Sea Environment and Resources in the Baltic Sea  

 

The Danish Society for a Living Sea (Landsforeningen Levende Hav, LLH) needs support for a project in the Baltic Sea in 2002. This is why we distribute this short description: to receive a preliminary evaluation of our possibilities. The description will be distributed to institutions in Denmark and in EU.

The Danish Society for a Living Sea (LLH)

LLH is a non-profit and non-political, environmental organisation. Our purpose is to work for an improvement of the sea environment and the restoration of the resources of the sea. We implement projects on the sea and in the harbours, with participation of fishermen and consumers. Our method is to have direct, public contact in and around a fishing vessel. We organise a variety of activities on the quay: i.e. exhibitions, meetings, fish cooking. Out projects are supported by the Danish state, EU and by private funds.

Tekstboks: The project in 2001 In 2001, we carried through a project lasting 13 weeks, and taking us to a large number of Danish harbours with debate, exhibition and other materials concerning “The sustainable fishery – 2001”. The debate was founded on the EU Green Book on the future fishery. And the project was founded on LLH’s efforts to create a focus on the sustainable fishery – i.e. through an environmental labelling of fish, and through a co-operation between coastal fishermen in Europe. Our efforts have until now resulted in the following: - an independent fishery organisation, selling fish labelled ‘environmentally friendly’. 31 vessels sell app. 1500 tons of fish per year. The rules for their fishery have been elaborated by LLH. - a fundament for establishing a European Coastal Fishery Organisation. - LLH has played an important part in securing the Danish coastal fishing vessels their own regulation and quota. App. 400 vessels can benefit from this, and this might be decisive for the survival of Danish coastal fishery. - last – but not least – we have been able to improve the public and political understanding of the issues connected to professional fishery, i.e. the issue of by-catches of seals and harbour porpoises. We have assisted in initiating a necessary regulation of cormorant in Denmark. We have created knowledge and a better understanding in the public of the fishing methods that are proved harmful to the sea environment and its resources, combined with an attention towards the negative aspects of the Danish, industrial fishery. And, we have published a number of articles, reports etc., that can be read from our homepage: www.levende-hav.dk

Our intention with the sailing activities is to create a better national and international understanding of the sea environment and the environmentally friendly fishery. We invite people to experience the sea – both under and above it. We work to teach school classes and other groups about the sea environment on these sailings. We make contacts between fishermen and consumers and between European fishermen. We arrange conference with participation of fishermen, consumers and experts. We show exhibitions, films, slides and we can serve small tastes of fish.

 

When involved in these activities, we communicate our purpose on our home page, on the inter net and through the public media. Thus, we hope to reach as many people as possible.

 

Since 1995, LLH has concentrated on the professional fishery. Now, a solid basis has been created, leaving the environmentally friendly fishery a chance to survive. Thanks to the EU Green Book and the improved attention on fishery in Denmark. Thus, we plan to focus on the pollution with chemical and organic substances. And we plan to start in the Baltic Sea in 2002. 

 

 

The Baltic Sea, 2002

LLH’s rebuild fishing vessel, M/S Anton, and a number of LLH’s members know the Baltic Sea thoroughly. A number of us have been fishing in the Baltic Sea, and in 1002 and 1993 we have conducted large environmental projects there.

In 1992 it was “Baltic Sea – Common Sea = Common Future” and in 1993 it was “Green Partners”. Thus, we have experience and a number of contacts around the Baltic. In 1992, we reached as far as the bottom of the Gulf of Bothnia. We set up our exhibition and held meetings in Sct. Petersborg, Klaipeda, Venespil, Pürnu, Åland, Gdansk etc. And all the way, authorities, fishermen, environmental organisations and schools assisted us in our efforts.

Now there still exists a need to create a larger public and political interest for the Baltic Sea, concerning subjects such as: dioxin and other toxics, i.e. TBT from the ship paint; oil releases from ships; atomic transport through the Baltic etc. The organic substances will tend to grow as a problem for the Baltic Sea, as the agriculture of Eastern Europe transforms into industrial agriculture. Within the fishery, we expect to meet problems with seals, porpoises and drifting nets. And the biggest problem will probably be the content of dioxin in the fat fish. Maybe we will see a selling prohibition for salmon, herring, brisling and eel from the Baltic Sea in the near future? Such a prohibition will be a disaster for the professional fishery and the attached industries in the Baltic Sea region.

The plan, 2002

We enter the Baltic Sea in May 2002, and stay in the region until October. Thus, we will be available for the groups and organisations interested in the subject. It might be a local environmental problem or a problem within the fishery. We will be there with the perfect scene and facilities for further investigations and for debate.

During the winter 2001/2002, and the early spring we will:

-         contact Danish and international organisations who will be interested in participating in the project in 2002.

-         develop an exhibition and other materials on the issue.

-         draw a plan of where we will be – and when.

-         identify the necessary crew for the vessel.  

This description is our first, and preliminary project outline for 2002. We will be present in the Baltic under all circumstances with our vessel and equipment. The project will be implemented along the lines described – dependent on the money we receive.

PLEASE, contact Project Manager Kurt Bertelsen Christensen. Mail lev-hav@post4.tele.dk phone 0045 97895590 or

Living Sea office , Kattegatvej 3, DK-8500 Grenaa, Phone 0045 87580755