Baltic Sea

For over 20 years, WWF has worked towards conservation and sustainable management of the Baltic Sea, one of the planet’s largest bodies of brackish water, and home to the critically endangered Baltic Sea harbour porpoise.

With only around 500 individuals remaining, this unique population is highly sensitive to any disturbances and changes in the marine ecosystem. The main recognized threat is bycatch, but also underwater noise from heavy shipping traffic, reduced amounts of prey and harmful substances.

WWF Sweden has contributed towards the establishment of four marine protected area in the Baltic Sea, designated primarily for the protection of the Baltic harbour porpoise. One of the areas covers more than one million hectares and includes most of the area where the Baltic harbour porpoises are thought to give birth to their calves and mate in the summer.

WWF is now working together with partners to identify best-practice conservation measures to reduce bycatch and harmful impact from underwater noise in these areas, and support development of effective management plans, taking the protected areas beyond being merely ‘paper parks’.