Commitments of the high-level event, Baltic Sea Action Summit, and the approval of the water treatment plan for South Western Finland are both expected to contribute to the better protection of the Finnish marine PAN Park, Archipelago.

Photo: ANP ArchiveThe water treatment plan for South Western Finland was approved by the goverment at the end of 2009. Extensive debate preceeded the approval taking also agricultural and nature protection aspects into account. The official action plan will be finalised by spring this year.

Another important event in the region, the Baltic Sea Action Summit,  was held in Helsinki on 10 February attracting a large and high-level group of participants to tell about their commitments to protect the Baltic Sea. The summit was attended by heads of state and government and ministers from eleven countries around the Baltic Sea. Numerous NGOs and businesses also took part in the summit and made commitments to protect the Baltic Sea. This was the first time such a summit focusing on concrete commitments and bringing together the private and public sectors has been arranged in Finland.
About 140 commitments were made at the summit, the purpose of which is to promote the protection of the Baltic Sea and to improve its ecological condition. The implementation of the specific commitments will be monitored by the Baltic Sea Action Group. (More on http://www.bsas.fi/)

In this event the Finnish Prime Minister Vanhanen declared the commitment of the goverment to work for better Archipelago Sea, for ecological status "good" by 2020. 
Work concentrates on 8 sectors:
- Diminish the nutrient flow from agriculture
- Idea is to become a model region in Europe on how to recycle nutrients, especially phosphorus
- Diminish the waste water load of communities
- Diminish the waste water load of rural areas
- Start using phosphorus-free washing powders around Baltic
- Diminish the waste water load of vessels
- Diminish the negative effects of dredgings
- Support the outtake of extra phosphorus by supporting the fishing of the not-economically-important fishes (like roaches etc.)

During PAN Parks verification of Archipelago National Park fighting eutrophisation and ensuring better water quality was considered as a priority and is subject to PAN Parks monitoring and reporting. Developments  of the past months will hopefully contribute also to reaching these objectives and will provide support for the park in this process.

For further information:
Edit Borza, Communications Manager
eborza@panparks.org