Baltic 21 Series No 1/98:

An Agenda 21 for the Region - Baltic 21

Adopted at the 7 th Ministerial Session of the Council of the Baltic Sea States, Nyborg, June 22-23, 1998

4. Definitions and Goals

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4.4 OVERALL GOAL FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT “The essential objective of Baltic Sea Region co-operation is the constant improvement of the living and working conditions of their peoples within the framework of sustainable development, sustainable management of natural resources, and protection of the environment.” Sustainable development includes three mutually interdependent dimensions - economic, social and environmental.

This means for the region: • A safe and healthy life for current and future generations. • A co-operative and prosperous economy and a society for all. • That local and regional co-operation is based on democracy, openness and participation. • That biological and ecosystem diversity and productivity are restored or maintained. • That pollution to the atmosphere, land and water does not exceed the carrying capacity of nature. • That renewable resources are efficiently used and managed, within their regeneration capacity. • That materials flow of non-renewable resources are made efficient and cyclic, and that renewable substitutes are created and promoted. • That awareness of the elements and processes leading to sustainability is high among different actors and levels of society.

The Baltic Sea Region recognises its interdependence with other parts of the world and makes its contribution to the fulfilment of sustainable development goals at the global and European level.

4.5 The sector goals have been developed by the sectors and further defined by the Senior Officials Group. The goals are related to actual policy formulation. Their use, ultimately, is to guiding the selection of actions proposed to contribute to changing the course of BSR development into a sustainable one. The sector goals all address different aspects of the overall goal, and indicate how the development of the sectors should contribute to the objectives of the overall goal and to sustainable development in the BSR. In addition to the sector goals, a goal concerning for sustainable development is also included.

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4.8 GOAL FOR SUSTAINABLE FISHERY Sustainable fishery is achieved when a high probability of fish stocks being able to replenish themselves over a long period of time within a sound ecosystem is assured, while offering stable economic and social conditions for all those involved in the fishing activity.

The goal for achieving sustainable development of fisheries in the Baltic Sea area thus means development of economically and socially sustainable, environmentally safe and responsible fisheries by: • Maintaining biological viable fish stocks, the marine and aquatic environment and associated biodiversity. • Within these limits, establish maximum fishing possibilities and appropriate selective fishing techniques for harvesting stocks. • Distribute the direct and indirect benefits of open sea and coastal fishery resources between local communities in an equitable manner.

8. Action Programme

8.1 Overall Nature of the Action Programme

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8.3.9 Fisheries: The focus of the fishery sector’s action programme is on securing the sustainable use and preservation of Baltic Sea and freshwater resources with an ecosystem approach, improving coastal zone management and co-operation, support development of sustainable aquaculture, improve the data situation and quality of stock- and fisheries assessment, and ensure the long-term economic and social viability of the fisheries sector. In addition to the actions presented in this document, the fisheries sector has identified actions to improve the management resources in coastal areas, to increase co-operation in the field of control and enforcement, to increase the quality of stock- and fisheries assessment for sustainable use and preservation of freshwater fish stocks and species and to improve the economic and social stability of the fisheries sector.

8.3.10 FI 1: Developing long term strategies for major fish stocks: Cod, Salmon, Herring and Sprat 8.3.10.1 IBSFC will apply a precautionary approach. To this end, the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) has been requested to indicate appropriate biological reference points to allow harvesting within safe biological limits. The need to gradually achieve a balance between the harvesting capacity of fleets and the target reference points for stocks is recognised. The need is also recognised for additional measures and further scientific research to improve the selectivity of fishing gear, to reduce the impact of such gear on species and habitats and to reduce - to the extent possible - by-catches and discards. However, due consideration should be given to the need to avoid frequent changes and corresponding costs for the fishing industry. Sustainability should be achieved by long term strategies for all relevant fish stocks. The long term strategies for all the fish stocks regulated by IBSFC are listed below in order of importance.

8.3.10.2 A. “Baltic Cod Strategy Plan” Since the spawning success of the Baltic cod stocks is highly influenced by the hydrographic conditions in the Baltic Sea, particular attention shall be given to maintaining these stocks in good condition. The IBSFC is currently preparing a detailed long term management strategy for cod fisheries, based on the latest information available from ICES. Pending the reception of this contribution from ICES, the “Baltic Cod Strategy Plan” is expected to be adopted in 1998 and implemented immediately.

