Author: Aleksandra Milewska

Ensuring good condition of the Baltic Sea waters is the goal of the Marine Waters Protection Program – POWM, updated by PGW Woda Polskie. Biodiversity is one of the features that testify to the state of our sea. On the Biological Diversity Day, we would like to remind you that by protecting the Baltic Sea, we provide the opportunity to develop and maintain species diversity of marine flora and fauna.

The Baltic Sea is one of the shallowest and most polluted seas in the world. The Baltic Sea is surrounded by economically highly developed countries inhabited by nearly 100 million people. The economic and social progress of the last century has had a significant impact on the marine ecosystems of the Baltic region. The inflow of nutrients to the sea basin, overfishing and other forms of our economic activity, together with the observed climate changes, do not remain indifferent to the animals and plants found in the Baltic Sea.

What does Baltic biodiversity look like?

Due to the specificity of our sea, the most abundant species in the Baltic Sea are those with high tolerance to changes in salinity of its waters. Too low salinity makes it impossible for typical marine species to live, therefore in the Baltic Sea we meet much less species than in the neighboring North Sea. This is of course related to the limited possibility of inflow of the highly salty waters of the North Sea and the inflow of large amounts of fresh waters by the extensive network of rivers flowing into the Baltic Sea. Interestingly, some animals also reach much smaller sizes than their northern relatives, the best example of which are marine mollusks, the size of which can be easily verified by comparing the shells of the same species found on the beaches of the Baltic Sea and other seas. A very popular common cockle, whose shells can be found not only on the beach, but also as part of numerous souvenirs, in the Baltic Sea reaches a size of 30 mm, while outside the Baltic Sea – even 50 mm. Another example is the sand-climber, which in the Baltic Sea reaches only 60-80 mm, while in fully salty seas, it grows up to 15 cm!

What floats in the depths of the Baltic Sea? [1]:

Although the gray seal is the most recognizable representative of the Baltic Sea, there are many more organisms inhabiting this reservoir. Many of them are practically imperceptible to the human eye, and it is they that inhabit the Baltic Sea in such great numbers. The following are the groups of organisms inhabiting our sea:

– phytoplankton – microscopic plant organisms (algae) passively floating in the overexposed layer of water. Over 700 species have been found in the phytoplankton of the Baltic Sea – diatoms, cyanobacteria and dinoflagellates dominate.

– phytobenthos – plants growing on the seabed. In the Baltic Sea, sedentary vegetation is composed of green algae (e.g. seaweed, tape), brown algae (e.g. algae), red algae (e.g. rose and fork) and flowering plants (e.g. seagrass).

– zooplankton – animal organisms more or less passively floating in the water. This group includes both single-celled animals and multi-celled organisms with a complex structure: rotifers, crustaceans (e.g. copepods), and jellyfish that grow up to several dozen centimeters in diameter – cyanea and  Aurelia aurita. Moreover, there are numerous fish larvae, polychaetes and molluscs in the zooplankton of the Baltic Sea.

– zoobenthos – animals living on the seabed. The benthic fauna of the Baltic Sea is dominated by representatives of mussels, e.g. mussels, cockles, sand clams, Baltic hornbeam, crustaceans, e.g. barnacles, shrimp, gudgeon, double, shrimp), snails, e.g. aquatic fish, polychaetes e.g. nereid and oligochaetes. The most diverse benthic communities can be found on the rocky bottom.

– nekton – large animals, actively swimming in the water. In the Baltic Sea,  there are26 species of marine fish and several species of freshwater and bi-environmental fish. Four species of marine mammals live here: gray seal, ringed seal, harbor seal and porpoise.

According to the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, biodiversity is one of the 11 features determining the quality of the Baltic waters, defined as the diversity of life forms around the globe on various levels: within species, between species and the diversity of ecosystems. In order to improve or maintain the good condition of the Baltic Sea, every 6 years, each country in the region prepares a set of corrective actions included in the directional document. In Poland’s case, the most important strategic document is the Sea Waters Protection Program [2], the first update of which (aPOWM) is currently being prepared by PGW Woda Polskie.

Save the sea! What actions for biodiversity are included in the Marine Waters Protection Program?

Ensuring a reduction in the inflow of nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus), causing uncontrolled growth of harmful organisms, e.g. cyanobacteria, and proper biodiversity was one of the key tasks set out in the first Marine Waters Protection Program prepared in 2016. This is still the current goal and many of the eutrophication activities will also be included in the program update. This is a pressure that directly contributes to the health of many species and their habitats in the Baltic Sea. Apart from them, a set of activities dedicated to the improvement of the condition of sea mammals and birds was prepared, e.g. reducing disturbance of seals by humans at their place of breeding, adding the porpoise as an object of protection in the Natura 2000 area – Słupska Bank, active protection of the ringed plover. These are just some of the measures proposed in aPOWM, aimed at improving or maintaining the proper state of biodiversity, as well as the entire trophic chain.

The Baltic Sea is home to many living organisms. Man, as a user of this ecosystem, has a duty not to harm and even help the organisms living in it. Let us preserve the richness of fauna and flora – let us protect the sea together.

[1] https://naszbaltyk.pl/bioroznorodnosc/

[2] The development of the Marine Waters Protection Program is imposed by the Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 June 2008 establishing the framework for community activities in the field of marine environmental policy (Marine Strategy Framework Directive) and transposing its provisions – the Water Law.

Rivers are an integral part of the Baltic Sea – as many as 97% of rivers end their course in the north of Poland, in the Baltic basin. By keeping them clean, you have a direct impact on the improvement of the condition of our sea waters. Water is not a garbage can; by protecting the rivers you say Save the Sea!

