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News from Baltic Eye

Baltic Eye produces a lot of articles about Baltic Sea issues. We write texts about policy relevant proceedings and explain on-going national and international science. Our researchers often also contribute with interviews and comments in press and media channels.

Baltic Eye Policy Briefs

Scientifically based information to policy makers

Policy Briefs are summaries of scientific knowledge, usually connected to a current managemental development or political proceeding, that aim to enhance engagement in important Baltic Sea issues. Our Policy Briefs are distributed to their relevant audience and presented by our experts at events.

Baltic Eye news and articles

  • Bottom trawling threatens European marine ecosystems 2021-05-25 Recent research on bottom trawling effects points to the need for establishing larger trawl-free areas in all types of habitats to protect sensitive ecosystems and live up to principles of ecosystem-based management.
  • Micropollutants is a collective term for a wide range of chemicals
that are present in the aquatic environment as a result of human
activities. These substances are used for example as ingredients
in pharmaceuticals, pesticides, personal care products, food
additives and household products, or as components or byproducts
in industrial processes and various materials. Call for better management of micropollutants in wastewater 2021-02-23 Urban wastewater treatment plants are important collection points for many chemical contaminants that are widespread in the aquatic environment. But micropollutant emissions from them are poorly assessed and regulated.
  • Fishing ban required to save the European eel 2020-11-12 If the endangered European eel population is to recover there is an urgent need for a fishing ban, increased environmental monitoring and fewer obstacles to migration. This is concluded by the researchers at Baltic Sea Centre in a new Policy Brief.
  • Comments on new Chemical Strategy 2020-10-16 The new Chemical Strategy has just been presented. Researchers, policy experts and communicators have joined forces to communicate the relevant science from Stockholm University.
  • New review of sources and pathways for hazardous substances in the Baltic Sea 2020-08-24 The Baltic Sea countries are cooperating to limit discharges of hazardous substances into the sea. Many measures implemented over time have reduced the levels of certain pollutants in the Baltic Sea, but in several cases the levels are still exceeding toxicity thresholds defining a healthy sea.
  • Policy Brief: Emerging ocean acidification threatens Baltic Sea ecosystems 2020-04-01 More jellyfish but fewer mussels – the expected spread of ocean acidification can have major effects on species composition in the Baltic Sea. To protect unique ecosystems and future food production, carbon dioxide emissions must be dramatically reduced.
  • Policy Brief: European chemicals regulation needs greater transparency 2019-06-25 To meet the challenges of chemical risks in everyday life, risk assessments under the REACH registration process must be improved. One key element in this transformation is to introduce greater transparency.
  • Report 2/2018: Limitations of using blue mussel farms as a nutrient reduction measure 2019-05-14 Blue mussel farming has been suggested as a cost effective nutrient mitigation tool in the Baltic Sea, to complement land-based measures. However, the environmental conditions of the Baltic proper, particularly the low salinity, affect the nutrient uptake efficiency of the blue mussels.
  • Policy Brief: Phosphorus in the catchment 2019-04-29 A new study shows that almost half of the phosphorus currently entering the Baltic Sea could derive from accumulate phosphorus on land, so called legacy phosphorus. The amount of phosphorus that leaks to the Baltic Sea has decreased over the last 20 years but the future reduction will depend on continued actions to reduce the accumulation of phosphorus on land.
  • Policy Brief: Why we need a list of ingredients on consumer articles 2018-10-19 Today, information on the chemical composition of articles is very scarce, making it difficult to understand which potentially hazardous chemicals are being released to the Baltic Sea. There is an urgent need for standardized methods and legal incentives to increase the transparency.
  • Dr Chris Cvitanovics forskning visar att Baltic Eyes arbete har påverkat både politik och praxis, de egna medarbetarna och Stockholms universitet i stort. Baltic Eye evaluated in new study 2018-09-27 The Baltic Eye Project has been evaluated in an international study. The results show that the project has achieved impacts on a range of levels.
  • Foto: Bengt Ekberg/Azote We don’t know enough to fix the Baltic Sea with geo-engineering 2018-02-27 Geo-engineering measures have been proposed to mitigate the internal load of phosphorus and speed recovery of the Baltic Sea. But there are still uncertainties about the fluxes and dynamics of phosphorus and their contribution to eutrophication, which was discussed at the HELCOM-EUSBSR workshop where the Baltic Sea Centre participated.
  • Strong interest in study of recovery from eutrophication 2018-02-08 Lakes and coastal areas can recover from eutrophication, but it takes time and we need patience. This was the conclusion of one of the most downloaded articles from the scientific journal Limnology & Oceanography in 2017. Michelle McCrackin, researcher at the Baltic Sea Centre, led this study.
