Some of the habitats documented by Oceana have not been described in the Baltic Sea before such as sponge aggregations and special types of coral gardens in the Kattegat and in the Sound.

Vunerable communities
Also other communities living muddy bottoms are poorly known. These habitats and communities are vulnerable to many human activities and in particular to bottom trawling, which according to Oceana’s research is a direct threats to ecosystems. Their protection will fill some of the gaps identified in the current network of MPAs in the Baltic, Oceana writes in a press release.

Currently, 12 per cent of the Baltic Sea is covered by MPAs. To safeguard biodiversity, a minimum of 30 per cent of the Baltic Sea should be effectively protected. Fishing is only seldom restricted inside protected areas though fisheries, like trawling together with pollution, pose the most serious threats to biodiversity.

Many of these habitats can only recover with the immediate adoption of protective measures, which would benefit not only the benthic communities inside protected areas but also commercial fisheries with enhanced fish stocks.

â—„ Previous | Image of | Next â–º

-