Maintaining the proper condition of habitats and its species dependent on waters, mainly related to river valleys, is the responsibility of man as a user of the ecosystem. Activities related to the achievement of environmental objectives for individual water bodies, indirectly also contribute to the achievement of good environmental status of marine waters, thanks to, among others, reducing the level of pollution in the waters flowing into the Baltic Sea.

It is a complex problem, the source of which is both human activity at sea and also on land. Incorrect waste management is one of the most important sources of the penetration of substances harmful to the environment into water and soil. Households are responsible for 48% of the waste going to the sea. The waste in the waters ending up in the Baltic Sea is largely the result of washing out illegal landfills in river valleys, deliberately throwing rubbish into river beds and leaving them on the banks, dumping them into various types of reservoirs connected to the rivers through which they can reach the Baltic Sea. Proper waste management is equally important, especially waste hazardous to aquatic ecosystems.

Rivers of garbage

As much as 70% of the mass of waste is plastic, which flows into the river and travels with the current, sometimes settling on the bank or its bottom. The plastic often breaks down into small pieces, releasing harmful microplastics. Remains of paints and other substances that get into the waters from abandoned landfills are toxic. Some of the pollutants travel through the rivers to the Baltic Sea itself. Both solid waste and water-soluble substances leave their mark and affect local ecosystems and our health.

Marine waste

Marine litter is a global problem. Each year, millions of tonnes of garbage end up in the seas and oceans, turning them into the world’s largest landfills and causing environmental, economic, health and aesthetic problems. Poor solid waste disposal practices, a lack of infrastructure and a lack of awareness of the consequences of actions taken are gradually worsening the situation. The Baltic Sea is also exposed to this problem. For years, successive measures have been implemented to organize waste management, in which the theme of water protection, both inland and sea, should be more and more emphasized.

Join the action, because by taking care of the rivers you protect the Baltic Sea!

The problem keeps recurring, and new waste appears soon after the site is cleared. As part of the campaign “The river remembers who poisons it”, PGW Woda Polskie presents the problem of water pollution, educating the elderly and young, children, students, people actively relaxing by the water and water users. The main theme of the campaign is one message: do not leave garbage by the water, do not poison it. Convince others to do so – your neighbors and friends. Teach your children that the garbage from a walk or a picnic can be taken with you and thrown into a bin or container. As much as 97% of our rivers are located in the catchment area of ​​the Baltic Sea, so remember that by caring for rivers, we also protect the Baltic Sea.

The Baltic Sea is one of the shallowest and most polluted seas in the world. To protect the Baltic Sea, we improve the living conditions of flora and fauna, including native species of seals. Check what you can do for the sea to make the seals better and protect the sea!

Over the past 100 years, the seal population in the Baltic Sea has drastically decreased. Fortunately, we have seen an increase in their numbers for past several years. Unfortunately, their population in the Polish part of the Baltic Sea is still unsatisfactory, therefore activities supporting the protection of these animals are carried out as part of the protection of the Baltic Sea.

While walking along the Polish beaches of the Baltic Sea, we can meet seals resting in the rays of the sun. There are three species of seals in Poland – the gray seal – the most numerous, the harbor seal and the least common ringed seal. Seals are mammals, without which it is difficult to imagine the Baltic landscape, which is why the gray seal has become the symbol of the Polish Waters project – Protect the Sea! It happens that seals go up the rivers in search of food. This winter, one of them appeared at the barrage in Włocławek, swimming through almost a 300-kilometer section of the Vistula!

The protection of the habitats of seals living on the Baltic coast is one of the postulates of the project to update the Marine Waters Protection Program – aPOWM. Although in recent years we have observed an increase in the number of these animals, we still need to continue to protect them.

Pressures and impacts – threat analysis for seals

Seals need access to optimal resting, molting and breeding sites. In Poland, we are dealing with the development of tourism and a lot of tourist pressure; practically on the entire coastal area. It happens that the animals are disturbed while resting. Sea transport, fishingy and even hydrotechnical works, such as the reconstruction of breakwaters or coastal bands, are factors that may affect the state of the seal population. They are not indifferent to pollutants, such as synthetic and non-synthetic substances, radionuclides or waste, as well as noise and water eutrophication.

Conservation activities

The gray seal is under strict species protection and indicated as a subject of protection in eight Natura 2000 areas, including Zatoka Pucka and the Hel Peninsula (PLH220032) and Ostoja in the mouth of the Vistula (PLH220044 Habitats protection).

Protective measures should primarily include the introduction of the so-called “Safe nets”, allowing for a significant reduction of by-catch and the designation of special protection zones in key resting, molting and breeding areas for the species.

The Marine Waters Protection Program (aPOWM) contains a catalogue of activities aimed at achieving good environmental status of marine waters – GES *, based on selected features, including biodiversity, the complexity of which is also evidenced by the presence and state of national seal populations. Man exerts various pressures on the marine environment, changing the state of the marine environment, and also worsening it.

PGW Waters Polskie is responsible for the development of the POWM, and the activities under the project are carried out by various government and local government units and entities. These are also activities that each of us can carry out. Thanks to the cooperation and increasing the awareness of our citizens, we can improve the condition of our Baltic Sea. Therefore, save the sea with us!

* GES – means “the state of the environment of marine waters creating ecologically diverse and dynamic oceans and seas, which are clean, healthy and fertile in relation to their conditions, and the use of the marine environment takes place at a level that is sustainable and guarantees the preservation of opportunities. use and conduct of activities by present and future generations “(Art. 3 RDSM)