CCB calls to postpone the adoption of the Lynetteholm project

CCB • June 3, 2021

 

CCB as an environmental NGO network, was approached by our Danish and German members with an information about ongoing discussions on the Lynetteholm project and its expected adoption by the Danish Parliament in early June. It appeared rather alerting as despite of the scale of the project and potential magnitude of its impacts on the Baltic marine environment, no information about any wider international consultations was available. The impacts for the whole Baltic Sea are primarily connected with obstruction of salt water inflow to the Baltic from the North Sea, which is vital for oxygenation of oxygen-depleted bottom layers and serves important role in Baltic biogeochemical cycle .

 

CCB as an active Observer to the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission (Helsinki Commission) has filed a request HELCOM for such information to be provided to other Baltic countries (along with similar requests for 2 other large-scale infrastructure projects in Russia and Poland). It will be raised at the 60 th Meeting of HELCOM Heads of Delegation that happens today and tomorrow.

At the same time our members have approached national contact points for Espoo Convention on environmental impact assessment in transboundary context, asking whether any notification about Lynetteholm was given to other neighbouring countries. None of those, but Sweden, were informed about the project and Swedish response from various authorities to the proposed project was strongly negative. Based on inquiries to relevant authorities, now Germany, Poland, Lithuania and Finland, have asked Denmark for further information on the project.

Finally, given the short deadline before the hearings in the Danish Parliament, CCB submitted an open letter prior to it, referring to the contradictions of the project approval without proper consultations with the Baltic Sea countries. The letter has been also shared with the European Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries , as well as with Directors General of respective DG of the European Commission and the Chair of the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference . In a letter, CCB calls for a postponement of the adoption of the project before necessary transboundary consultations are being held and respective impact mitigation measures are jointly devised.

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.

CCB is looking for a Network Officer to join our team at the CCB International Secretariat (closed)

By CCB • April 9, 2025
Coalition Clean Baltic – CCB is a politically independent network, uniting 27 environmental non-profit organizations, as well as partners and experts from 11 countries surrounding the Baltic Sea. The main goal of CCB is to promote the protection and improvement of the environment and natural resources of the Baltic Sea region by encouraging new and constructive approaches and engaging people to become part of the solution instead of part of the problem. CCB Secretariat is based in Uppsala, Sweden.