HELCOM Annual Meeting with delegates from the nine Baltic coastal states and the EU has today adopted the on sustainable aquaculture. The Recommendation gives tools for the Baltic Sea region to develop this growing sector based on the Best Available Technologies (BAT) and Best Environmental Practices (BEP) and it will be followed by expert work to jointly develop a menu of BAT/BEP descriptions.HELCOM Annual Meeting is the highest decision-making body of the Helsinki Commission. In addition, three other HELCOM Recommendations were adopted by the Meeting, helping to improve the status of the Baltic marine environment: Recommendation on Conservation of Baltic Sea categorized as threatened, Recommendation on Safety of winter navigation with updated part on correspondence between Ice Classes (), as well as Recommendation concerning co-operation and coordination of based monitoring and procedures for granting permits. How is the region doing in more detail in implementing Baltic Sea Action Plan was one Meeting topic
(see summary graph below), through a new online explorer demonstrated to the participants. The portal, expecting launch in April, will show the level of accomplishment by the HELCOM countries of a selection of actions agreed on in HELCOM. Among the many topics of the 2-day Meeting were maritime spatial planning and supporting the of the Joint HELCOM-VASAB Working Group, being a unique set-up and good example of sea-basin cooperation. The delegates also addressed possible improvements for following up the nutrient input reduction scheme and countries in their annual targets for Phosphorus and Nitrogen; as well as reviewed the requested information on activities in the Gulf of Finland and the situation of HELCOM – significant sources of pollution in the Baltic Sea. Russian Federation discussed one of the Hot Spots (No. 23) and was requested to provide more information on the situation and planned activities around the Krasny Bor landfill on the next HELCOM Pressure Working Group meeting in April 2016. Moreover, the meeting the Roadmap for a Baltic Sea NECA, with potential to significantly reduce Nutrient inputs from ships to the Baltic Sea. Meeting outcome will be available next week. All meeting documents are available in New online explorer will soon be opened for browsing how the countries are doing in protecting the marine environment.-12 ms-rteFontSize-1″>-12 ms-rteFontSize-1″> * * * 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. * * *For more information, please contact:Johanna LaurilaInformation SecretaryHELCOMTel: +358 40 523 8988Skype: helcom70E-mail: johanna.laurila(at)helcom.fi
HELCOM Annual Meeting with delegates from the nine Baltic coastal states and the EU has adopted four HELCOM Recommendations.
