Denmark stands alone in defiance against Baltic Sea marine protection agreement

CCB • December 19, 2016

 

 

 

PRESS RELEASE: Stockholm and Helsinki 19 December 2016

Denmark threatened to effectively stop progress on a key Baltic Sea regional initiative during the HELCOM Head of Delegation meeting which took place on 14-15 December in Helsinki. This process, prioritized by the EU who is currently chairing HELCOM for the first time, represents an agreement by Baltic Sea Ministers to advance progress towards securing a healthy Baltic Sea. Environmental organizations Coalition Clean Baltic (CCB) and Oceana are angered by Denmark’s disruptive actions which severely undermine progress to restore the status of the Baltic Sea.

The so called Holistic Assessment of the Baltic Sea (HOLAS II) project was initiated by all Baltic Sea countries, including Denmark, and has been in progress since 2014. It is intended to demonstrate the overall state of ecosystem health in the Baltic Sea and support commitments under the Baltic Sea Action Plan and EU Directives. It represents a tremendous investment of time and financial resources which have now been undermined due to the actions of just one of the ten contracting parties to HELCOM.

“Denmark has undermined an international process intended to secure a healthy Baltic Sea and fought to be made exempt from its implications. The disrespect Denmark has shown for the cooperative endeavours of HELCOM is deeply concerning.” explains Lasse Gustavsson, Executive Director of Oceana in Europe.

Following intensive interventions by the other Baltic Sea countries, who restated their commitment to this process, Denmark finally agreed to compromise, allowing the process to proceed. The compromise makes clear that Denmark reserves its right to disregard the findings of HOLAS II, and ensure that the EU cannot hold Denmark accountable to them.

“Shared natural resources can only ever be effectively managed through cooperation and unfortunately this is not first time Denmark has objected environmental agreements backed by all other Baltic Sea countries.”   says Mikhail Durkin, the Executive secretary of CCB.

Denmark’s move against the initiative also jeopardizes the implementation of other agreements aimed at restoring the status of the Baltic Sea and undermines important work carried out by other HELCOM contracting parties. It also complicates the work of those member states who wish to use the HELCOM work in their national implementation of EU directives, such as the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, which requires countries to coordinate their work regionally.

Read the entire press release here.

NGOs to EU decision makers: Commit to a Genuine Baltic Sea Recovery Plan

By CCB • May 28, 2025
Key Baltic fish populations are in crisis, warn environmental NGOs. New scientific advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, ICES, confirms the poor condition of key Baltic fish populations, several of which remain collapsed (1). EU fisheries ministers must set 2026-catch limits well below ICES advice and prioritise long-term recovery over short-term economic gains.

EU Commission upholds Fisheries Law: Finland's 2025 Atlantic Salmon quota reduced after unjustified overfishing in 2024

By CCB • May 7, 2025
7 May 2025 - Yesterday the European Commission took a strong decision to deduct Finland´s 2025 Atlantic Salmon quota due to unjustified overfishing last year. This action is a clear application of the EU fisheries rules - aiming to ensure sustainable fishing practices and compliance with established quotas - and an important precedent for the consistent enforcement of fisheries law. In 2024, Finland was allocated a strict by-catch quota for Atlantic salmon, with direct fishing prohibited, except for some specific, minor exceptions. Despite this, Finland reported catching 3,162 salmon in a targeted fishery, under a claimed derogation stating the fishery was for scientific research purposes. Upon review, the European Commission concluded that these activities did not meet the legal standards for such an exemption and therefore found this claim unjustified. The number of vessels participating, 32, the number of salmon caught as well as the fact that Finland refused to re-release the salmon after conducting the “scientific research” are all reasons why the fishery cannot be considered to have been carried out for scientific research purposes. As a result, the same number of salmon caught beyond the legal limit in 2024 is now being deducted from Finland’s 2025 quota, from the same stock. “ We welcome the Commission's decision to take enforcement action and apply the law as intended. It sends a clear message to Member States that exceeding quotas will have consequences. However, more consistent enforcement is urgently needed across EU waters, especially in the Baltic Sea, where many fish stocks are collapsing and the ecosystem is in a poor state ” said Aimi Hamberg, CCB Marine Policy Officer. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Finland has already responded to the Commission´s quota reduction for Atlantic salmon by stating that this decision “is not legally justified” and they will consider taking legal action against it. As this matter continues to evolve, it is highlighting the importance of collective responsibility in managing fish stocks sustainably. Species like salmon, herring and cod , are under increasing pressure due to overfishing, climate change and habitat loss. In this context, rule enforcement is not just a bureaucratic step but a necessary action to ensure the long-term sustainability of marine life in the Baltic Sea.