Information & Meetings
	Conferences & Events
	New Coastal Publications

Organisations
	New hyperlinks

Biodiversity
	Production of wild Baltic salmon has increased

Environment
	First Baltic-wide forecast of blue-green algal blooms

Development & Trends
	Study recommends measures for making mining industry sustainable
	Turkey did not permit scrapping of French toxic ship

Policy
	Committee of the Regions advocates environmental dimension in CFP

Events recently announded

Please note:
The overview of the Coastal Guide conference and event  meeting list can be found at http://www.coastalguide.org/meetings/

New Coastal Publications
 

Studi Costieri Dinamica e difesa dei litorali - Gestione Integrata della fascia costiera, Numero 1 and 2, Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Universita` degli Studi di Firenze, Via Jacopo Nardi 2, 50132 Firenze, Italy. Fax [+39](0)55243486. E-mail: epranzini@unifi.it. ISSN 11298588. "Study Costieri" is a journal aimed at gathering together the results of researches and studies conducted in Italy on different disciplinary sectors having as a subject coastal defence and integrated coastal management aspects of coastal dynamics. Numero 1 (1999) is an introduction to the SAFE project (Performance of Soft Beach Systems and Nourishment Measures for European Coasts) and its application to the Italian context. (Pp.150) Numero 2 (2000) is a special issue on the case study of "La Sacca di Goro", Delta del Po.(Pp.242)

New hyperlinks

Coastal Guide to Europe
http://www.coastalguide.to
The Coastal Guide to Europe offers information to the visitor of coastal areas in Europe. Special attention is given to the history of the landscape, wildlife, nature and recreation areas and cultural heritage (historical cities, buildings and museums). Initial sections provide a NatureTop100 (selection of nature parks) and a Whale and Dolphin Watching Directory.

COZONE - Coastal Zone Research Network
http://cozone.org.uk
To encourage new multidisciplinary research collaborations and to bring together an extended community of researchers and end-users of research.

International Baltic Sea Fishery Commission (IBSFC)
http://www.ibsfc.org
Established pursuant to Article V of the Convention on Fishing and Conservation of the Living Resources in the Baltic Sea and the Belts (the Gdansk Convention) which was signed on the 13th September 1973.

Production of wild Baltic salmon has increased

The Baltic wild salmon is going strong again after having faced extinction only a few years ago. In 2001 the production of young wild salmon has increased to up to 1.3 million. Eight rivers have reached the long term 50% production objective for each salmon river set by HELCOM and the International Baltic Sea Fishery Commission (IBSFC). A few of the larger rivers have even reached above their estimated potential production levels.However, the salmon stocks in the smallest forest rivers in the Bothnian Bay and in the small Estonian rivers are still in an alarming situation and a lot of rehabilitation of spawning areas is needed in many Baltic Salmon rivers.
Further information: HELCOM press release: http://www.helcom.fi/helcom/pressroom/pressreleases/140502.html
International Baltic Sea Fishery Commission: http://www.ibsfc.org

First Baltic-wide forecast of blue-green algal blooms

The Finnish Environment Institute published forecasts for potentially hazardous blue-green algal blooms in the Baltic Sea this summer, the first produced for the entire Baltic Sea by the Baltic environmental monitoring and modelling programme, which is co-ordinated by the Helsinki Commission. The risk of toxic blue-green algal blooms is very high in the entire Gulf of Finland, in the southern waters of the Archipelago Sea and the Åland Archipelago, and in the northern Baltic Proper. The southern waters of the Baltic Sea, between the islands of Gotland, Öland and Bornholm are also likely to face algal blooms this summer. The Finnish scientists believe the first mats of blue-green algae will appear in late June or early July if the summer is warm, and peak in late July. Cold and windy summer weather conditions would probably postpone the climax to August, and blooms would be less intense.
More information provided by Mr Mikko Kiirikki, Tel + 358 9 40300 214 or the website http://www.helcom.fi/helcom/pressroom/pressreleases/070502.html

