News » Race for the Baltic + partners present 25,000+ signatures

9 countries, 3 500 km, 3 months - On the 8th June Race for the Baltic cycled the entire coastlineof the Baltic Sea to raise awareness about the environmental problemsand collect 25,708 signatures to send to Environment Ministers.

The RACE FOR THE BALTIC campaign called for action and implementationof environmentally sustainable and scientifically supported practicesthroughout the Baltic Sea on three key issues. In doing so, it seeks tomake the Baltic Sea a model region for marine management in the EU andinternationally. In the lead up to the HELCOM Ministerial Meeting in October, thecampaign partners have developed three asks for our EnvironmentalMinisters.

Revive

Revive the biological diversity of the Baltic Sea.

Designate 30% of the Baltic Sea as Marine Protected Areas and ensure their effective management.

Recover

Recover the natural wealth of the fish stocks in the Baltic Sea to ensure long-term sustainability.

Ensure that scientific advice is followed when fishing limits are set and enforced, particularly for key species such as cod.

Set long term plans for the management of key fish stocks in the Baltic to ensure both biological and economic sustainability.

Respect of wider ecosystem function must be a central part of Baltic Sea fisheries management.

Restore

Restore the water quality of the Baltic Sea through a reduction of nutrients and pollutants flowing into the Baltic.

Reduce the amount of agricultural run-off into the Baltic Sea.

Ensure that rules for agriculture around the Baltic Sea adhere to strict limitations of nutrient surplus per hectare.

The first stage took off from Malmö on 8/6/2013 and the cycle ride has finished on the 17th August.

In the lead up to the HELCOM Ministerial Meeting in Copenhagen on October 3rd, Race for the Baltic and its partners have been meeting with politicians,  dignitaries and policy makers, and have been presenting them with petition asks and over 25,000 signatures from people all over the 9 Baltic-coast countries and more.

RACE FOR THE BALTIC (RFTB), a multi-stakeholder campaign calling foraction and implementation of environmentally sustainable andscientifically supported practices throughout the region in order torestore the Baltic Sea environment. RFTB was initiated, and iscoordinated, by Zennström Philanthropies, Coalition Clean Baltic (CCB),the Fisheries Secretariat (FISH), and Oceana.

Race for the Baltic - flyer

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