An initiative to launch the project Fishing for Marine Litter and Ghost Nets Baltic Sea By Vesa Tschernij FLAG manager South Baltic FLAG Sweden
South Baltic FLAG in a nut shell: SWEDEN POLAND From fishing enterprice to coast enterprise (new, future fisheries) Environmental engagement/profile Today Sustainable fishery (traditional) International relations/dimension
Fishing for Litter by KIMO International: A success story since the pilot study year 2000 in the North Sea! Examples of economical impatcs caused by Marine Litter! Fisheries: - restricted/lost catch due to litter in fishing gears - lost and damadeg fishing gears - lost of fishing time due to repair/cleaning Cost for Scottish fishing fleet 12 milj. per year! (this is almost 5% of the total revenue of affected fisheries) The results witness that Marine Litter is a big hidden threat! Up to 70% of the total amount sinks to sea bottom making it hidden-to-eye!
The results witness that Marine Litter is a big hidden threat! Secret behind the success? A major effort in the project is taken care by commercial fishermen / fishing sector!
How big is this problem in the Baltic Sea? Marine litter is included in the BALTIC SEA ACTION PLAN adopted by HELCOM! It is addressed also in the BALTIC SEA STRATEGY by EU Commission! Excessive - tourism - leisure boating - summer cottage Flat open sea Deeps Gulfs Bays Archipelago Compared to North Sea Baltic Sea is different in several ways! - morphology - ecology - environment - water current pattern etc.
How is Fishing for Litter concept working: Authorities as observers or partners Lead partner & Project Group Stakeholders as observers or partners Partner A Municipality & harbour Partner B Municipality & harbour etc In each harbor there is a number of contracted fishing vessels which all carry onboard a big, strong canvas bag!
How is the work done out at sea: The litter that fishermen get in their nets during ordinary fishing operation is stored in the heavy- wear canvas bags onboard the vessels Containers in the harbor the project will provide the bags to fishermen and take care of the litter deposition costs in the harbour Same vessels will be contracted to execute carefully planned ghost net retrieval campaigns
We propose a geographically stratified activity: Our plan is to engage the FLAGs as operative partners in the project group! In case FLAGs are not yet operational in some target areas municipalities are invited instead as partners! To benefit from Fishing for Litter North Sea experience KIMO Baltic is given the Lead part!
3-year project executed in two phases: The project in nut shell! - 3 years - focus on litter and ghost nets - 2 phases 1) planning, inventory & retrieval campaigns 1-1) Identification of where the litter/ghost nets are 1-2) The origin of the litter and responsible stakeholders 2) development of prevention methods and ready-to-use tool-kits to improve the enviromental status of Baltic Sea in cooperation with involved authorities and stakeholders Intention is to apply for INTERREG funding - anticipalted deadline for submission of the application is late March 2011 - estimted total budget frame is ~ 2.5 milj. - participation presupposes 10 25% national co-financing
For more information contact: Vesa Tschernij, manager, South Baltic FLAG Tel: +46 734-33 82 87 Email: vesa.tschernij@southbalticflag.se Jan Lundmark, co-ordinator, KIMO Baltic Tel: +46 414-81 92 06 Email: jan.lundmark@kimobaltic.eu Thank you for your attention!