HELCOM 2013 agrees to develop wildlife plans by 2016

Having just reported that HELCOM Response was recommending stronger oiled wildlife response targets, Sea Alarm is pleased to note that on 3 October, the 2013 Copenhagen Ministerial Meeting of HELCOM, the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, has agreed on those targets. Specifically the following section of the document outlines HELCOM’s commitment to oiled wildlife response: Preparedness and response on the shore and oiled wildlife response 2 (R). NOTING the current status of Oiled Wildlife Response (OWR) in the Baltic Sea countries, WE AGREE to develop and adopt national wildlife response plans by 2016; AGREE to strengthen the work on OWR under HELCOM RESPONSE through a targeted expert working group and by enhancing co-operation with NGOs and the private sector, inter alia in order to accommodate the involvement of volunteers; With these decisions recognising the importance of NGOs in the development of oiled wildlife response preparedness, HELCOM again confirms its profile as probably the most advanced and visionary Regional Agreement in the world.