Actors: IBSFC, Coastal States Time frame: concept in 1998, pending input from ICES; implementation from 1999 onwards.

8.3.10.3 B. “IBSFC Salmon Action Plan 1997 - 2010” The “IBSFC Salmon Action Plan 1997-2010”, adopted and published as “Resolution IV” is entirely devoted to improving the status of wild salmon stocks. The objective is that the production of wild salmon should gradually increase to reach by the year 2010 a natural production of at least 50% of the best estimates of the potential capacity of wild salmon rivers; and that salmon should be re-established in potential salmon rivers.

Actors: IBSFC and Coastal States. Financing : Coastal States, Electricity Producers exploiting hydro-electric power plants. Time frame: 1997-2010.

8.3.10.4 C. “Long term strategy for Pelagic Species” Although the herring and sprat stocks are considered to be within safe biological limits, ICES has been requested to give advice on biological reference points relevant for a long term management strategy for the exploitation of these stocks.

Actors : IBSFC and Coastal States. Time frame : concept in 1999, pending input from ICES; implementation from 2000 onwards.

8.3.11 FI 2: Restoration of habitats important to fish and fisheries in inland waters Measures taken should prevent further degradation of inland water fisheries and should be performed on the basis of a catchment area strategy aiming at protecting estuaries, shallow water areas and recruitment habitats for coastal freshwater species; protecting and restoring spawning and nursery areas for commercial and endangered species in fresh waters, where appropriate; and constructing fish ladders at dams and hydroelectric power stations, where appropriate.

Actors: Coastal States, European Inland Fisheries Advisory Commission (EIFAC) and HELCOM. Time frame: 1999, ongoing.

8.3.12 FI 3: Achieving sustainable aquaculture Aquaculture production in the Baltic area is rather low because of unfavourable natural conditions. The fish produced is used for human consumption or for releases. The releases can be for enhancement, for sea ranching or for put-and-take fisheries in pounds and lakes. Aquaculture plays a particular role for stocking of salmon and trout. Action to support sustainable aquaculture is required, e.g. minimising water pollution, the spreading of diseases and interactions between wild and reared fish, including transgenic impacts on wild stocks.

Actors: Coastal States. Time frame: 1999, ongoing.

Attachment

Excerpt from the Communiqué of the 7th Ministerial Session of the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS), June 22-23, 1998, Nyborg, .

… e. The Council adopted the Agenda 21 for the Baltic Sea Region (Baltic 21).

The Council endorsed the major commitments, goals and the action programme in Baltic 21 and resolved to ensure an efficient implementation process of Baltic thereby expressing the determination to

• pursue the overall goal for sustainable development and the specific goals for sustainable development in agriculture, energy, fishery, forestry, industry, , transport and spatial planning as well as to integrate environmental issues into sector and spatial planning policies, • ensure that the implementation process concentrates on gaps and areas not sufficiently dealt with elsewhere, • give responsibility to the sectors to implement the action programme and to • follow up of the progress in moving towards the goals of Sustainable Development.

The Council expressed its appreciation of the contribution to the Baltic 21 process from i.a. HELCOM, IBSFC, VASAB and the International Financing Institutions as well as from the participating NGOs and invited them to continue contributing to the implementation of Baltic 21.

The Council requested the Senior Officials Group to continue its work in co-ordinating and monitoring the implementation process. The Council also endorsed the commitments to act as lead parties for the sectors as follows: and HELCOM concerning agriculture, Denmark and concerning energy, the International Baltic Sea Fishery Commission concerning fishery, and concerning forestry, and the Russian Federation concerning industry, HELCOM and the Baltic Sea Tourism Commission concerning tourism and and concerning transport.

The Council requested the Senior Officials Group to report at regular intervals to appropriate bodies of Baltic Sea co-operation including environment ministers, ministerial sessions of the CBSS and Heads of Government meetings. In particular ministers expressed the view that the implementation of the Baltic 21 should be examined when ministers of environment meet in relation to other Baltic Sea regional activities directly connected to the scope of Baltic 21, such as the HELCOM review, IBSFC, VASAB and the EU dimension. The Council requested the Presidency to inform the Conference "Environment for Europe, Århus, Denmark, June 23-25, 1998, on the decision by the CBSS on Baltic 21.