Change in HELCOM Chairship! 🗝️ On 1 July 2026, Poland assumed the Chairship of HELCOM from Lithuania for a two-year term. Marek Romsicki has been appointed the new Chair of HELCOM, with Tomasz Wenecki as the Vice-Chair. Read more: buff.ly/oE7NiKo

📢 Fishing gear marking is one of the simplest and most effective ways to reduce gear loss and its impacts. Our best practice guidelines provide practical advice on how to mark different types of fishing gear effectively. Find out more: buff.ly/ROHFrVc

Love fishing? Hate losing gear? To help prevent gear losses and to reduce marine litter, we've created short guidelines for trap & pot fishers. Check it out and share with your fisher friends! 👉 buff.ly/5kQwNCH

Love fishing? Hate losing gear? To help prevent gear losses and to reduce marine litter, we've created a short guideline for anglers. 🎣 View here: buff.ly/BGD4cjU Don't forget to share with your angler friends!

NEW REPORT! 🌱 The Nutrient Input Ceiling (NIC) Assessment 1995–2022 (Scientific Report) analyses trends in nitrogen & phosphorus inputs over nearly three decades and assesses whether countries and transboundary rivers are meeting their agreed ceilings. 👉 buff.ly/kPB392r

New publication! 📖 This report offers an overview of the characteristics of the Baltic Sea catchment area, including land use, population, climate, agriculture and other factors that influence nutrient and hazardous substance inputs to the sea. View here: buff.ly/bjbBXkz

We mark our luggage, kids clothes, boats, cars and pets. Why not our fishing gear we as well? 🎣 🏷️ Lost gear from angling and gillnet fishing makes up a significant share of marine litter. 🔗 Find out more and download our best practice guides: buff.ly/ROHFrVc

New HELCOM guidelines! 🔊 These guidelines for the design and use of Acoustic Deterrent Devices (ADDs) in the HELCOM area provide recommendations to minimize the environmental impacts of underwater noise, while ensuring that these devices remain effective for reducing bycatch. 🐟️ 👉 buff.ly/20j3PJ7

June 2026 issue of HELCOM News Blast is out! 📰 Catch up on the latest developments from HELCOM over the past few months, including news, publications, videos and upcoming events. 👉 mailchi.mp/helcom.fi/on...

NEW CAMPAIGN: Best practices to reduce fishing gear loss 🎣 HELCOM, KIMO International & the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management have launched a new awareness campaign that promotes best practices for fishing gear marking among recreational fishers. More info: buff.ly/VxTUBG1

New HELCOM guidelines! 📘 These guidelines provide practical recommendations for collecting and handling sediment cores used to monitor historical contamination in the marine environment. Access here: buff.ly/wVls4IM

New HELCOM Roadmap! 🚢 This new regional framework aims to tackle pollutants released from Exhaust Gas Cleaning Systems (EGCS), commonly known as scrubbers. These discharge waters can contain heavy metals and other harmful substances that threaten the Baltic Sea’s ecosystems. 👉 buff.ly/YcY5wn0

Great news! 🎉 We are delighted to welcome our former colleague Markus Helavuori as the next Executive Secretary of the HELCOM Secretariat. Markus will begin his initial three-year term on 1 February 2027. Congratulations, Markus! Read more: buff.ly/SBdAMGh Photo credit: CBSS

NEW POLICY BRIEF ON SUBMERGED MUNITIONS! 💥 MUNI-RISK project's new policy brief on submerged munitions in the Baltic Sea highlights why risk-based, site-specific assessment is needed to support practical decisions on what should be remediated, monitored or safely left in place. 👉 buff.ly/zFLPYiE

HELCOM's Annual Report 2025 is out! ⚙️ The report covers the full breadth of HELCOM's work last year, from marine protected areas and biodiversity to nutrients, hazardous substances, shipping and climate change. The full report is available here 👉 buff.ly/AyTT73s

#WorldEnvironmentDay 2026 focuses on climate change: The urgent signals the Earth is sending, and the signals we choose to send back. HELCOM is working to support regional action on climate change. Learn more about our climate-related work: buff.ly/0ldeVNm #NowForClimate

🔊 Calling schools across the Baltic region! The Baltic Sea Video Challenge invites middle and secondary school students to explore their local waterfront and tell its story through a short video. 📽️ Find out more: buff.ly/p3sw7BN

Yesterday, we had the pleasure of welcoming a group of students from the Enrico Tosi Technical and Economic Institute in Italy. The students are currently in Finland on a study tour and were eager to learn more about HELCOM’s work and the environmental challenges facing the Baltic Sea.

It has been a busy week with visitors at HELCOM! Today we had the pleasure of welcoming a group of Swedish journalists with a particular interest in Baltic Sea security issues. Great meeting and, as expected, lots of tough questions!

Yesterday, we had the pleasure of welcoming researchers from the Merikotka research network to HELCOM. The group learned about HELCOM and the Baltic Sea Action Plan (BSAP), HOLAS assessments, Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) as well as HELCOM's data services. Thank you for the engaging discussion!

17 May is the International Day of the Baltic Harbour Porpoise, a day dedicated to raising awareness about the critically endangered harbour porpoises in the Baltic Proper. In "Baltic Rescue - Match and Track" game you can learn about harbour porpoises. Have you played it yet? buff.ly/nkS4edt

We are wrapping up another #EUSBSR Annual Forum! Thanks for everyone who visited the HELCOM stand or took part in one of the sessions with HELCOM involvement (today's amazing Bistro SEABAS session pictured). See you next time in another amazing Baltic city!

Congratulations to the #EUSBSR Annual Forum 2026 Ecosfera Baltica prize draw winners! 👏 If the luck wasn't on your side this time, don't forget that Ecosfera Baltica can also be accessed as a free online version. More information: buff.ly/cxELH6w

Great first day at the EUSBSR Annual Forum! Our Executive Secretary Rüdiger Strempel took part in a plenary panel discussion on climate change and environment of the Baltic Sea. 🌊 We'll continue tomorrow, Weds 13 May! More info: buff.ly/ccTWqjE

Today and tomorrow we are in Tallinn for the EUSBSR Annual Forum 2026. Come say hello to us at the Networking Village! You'll find us in the Policy Area Spatial Planning (Maritime) area. Find out more: buff.ly/ccTWqjE

📢 The 17th Annual Forum of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR) will be held in Tallinn NEXT WEEK (12-13.5.2026)! HELCOM will contribute to both the programme and the Networking Village, showcasing its work and ongoing projects. Hope to see you there! More info: buff.ly/EcenspV

HELCOM had the pleasure to host and co‑organise the mid‑term meeting of the MUNI‑RISK project, which addresses environmental and safety concerns related to submerged munitions in the Baltic Sea. 💥 Learn more about the MUNI‑RISK project: buff.ly/PBM48lG

🌍 International cooperation and knowledge exchange = key to tackling complex marine challenges and building resilience. On 17 April 2026, HELCOM participated in Odesa Climate Lab Public Laboratory in Odesa, Ukraine 🇺🇦 📽️ Watch Rüdiger Strempel's welcome address: buff.ly/dSFnTNt 📷️ Odesa Climate Lab

📢 New HELCOM-VASAB guideline on applying the ecosystem-based approach (EBA) in maritime spatial planning (MSP) across the Baltic Sea region! 👉 Access here: buff.ly/Xt2usV2

HELCOM News Blast spring 2026 edition is out! 🌸 Catch up on out latest news, publications and events. 📰 👉 mailchi.mp/helcom.fi/on...