Study recommends measures for making mining industry sustainable

The findings of a two-year research project on how the mining and minerals industry can maximize its contribution to sustainable development were unveiled beginning of May. 'Breaking New Ground: Mining, Minerals and Sustainable Development' is the output of research and broad consultation conducted by the International Institute on Environment and Development (IIED), commissioned by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). Some of the case studies mentioned refer to coastal regions such as the Donana disaster. The study stresses the importance of integrated land use management with inclusive and transparent planning processes. Recognizing that the mining and minerals industry needed to become more engaged in sustainable development, ten of the world's largest mining companies, all members of the WBCSD, established the Global Mining Initiative (GMI) in 1999. Further joined by 20 additional companies and non-industry organisations such as the World Bank, UNEP, IUCN, universities and other institutions, the GMI commissioned the IIED to conduct an analysis on the full mineral cycle, from mine to waste and re-use, in order to identify the opportunities and challenges for the industry to become more sustainable.
The report can be downloaded from http://www.iied.org/mmsd/finalreport.

Turkey did not permit scrapping of French toxic ship

The Turkish Ministry for Environment ordered an illegally exported French ship to return and not to be scrapped in one of Turkey's shipbuilding yards, Aliaga, as planned because it was found to carry asbestos. Greenpeace had discovered that the owner of the ship abandoned the vessel in France after refusing to pay the necessary 40.000 euro required to clean it of asbestos. In the past, asbestos was often used in ships because of the non-burning quality, insulation power and because it is chemically neutral. During the breaking of ships, asbestos is released. Up to hundred ships are scrapped in Turkey every year. At least 50 percent of them come from Western European shipping companies. The costs of dismantling toxic ships in Turkey are lower than in Europe because environmental regulations are less stringent.
For more information, contact Matilda Bradshaw, Greenpeace International, matilda.bradshaw@ams.greenpeace.org

Committee of the Regions advocates environmental dimension in CFP

The Official Journal of the European Commission has published the Opinion of the Committee of the Regions (CoR) on the Commission Communication "Green Paper on the future of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP)" (2002/C 107/15). The CoR appreciates that "the social and economic importance of the sector in a number of coastal regions is much greater than its percentage share of gross national product would seem to indicate" and backs the Commission's plan to continue the special arrangement under which the 6-to-12-mile zone is reserved for small-scale coastal fishing. It also supports the maintenance of special rules for particularly sensitive areas of the Shetland Box and the North Sea. It furthermore states that the integration of environmental dimension is crucial, that "it is vital to cover all negative environmental impacts on fisheries, including maritime transport, oiling, dredging, port construction, land reclamation, and the building of tidal power stations and wind-powered generators" and argues for the introduction of a fisheries eco-label. The Committee also advocates strong support of the aquaculture industry. With respect to Mediterranean fisheries, the CoR stresses that integrated coastal zone management can play a key role in regions with the highest competition between fishermen of different origins.
The complete text can be found on http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/en/oj/2002/c_10720020503en.html

Deadline for submitting contributions to Coastal Guide News No 11: 29 May, 2002

COASTAL GUIDE NEWS is a biweekly newsletter published by the EUCC - The Coastal Union with financial support of Stichting DOEN, the foundation of the Dutch lottery "Postcode Loterij" and the Department of International Nature Affairs of the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature Management and Fisheries. For free subscriptions, comments or contributions to this newsletter, please contact news@coastalguide.org. 

Members of the Coastal Guide News editorial team: Erik Devilee, Marijke Kooijman, Irene Lucius, Piet Lansbergen, Hanneke Mesters, Albert Salman, Stephanie Spijkerman, Virginie Terrier.
 

Established in 1989, the EUCC - The Coastal Union is an association involving the largest coastal network in Europe with 750 members and member organisations in 40 countries. For more information please contact EUCC International Secretariat, POBox 11232, NL-2301 EE Leiden, the Netherlands, tel.: +31-71-5122900, internet: http://www.eucc.nl
 

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