On September 4, on the beach near Mikoszewo, a cleaning action took place on the Vistula Spit. It was attended by employees of Polish Waters. On the banks of the Vistula Lagoon and the estuary section of the Vistula, several dozen bags of waste left by sunbathers and thrown by the water on the shore were collected.

The cleaning action of the Vistula Spit, organized by the Plastics Europe Polska Foundation, joined the forces of Polish Waters, Stegna Commune, Mikoszewo Sołectwo, students of the Primary School. On the Amber Trail in Mikoszewo, the Blue Patrol of the WWF, friends from the Volunteer Fire Department Mikoszewo and the Maritime Office in Gdynia. Cleaning was an opportunity to learn about the activities of Polish Waters in the Lower Vistula water region. Investments carried out in the immediate vicinity of Mikoszewo were particularly popular: the reconstruction of the Przegalina Water Junction and the bathymetric studies of the Vistula estuary. All participants of the action received commemorative gifts.

Source: http://geoserwis.gdos.gov.pl/mapy

In the coastal strip between the lower section of the Vistula and the Vistula Lagoon, there are areas of natural value, under legal protection, in order to preserve the natural wealth, valuable ecosystems and landscapes. These include the following nature reserves: Mewia Łacha and Kąty Rybackie, Natura 2000 habitat areas: Ostoja w Ujście Wisły PLH220044, Zalew Wiślany and Mierzeja Wisła PLH280007, bird areas Natura 2000: Ujście Wisły PLB220004 Lagoon of the Vistula PLB280010 and Landscape Park of the Mierzeja Wiślana Spit. The waste lying on the Baltic coast poses a threat not only to the condition of inland and marine waters, but also poses a direct threat to the surrounding fauna, flora and even people, therefore actions to reduce the presence of waste in the environment are a long-term challenge. The organization of the cleaning of coastal areas promotes good practices and appropriate social attitudes, at the same time making people sensitive to the problem of the degradation of the waters of the Baltic Sea.

Photo: Ewa Wolińska

Halting the degradation of the Baltic Sea and its active protection depends primarily on what is happening on land. As much as 99.7% of our country lies in the Baltic basin, flows into it by the two largest rivers in the entire basin: the Vistula and the Oder. Additionally, we are one of the most populous countries in this area. It will be possible to reduce the problem of cyanobacteria bloom and water pollution if we reduce the amount of waste flowing into the Baltic Sea through rivers. As many as 48% of them come from households.

The purpose of the marine water protection program and its update is to ensure the good status of the marine environment. Cleaning the shores of rivers and beaches, developing a strategy to reduce the leakage of waste from sewage systems to waters or equipping municipalities with beach cleaning equipment are selected activities in the updated document. 

The sea water protection program, updated by Polish Waters, is aimed at ensuring the good condition of the marine environment. Broken by storms and abandoned fishing nets are deadly traps for the inhabitants of the Baltic Sea, so marking fishing nets and catching them as part of the cleaning action are actions that will reduce the amount of ghost nets in the waters of our sea, thus helping to protect the species and marine ecosystems of the Baltic Sea.

Photo: Ewa Wolińska. More info: https://gdansk.wody.gov.pl/aktualnosci/1112-pracownicy-wod-polskich-zadbali-o-czystosc-mierzei-wislanej