New efforts to help the sick Baltic Sea



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Dead bottom, thin seals and abundant algal blooms – the Baltic Sea is one of the most polluted seas in the world. Now an initiative is being launched to breathe new life into the underwater worlds of the brackish sea.

The algae flourish in the water outside Tyresö, in the Stockholm archipelago. Stock Photography.Image: Pontus Lundahl / TT

Behind the project is WWF and several local partners. Inger Näslund, a WWF marine and fisheries expert, stresses that the situation is critical. Eutrophication and human activities such as fishing and shipping are some of the causes of the serious disease.

– The Baltic Sea is not good. We must make efforts now if we want to have a living inland sea in the future.

Through several parallel nature conservation measures, shallow coastal bays will be restored on the High Coast, the Stockholm archipelago and the Kristianstad Water Kingdom.

The latter is the so-called biosphere reserve, a place where new methods and new knowledge are tested to achieve long-term sustainable development, as part of UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere (MAB) scientific program.

The eelgrass meadows in the area have been affected by boat traffic and the formation of algae that has emerged as a result of prolonged eutrophication. Carina Wettemark, coordinator of Kristianstads Vattenrike, says they will now be updated. This will be done by recreating wetlands on land that can reduce the nutrients that cause eutrophication. In addition, new eelgrass will be planted.

– Meadows are incredibly important growth areas for various organisms, from small insects and shrimp to algae to fish. In addition, they stabilize the seabed by binding the sand and counteracting erosion.

The Stockholm Archipelago and the High Coast are two potential future biosphere reserves. Here, nature conservation efforts are primarily focused on recreating wetlands and restoring playgrounds, as well as hiking trails for pike and perch.

Done

The project

The project hopes to contribute to this:

• Ecosystems strengthened through long-term reduction of nutrients in the Baltic Sea.

Increase in biodiversity where restoration measures have been implemented.

• Increased awareness of the sensitive Baltic Sea ecosystem among the general public and schoolchildren in the areas where the activities take place.

• Knowledge of how we can all contribute to saving the Baltic Sea.

• Better overview of the state and problems of the Baltic Sea.

• Increased power for political work for a healthy Baltic Sea in Sweden, HELCOM and the EU.

Actors participating in the project:

Vattenriket in Skåne: Kristianstads Vattenrike Biosphere Office and WWF.

Stockholm Archipelago in Stockholm: The Archipelago Foundation, Sportfiskarna, the Stockholm County Board of Directors and WWF.

Höga Kusten in Ångermanland: Västernorrland County Administrative Council, Sportfiskarna and WWF

Source: WWF.

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