COMMITTED TO PROTECT THE BALTIC SEA

Skipper Ari Huusela comes from up North. He lives by the Baltic Sea that often freezes in winter. He is committed to protecting his home sea and sharing the good learnings achieved for the good of its bigger sisters – the oceans, too. 

The Baltic Sea is connected to the North Sea via the narrow Danish straits, and its water turnover time is extremely slow. It has been calculated that it takes at least 30-50 years for the entire water mass of the Baltic Sea to change. Because of the slow turnover of the water, nutrients that pollute sea will stay in the Baltic Sea for a long period of time.

Compared to oceans, the Baltic Sea is small and shallow. The average depth of the Baltic Sea is only 54 m, whereas the average depth of the Atlantic, for example, is approximately 3,3 km. That makes it extremely vulnerable to environmental changes. Even though eutrophying nutrient discharges have been in decline for 40 years already, the visible signs of eutrophication still pester the sea. The effects of climate change further accelerate the problem. 

There’s a lot of data and research about the Baltic Sea. Also, as a result of international co-operation and public-private partnerships, a number of measures have been taken to save the Baltic Sea, and great results have been achieved. With such experience in cross-border co-operation and long-term research, the Baltic Sea can act as an example on how to carry out measures that have real impact on the condition of the sea.

”The innovations and learnings that have helped in solving multiple  problems  of the Baltic Sea, can hopefully be exported to help other sea areas to tackle similar problems”, Ari Huusela says.

©Mikko Voipio, John Nurminen Foundation

Ari’s five tips for protecting the seas

  1. Consume less, fix and recycle more.
  2. Take good care of your boat motor to avoid oil leaks and keep your whole boat always in good condition.
  3. Sort your waste and use compost.
  4. Diminish your water usage to avoid excess energy consumption.
  5. Share information and news about marine and Baltic Sea research in social media.

Learn more: https://johnnurmisensaatio.fi/en/baltic-sea-protection/information-about-the-baltic-sea/