  • New action plan for nature conservation efforts 2017-05-21 Today, 21 May, the European Natura 2000 Day is celebrated for the first time. But up to now the member states have not fulfilled their nature conservation efforts. The European Commission has adopted a new action plan to help them speed up the work. Researcher Sofia Wikström at Baltic Sea Centre urges the Commission to develop sustainable measures for fishing in protected areas.
  • Policy Brief: The cosmetics clean-up 2017-05-05 Hygiene products are a small but important point source for microplastics to the environment. In a Policy Brief from April 2015, Baltic Eye summarized a number of recommendations on how to limit the release of microplastics from hygiene products.
  • Policy Brief: Advanced wastewater treatment 2017-03-22 New times call for new measures. Advanced wastewater treatment can be part of meeting the challenges of society’s ongoing chemical intensification. New water treatment techniques have the potential to significantly reduce emissions of both known and unknown substances to the aquatic environment and reduce the risk of marine pollution.
  • Zostera marina field. Photo: Hans Kautsky Policy Brief: Raising quality of marine protection 2017-03-22 A new Policy Brief from Baltic Eye at the Baltic Sea Centre on why preserving biodiversity and securing a sustainable exploitation of natural assets will require a new way of setting up marine protection.
  • The internal phosphorus load
– recycles old sins Policy Brief: The internal phosphorus load 2016-10-11 The accumulated pool of phosphorus on land receives much less attention than the pool in the Baltic Sea, despite being substantially larger and the ultimate source to the sea. Actions taken to reduce the internal load will not address the causes of eutrophication. Instead, actions must focus on improving both nutrient use efficiency in agriculture and sewage treatment.
  • Nutrient recycling in agriculture
– for a cleaner Baltic Sea Policy Brief: Nutrient recycling in agriculture 2016-10-11 Agriculture is a large source of nutrients to the Baltic Sea. Only about half of the nutrients in fertiliser and manure are converted to harvested crops. Nutrient use efficiency must improve.
  • Should we fix phosphorus on land or in the sea? 2016-09-02 Baltic Eye at the Stockholm university Baltic Sea Centre will organise a workshop during the 7th forum for the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR) held in Stockholm 8-9 November.
  • Loggor Puffbild Ecosystem Based Fisheries Management Fisheries Management Workshop 2016-06-09 International workshop: Towards Ecosystem Based Fisheries Management in the Baltic Sea.
  • Manure management in the Baltic Sea region 2015-06-22 Baltic Eye researchers Annika Svanbäck and Michelle McCrackin hosted a workshop 8 – 9 June at Kolskjulet in Stockolm to discuss manure management practices in the Baltic Sea region.
  • Take a stand for the Baltic Sea 2015-06-04 On the fourth of June, the two Swedish adventurers Oskar Kihlborg and Sören Kjellkvist, have scheduled to start a two weeks long paddle adventure on the Baltic Sea. By collecting microplastics while paddling they want to raise awareness about problems connected to microplastics, especially the unnecessary plastic pollution by personal care products.
  • Artificial respiration for the Baltic Sea 2015-04-30 Near to 140 researchers and policy makers gathered the 12th of February in the Geosciences building to discuss seabased measures that can shorten the Baltic Sea recovery time.
  • Great media interest in Baltic Eyes new data on microplastic 2015-04-21 The Baltic Eye-researcher Katja Broegs new data on the amount of the microplastics from personal care products annually released into the Baltic Sea, received considerable media attention when they were presented.
  • Tell it together, tell it loud! 2015-04-01 Commitment to communicate for a cleaner Baltic Sea.
  • Policy Brief: Multiannual plan 2015-02-24 The cod stocks should be a top priority in the Baltic Sea says the Baltic Eye as a comment on the proposal for EU’s new multiannual management plan for Baltic cod, herring and sprat.
  • New ways to understand the life of the cod 2014-12-15 Halfway through the DEMO-project, scientists now study how environmental factors and food availability affect the cod and its body growth in different life stages.
  • Scientists address commissioner in open letter 2014-11-14 The scientists at Baltic eye adresses the European Environmental Commissioner Mr. Karmenu Vella in an open letter. The purpose is to highlight what measures could lead to healthier Baltic Sea based on scientific knowledge.
  • DEMO workshop on fisheries management and assessment Towards more ecosystem based fishery 2014-09-01 Stockholm University Baltic Sea Centre takes action in developing a more ecosystem based fishery management. During a week in late August, twenty marine scientists from most of the Baltic countries met to outline the first steps towards a future system for ecosystem based management and advice for assessing the Baltic Sea fish stock.
  • Expert meeting on fisheries management 2014-08-22 An international group of leading fish scientists will gather at the fieldstation Askö Laboratory August 25-29. It is the first in a series of workshops in the research project DEMO – DEMOnstration exercise for Integrated Ecosystem Assessment and Advice of Baltic Sea fish stocks.

Baltic Eye, Stockholm University Baltic Sea Centre

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Mail: balticeye.ostersjocentrum@su.se
Twitter: @thebalticeye

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Baltic Sea Centre
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