4th Sea Alarm Conference (2007)
Sponsors: Fairy, FOST, IFAW, RSPCA International, Bird Protection Flanders, and Ostend Harbor
Date: October 2007
Venue: Ostend, Belgium
Publications: Oiled Wildlife Response, Planning and Cooperation- Proceedings
Website: Sea Alarm Events Site
Over 90 participants from 17 countries discussed the conference theme, Oiled Wildlife Response, Planning and Cooperation, which was addressed by 26 speakers. The Conference demonstrated that the issue of oiled wildlife response and preparedness is now being taken seriously by many different stakeholders, including the oil and maritime industries and an increasing number of governments.
Representatives of these and other groups presented the developments in their sector and initiatives that are being taken to reduce the both the risk and effects of marine pollution on seabirds, sea turtles and marine mammals.
Four new European tools were presented at the conference, each of which was developed with strong input from Sea Alarm. They are the website www.oiledwildlife.eu, the online Handbook on Oil Impact Assessment, the published Handbook on Good Practice for the Rehabilitation of Oiled Birds, and the European Oiled Wildlife Response Plan.
As part of the Conference, participants were transported to a warehouse in the Ostend City Harbour to view demonstrations of four response solutions. The Fast Oil Spill Team presented their mobile bird washing unit, built around two purpose-designed machines. The Belgian authorities presented their integrated oil spill response plan and a team from AniMedics demonstrated an example of a mobile surgery unit. OSRL/EARL presented their stockpile of mobile oiled wildlife response equipment developed under their agreement with Sea Alarm.
