+119,000 signatures to save the critically endangered Baltic harbour porpoise

CCB • November 24, 2022

Coalition Clean Baltic (CCB) will hand over the petition to the EU Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius calling for concrete and urgent conservation measures to protect the Baltic Proper harbour porpoise – the only whale in the Baltic Sea

Credit: Anthony Pierce / Alamy Stock Photo

Helsinki, 24 November 2022 – Today, Coalition Clean Baltic (CCB) will meet Virginijus Sinkevičius, the EU Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, in Helsinki to handover the petition #SaveTheBalticPorpoise, which collected 119,247 signatures [1] from the citizens of all the countries around the Baltic Sea and many others in Europe and globally.


The petition, started in April this year, calls for the EU Commissioner and all Baltic Ministers to follow scientific advice and work together to:

  • Fully protect the harbour porpoise in designated Marine Protected Areas (MPAs);
  • Stop harbour porpoise bycatch in the entire Baltic Sea;
  • Investigate the possible coexistence of harbour porpoise nature conservation and military underwater activities;
  • Increase efforts to develop and implement alternative fishing gear that does not cause harbour porpoise bycatch. 


The first measures to mitigate bycatch of Baltic harbour porpoise - with closures of static net fisheries in harbour porpoise MPAs - were put in place in February 2022 [2] thanks also to the efforts of the Baltic Sea Member States and the European Commission, but much more needs to be done for a full protection of this critically endangered cetacean species.


Baltic EU Member States are slow to act and the ambitions set are too low. Scientific advice [3] and legal requirements are available to generate effective conservation and properly address threats affecting the only whale resident in the Baltic Sea.


With only a few hundred individual left, we – along with 119,247 citizens - urge the EU Commission and the Environment, Fisheries and Defense Ministers around the Baltic Sea to pursue dialogue and implement additional measures to save the Baltic Proper harbour porpoise from extinction.

 

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- Read the PR in Swedish.

- Read the PR in Finnish.

 

Notes


CCB – Coalition Clean Baltic is a politically independent, non-profit association, which unites 26 Member Organizations and 1 Observer, with over 1,000,000 members in all countries around the Baltic Sea. The main goal of CCB is to promote the protection and improvement of the Baltic Sea environment and its natural resources. More info at www.ccb.se.


[1] CCB Petition #SaveTheBalticPorpoise: https://you.wemove.eu/campaigns/save-the-baltic-harbour-porpoise

[2] 
- CCB PR
“One step in the right direction to protect the only whale in the Baltic Sea” 
- CCB Brief on EU Delegated Act 2022
- EU Delegated Act 2022

[3] ICES Advice on bycatch (2020)

 

Contact


Nils Höglund, Fisheries Policy Officer, Coalition Clean Baltic: 
nils@ccb.se, +46 708 679249 (SE, EN)


Ida Carlén, Senior Policy Advisor Oceans, Swedish Society for Nature Conservation: ida.carlen@naturskyddsforeningen.se, +46 (0) 70 313 30 67 (SE, EN)


Tapani Veistola, Executive Director, Finnish Association for Nature Conservation: tapani.veistola@sll.fi, +358 400 615 530 (FI, EN)

 

Background

The harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) is a small toothed whale that lives in coastal waters all around the northern hemisphere. In the Baltic region there are three separate populations: the North Sea population in the North Sea, Skagerrak and northern Kattegat, the Belt Sea population in southern Kattegat, the Belt Sea and southwestern Baltic Sea, and the Baltic Proper population in the inner Baltic Sea.


The Baltic Proper harbour porpoise population is classified as Critically Endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, IUCN. It is genetically and morphometrically different from its closest neighbours in the Belt Sea, showing that the Baltic Proper harbour porpoise is a separate population and should be treated as its own management unit.


There are many threats to harbour porpoises:

  • They can get caught and drown in fishing nets, and bycatch is one of the primary reasons there are so few porpoises left in the Baltic Sea today.
  • Loud underwater noise from explosions and offshore constructions of, for example windfarms, can make a porpoise deaf, which will eventually lead to its death because a porpoise depends on its echolocation to find food.
  • Noise from heavy shipping traffic and fast leisure boats can cause disturbance, altering important behaviours such as feeding, mating or nursing of calves.
  • Environmental contaminants and pollutants such as PCB can cause decreased fertility in harbour porpoise females, as well as increased susceptibility to disease and parasites.
  • Overfishing and ecosystem changes can make it more difficult for harbour porpoises to find enough prey.


In December 2020, BALTFISH sent this Joint Recommendation to the European Commission, to prevent bycatch of Baltic Proper harbour porpoise in the Baltic Sea fisheries. In September 2021, this Joint Recommendation was also submitted to the European Commission. Both Joint recommendations includes measures only within Natura 2000 areas. The JRs have been transposed into a delegated act which was implemented in February 2022.

