn.org.ru

In order to restore the wild salmon population in the River Luga a management plan must be developed with strong involvement of all responsible authorities.

Estonia has released its for the 2-year of the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, also known as Helsinki Commission or , which officially began one week ago. The main components addressed in the new Chairmanship priorities are pollution management; planning, management and marine protected areas; as well as assessment of environmental status and information. The nominated new Chairman is Harry Liiv, the Deputy Secretary General of the Ministry of the Environment of Estonia.  Improved plans in water management and rural development for more effective        nutrient reduction, as well as reducing the impact of hazardous substances are parts of the overall first priority of pollution management.  Moreover, drawing up a joint regional action plan on reducing marine litter in 2015 at the latest, as was agreed by the region’s countries in the 2013 Ministerial Declaration, is listed as a priority.  Other priorities for the next two years include the use, conservation and protection of the Baltic Sea regional coastal and marine areas; further work for well arranged network of marine protected areas; as well as developing of ecosystem based management principles for fish stock and other environmental resources. Monitoring of high standards, reliable data and indicator work form the third pillar of the Estonian priorities, as well as the implementation of HELCOM communication strategy adopted last spring. “I am looking forward to the labour-intensive season of fully putting into practice the plentiful Ministerial commitments from October 2013, in the path of reaching a Baltic Sea in good environmental status. There are important deadlines ahead especially concerning HELCOM monitoring programme and guidelines, as well as the major effort to describe the status of the entire Baltic Sea in the 2nd HELCOM holistic assessment”, says the new HELCOM Chairman, Mr. Harry Liiv.   “In general terms, 2014 is a major year for Estonia with regards to regional cooperation thus providing concrete opportunities for even deeper synergies. In addition to the HELCOM Chairmanship, this month Estonia has assumed the yearly presidency of the Council of the Baltic Sea. For the whole calendar year Estonia is leading the Nordic-Baltic cooperation (NB8), the Baltic Council of Ministers as well as the Baltic Assembly”, says Harry Liiv.   Mr. Harry Liiv has succeeded Ms. Helle Pilsgaard of Denmark, who chaired the Helsinki Commission in 2012–2014. The Chairmanship of HELCOM rotates between the Baltic Sea coastal countries and the European Union according to the alphabetical order every two years. Mr. Liiv will lead, as the Chairman, the work of HELCOM up until 30 June 2016.  the document HELCOM priorities during the Estonian Chairmanship. * * *Note for editors:The Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, usually referred to as , is an intergovernmental organisation of the nine Baltic Sea coastal countries and the European Union working to protect the marine environment of the Baltic Sea from all sources of pollution and to ensure safety of navigation in the region.HELCOM is the governing body of the “Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area,” more usually known as the Helsinki Convention, from 1974. * * *For further information, please contact:Johanna LaurilaInformation SecretaryHELCOMTel: +358 40 523 8988E-mail:  Pille RõivasPublic Relations CouncellorMinistry of the Environment of EstoniaTel: +372 626 2811, +372 506 4608E-mail:

Estonian priorities for the 2-year HELCOM Chairmanship also cover pollution management, improving the network of marine protected areas and data reliability, among others.

​Better sewage sludge handling, which would improve phosphorus recycling and reduce its losses to the Baltic marine environment, as well as the monitoring results of phosphogypsum waste handling site in Wiślinka, Poland, have been key items in the of the HELCOM Land-Based Pollution Group (), continuing today in Gdansk, Poland. Since the early 2000s the LAND Group has been meeting yearly, to discuss actions to limit emissions and discharges of nutrients from land-based sources from the Baltic Sea catchment, including transboundary pollution. The Group involves the major regional actors including all coastal governments, EU, HELCOM Observers and other key stakeholders.  he 2013 HELCOM called for sustainable use of nutrients in the Baltic Sea Region. To respond to this call, the Gdansk Meeting 14-16 May is considering the draft HELCOM Recommendation on sewage sludge handling which is being prepared by Germany and Sweden. Waste water treatment sector generates vast amounts of sludge with high nutrient content that could be utilised sustainably with due environmental precautions. Having a set of specific requirements on sewage sludge handling would also respond to the topical issue of nutrient recycling. quot;In normal operation of a waste water treatment plant, the generated sewage sludge contains nutrients, micronutrients and particles that can be utilised on arable land for production of crops. Catching phosphorus from waste water is a sustainable way to save nutrient resources for farming. Sludge can be also utilized for energy recovery. Besides, if phosphorus from sewage sludge is not handled properly or collected for reuse, there is a risk of its leaking to the Baltic Sea”, says Leonid Korovin, Chair of HELCOM LAND Group.  The most recent information on phosphogypsum waste handling site in Wiślinka, Poland, was addressed in the Meeting yesterday. The Meeting welcomed the new plans to divert drainage waters from around the phosphogypsum waste stack back to the production cycle at Fosfory Plant in Gdansk that would reduce potential threat of nutrients leakage into the Baltic. The Meeting also invited Poland to submit the environmental review report in English to the Contracting Parties to ease the follow-up of national information provided at the Meeting. The joint Polish-Finnish samplings in the vicinity of the Wiślinka phosphogypsum dumpsite last year were a follow-up to the implementation of requirements of HELCOM Recommendation “Reduction of Pollution from Discharges into Water, Emissions into the Atmosphere and Phosphogypsum out of the Production of Fertilizers”. ollowing the decision by 2013 Ministerial Meeting to continuously assess potential significant sources of nutrient pollution on land e.g. industries, fur- and fish-farming, and when needed, address them with abatement measures and/or emission limits, the Meeting may consider which sector of industry/source, potentially contributing to nutrient pollution and eutrophication of the Baltic Sea, could be screened in a similar detailed manner than handling of phosphogypsum waste from fertilizer industry. Specific focus would be on the environmental performance and application of Best Available Technologies/Best Environmental Practices (BAT/BEP) for reduction of inputs of nutrients, as well as hazardous substances. Other items in the intense agenda of the Meeting will be related to pharmaceuticals, concerning national reporting as well as pilot study in St. Petersburg within the HELCOM-EU BASE Project); process towards development of the regional action plan on marine litter; as well as remaining hot spots in the region, among others. All the documents can be accessed after the Meeting in the Meeting site (). * * *Note for editors:The Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, usually referred to as , is an intergovernmental organisation of the nine Baltic Sea coastal countries and the European Union working to protect the marine environment of the Baltic Sea from all sources of pollution and to ensure safety of navigation in the region. Since 1974, HELCOM has been the governing body of the ‘Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area’, more commonly known as the Helsinki Convention. * * *For further information, please contact:Mikhail Durkin Professional Secretary – LAND Group, AGRI/ENV FORUM, FISH/ENV FORUM Tel. +358 46 850 9195 Skype: helcom04 E-mail: mikhail.durkin@helcom.fi Johanna Laurila Information Secretary HELCOM Tel: +358 40 523 8988Skype: helcom70 E-mail: johanna.laurila(@)helcom.fi

Better sewage sludge handling as well as the monitoring of waste handling sites have been key items in the ongoing Meeting of the HELCOM Land-Based Pollution Group (LAND).