Troubled Baltic Sea Faces Continuous Pollution

Troubled Baltic Sea Faces Continuous Pollution

The Baltic Sea, affectionately known as the Baltic Sea, is primarily a shallow expanse of water, much like an inland quarry with an average depth of only 52 meters. Compared to the Mediterranean's 1438 meters, it's a double-dip pool. Numerous rivers flow into this brackish water sea, resulting in low biodiversity and significantly lower salinity compared to the North Sea. Tides aren't a feature here, and there are only small straits for Atlantic water exchange. Consequently, this body of water warms up faster than other coastal regions, making it an intriguing study ground for future sea scenarios.

However, the real issues lie on land. That's where the real battle needs to be fought, according to Uwe Krumme, deputy director of the state Thünen Institute for Baltic Sea Fisheries in Rostock. Nutrient pollution of the sea, with two-thirds of it originating from agriculture, is a prime example, he asserts. Excess nutrients lead to excessive algal blooms, depleting the oxygen levels in the Baltic Sea and causing distress among its flora and fauna.

Germany's contribution to the issue is unique: Over 50% of the problem comes from the atmosphere, with nitrogen entering the sea primarily through industrial combustion processes and diesel engines. Agricultural fertilizers are the second-largest source, followed by industrial and household wastewater.

Fishers feel the brunt of this environmental woe. For Schleswig-Holstein, it's the cod fishery under threat, while herring is the primary catch for fishers in Vorpommern. Catch quotas have been drastically reduced by governments recently, falling from around 200,000 tons to less than 5,000 tons. This leaves fishers in the northeast grappling with the second major structural change since reunification. Once boasting 1200 cutters, there are now only around 150 boats. The western Baltic Sea's herring population is also producing fewer offspring, scientists attribute this primarily to warming seas along the spawning migration routes and changes in the seasonal sequence. Winters are warmer now, disrupting the traditional methods of reproduction.

The new federal government needs to step up and take responsibility for its own coasts, insists environmental organization BUND. "This includes consistently protecting the German marine protected areas," says association chairman Olaf Bandt. Sadly, large parts of these areas are still being destroyed by bottom trawling by fishers. Bandt calls for immediate exclusion of this destructive fishing method from German nature conservation areas. The method also releases large amounts of carbon stored in the sediments on the seabed, affecting the climate. These carbon-rich mud areas, found abundantly in the Baltic Sea, are among Earth's most important natural CO2 sinks.

A dozen environmental organizations have presented eight-page demands to the black-red federal government on the occasion of the UN Ocean Conference in Nice. These demands include reducing nutrient and pollutant entry by 50% by 2030, using agricultural subsidies to protect land, rivers, and seas, and protecting marine protected areas. Politically, such demands might seem impossible to enforce.

However, it's no longer just about limiting further nutrient supply. It's also about how existing nutrients can be removed from the Baltic Sea. Until a few years ago, nutrients were removed from the sea in the form of fish. With depleted stocks, this is no longer viable.

The battle for the Baltic Sea is far from over. It requires cooperation from all stakeholders, including governments, fishers, and environmental organizations, to protect this delicate sea and let future generations appreciate its beauty.

1. The Baltic Sea, often likened to an inland quarry, presents a unique study ground for future sea scenarios due to its faster warming compared to other coastal regions.
2. Uwe Krumme, deputy director of the state Thünen Institute, emphasizes that the real issues concerning the Baltic Sea originate on land.
3. Nutrient pollution of the sea, with two-thirds coming from agriculture, is a major concern, causing excessive algal blooms and depleting oxygen levels.
4. Germany's contribution to the issue is unique, with over 50% of the problem coming from the atmosphere, primarily through industrial combustion processes and diesel engines.
5. Cod fisheries in Schleswig-Holstein and herring fishing in Vorpommern are under threat, as catch quotas have been drastically reduced and fishing boats have significantly decreased.
6. The new federal government is urged to protect the German marine protected areas and immediately exclude destructive fishing methods like bottom trawling from these zones.
7. Environmental organizations have presented demands to the federal government, including reducing nutrient and pollutant entry by 50% by 2030 and using agricultural subsidies to protect land, rivers, and seas.
8. It's not just about preventing further nutrient supply, but also about removing existing nutrients from the Baltic Sea, as depleted fish stocks make traditional methods of nutrient removal impractical.
9. The battle for the Baltic Sea necessitates cooperation from governments, fishers, and environmental organizations to protect this delicate sea and ensure future generations can appreciate its beauty.
10. The depletion of fish stocks also affects the food-and-drink industry, as fish is a primary source of protein and essential nutrients.
11. Investing in renewable-energy sources and sustainable-living practices can help mitigate the effects of climate-change on the Baltic Sea and other bodies of water.
12. Education-and-self-development, particularly in environmental-science and data-and-cloud-computing, is crucial for understanding, addressing, and solving the complex issues facing our planet's oceans and seas.

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