 

By CCB October 3, 2025
3 October 2025 - Coalition Clean Baltic, together with its Member Organization BUND - Friends of the Earth Germany and the citizens’ initiative “ Lebensraum Vorpommern ”, have launched a petition to stop new oil and gas drilling projects in the Baltic Sea . The petition comes in response to plans to exploit a deposit just 6 km offshore Świnoujście , Poland, in the transboundary waters of the Oder Estuary and Pomeranian Bay. The planned site lies at the heart of NATURA 2000 protected areas , which are vital for biodiversity, climate action, and local communities. Oil and gas extraction in the Baltic Sea poses severe threats to its fragile ecosystems. Industrial activities such as drilling, pipeline construction, and ship traffic risk polluting the water with chemicals, oil leaks, and toxic waste. Underwater noise from pile driving and increased traffic would further degrade marine habitats. These pressures add to the already critical challenges faced by the Baltic Sea, including biodiversity loss, eutrophication, and the accelerating impacts of climate change. The consequences extend far beyond nature. Local communities rely on a clean and healthy Baltic for tourism, fishing, and quality of life. Expanding fossil fuel infrastructure would also undermine Europe’s climate commitments and lock in carbon emissions for decades to come. The petition calls on the Ministry of Climate and Environment of Poland, the Helsinki Commission (HELCOM), the European Commission, and the Secretariat of the Espoo Convention to : Stop the plans for oil and gas extraction in the Oder Estuary and the Pomeranian Bay; Ban any new oil and gas extraction across the Baltic Sea; Ensure strong cross-border cooperation and communication amongst all involved states. The petition is open through the WeMove Europe´s platform and can be signed here .
By CCB October 1, 2025
Job Title: Coalition Campaign Manager - Common Fisheries Policy Position type : Full-time consultancy contract. Open to part-time arrangements initially if needed. Contract duration: Short-term contract until end of March 2026, with possibility of extension subject to funding availability Reports to: Steering Committee Location : Flexible(remote/home office) with regular travel. Working in Brussels is of advantage. Starting date : ASAP In close cooperation with the Steering Group of the coalition, lead, plan, coordinate, and support the campaign of an NGO network working together towards the implementation of the EU Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) and the evaluation thereof. The campaign manager's responsibility is to develop and ensure the successful and timely delivery of political advocacy and public engagement activities of the campaign, both at EU and Member State level. Job description Strategy & Planning Develop and implement short-, and long-term campaign strategies aligned with coalition objectives, in close cooperation with the Steering Group. Set clear goals, timelines, and performance indicators for the campaign and ensure timely delivery thereof. Analyse policy development, political climate, media and public opinion, and stakeholder landscapes to inform tactics. Campaign Delivery Manage day-to-day execution of the campaign activities at Brussels and Member State level. Coordinate coalition partners and ensure communication between Steering Group and coalition members, as well as relevant groups/coalitions/experts and other stakeholders outside the coalition. Advise coalition members on strategic delivery of advocacy activities at all levels, including Member State level. Join Steering Group meetings in an advisory capacity. Report back to the Steering Group on the delivery of the campaign's activities, meeting of targets and milestones, and report back on activities, budget and impact. Advocacy & Stakeholder Engagement Build and maintain relationships with policymakers, key stakeholders, and allies to support campaign aims. Analyse opportunities of engagement, advise on policy language. Organise/coordinate/prepare and support relevant activities, including events, briefings, and advocacy activities in close cooperation with coalition members. Ensure relevant knowledge management and information flow within the coalition and across partner organisations. Liaise with communication experts on message framing, strategy and timelines. Management Support CCB administrative and finance staff managing grants to coalition partners. Ensure coalition partners receive information and materials that enable them to effectively contribute to achieving campaign goals (political information, policy briefings, templates, policy language, opportunity analyses). Support fundraising efforts as needed/requested by the Steering Group. Lead on funders narrative reporting. Qualifications & Skills required The consultant must be legally authorised to provide services and work as a consultant within the EU, based in an EU Member State. Fisheries and ocean expertise (preferred), or other environmental background. Degree (or equivalent experience) in communications/campaign management, political science, resource management, fisheries, or related field. Proven track record in designing and delivering successful advocacy or public campaigns at EU or Member State levels involving a larger coalition. Strong understanding of political processes at EU level and Member State levels, media landscapes, and public engagement. Excellent project management and organisational skills. Skilled communicator and coordinator, able to craft persuasive messages and engage a larger network into a common goal within tight deadlines. Ability to work under pressure, meet deadlines, and adapt to rapidly changing circumstances. Fluency in English is required; additional EU languages are a plus. Application Should you be interested in applying for this assignment, please send your CV (max. 2 pages) together with a personal letter (max. 1 page) before 9 October 2025 , COB, to secretariat@ccb.se Please include your consultancy rate in your application inclusive VAT (if applicable). Applications should be submitted in English. Incomplete applications (e.g. lacking either CV or personal letter) will not be considered . Any inquiries related to this assignment should be forwarded to the above email or to CCB Executive Secretary Mikhail Durkin at mikhail.durkin@ccb.se and +46 739 770 793. In the application and hiring process, CCB will not discriminate against any individual based on race, colour, sex, language, religion, national or social origin, property, disability, age, family status, sexual orientation and gender identity, economic and social situation. .