2009 – SEA ALARM

EMPOWER Membership opened

November 27, 2009

On Wednesday 18 November membership was officially opened for the EMPOWER Network. After almost 6 months of preparation the Network is now ready to expand beyond the 9 Founding Members. It is expected that in the end over 70 members from across Europe will have joined the network, which aims to improve the professionalism and capacity of NGOs in their responses to marine wildlife emergencies and cooperation with their national authorities. Membership of EMPOWER is free of charge and only requires the signing of a Code of Conduct and the submission of information on the applicant.

Monitoring audit successful

November 27, 2009

As a newcomer to the European scheme of Operational Grants to NGOs, Sea Alarm was recently audited in late October by a UK based team which was sent by the European Commission to check Sea Alarm’s financial and administrative structure. This is a standard procedure which provides essential information both to the Commission and the beneficiary of the grant if the internal procedure and structures comply with the standards set by the Commission. After three days of studying Sea Alarm’s administration and interviewing the staff, the auditors came to a positive end conclusion.

Training manual underpins rehabilitation of oiled birds in the Netherlands

November 27, 2009

In the Netherlands an important new step has been taken to increase the national preparedness to oiled wildlife incident. The Dutch authority for oil spill preparedness and response, Rijkswaterstaat, has provided a budget to the national oiled bird rehabilitation network SON to develop a manual that can be used to train groups of volunteers that can be called on in case of a larger oiled wildlife incident.

Volunteer training in Estonia

November 27, 2009

Immediately after the 10^th Effects of Oil on Wildlife conference, the Estonian Fund for Nature (ELF) organised a volunteer training close to Tallinn. Hugo Nijkamp (Sea Alarm) and Claude Velter (Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre Ostend) were asked to lecture on this training.

Full City response debrief at EOW

November 27, 2009

As a side event of the Effects of Oil on Wildlife Conference, Sea Alarm organised a debrief with most of the responders that were part of the international team that assisted in the oiled wildlife response in Norway, following the Full City oil spill incident. The main conclusion from the debrief was that the team without doubt had made a very strong contribution to the success of the Norwegian response.

Planning workshop for Baltic countries

November 27, 2009

Sea Alarm and WWF Finland organised an international workshop on oiled wildlife response planning for countries bordering the Baltic Sea. The workshop took place in Tallinn on 5 October 2009, back to back with the Effects of Oil on Wildlife Conference which allowed participants to take advantage of both events. The Estonian Ministry of Environment hosted the workshop, which was attended by 20 participants, including 16 delegates from 6 Baltic Sea Countries. The main objective of the workshop was to familiarise participants with the elements of an oiled wildlife response and the various steps of a planning process.

Saskia Sessions joins Sea Alarm

November 27, 2009

Saskia has recently joined the Sea Alarm team as Senior Technical Advisor. Many know Saskia from her previous position as Project Officer in the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) in Lisbon, which she joined in 2006.

NGO Networking in Turkey

November 18, 2009

While in Istanbul attending the Black Sea Commission ESAS AG meeting, Sea Alarm took the opportunity to organise a Turkish national NGO meeting hosted at MEKE Marine premises. The main aim of the meeting, held on 4 November 2009, was to bring Turkish NGOs together and to have a look at past experiences, exploring each other’s specific expertise and interest in the matter and the contributions that each could bring to an integrated oiled wildlife response.

Sea Alarm at the Black Sea Commission

November 18, 2009

Sea Alarm attended the 18th Meeting of the Environmental Safety Aspects of Shipping Advisory Group of the Black Sea Commission that took place in Istanbul, Turkey on the 4 and 5 of November 2009. The ESAS AG Group, an integral part of the Black Sea Commission institutional structure, coordinates the regional approach to emergency response, particularly international response to accidents involving extraction, maritime transport, handling and storage of oil and hazardous chemicals.

10th Effects of Oil on Wildlife Conference a Great Success

October 30, 2009

Opening session and keynote address Scientific programme Round table discussions Short courses (Monday, October 5) Laboratories (Friday, October 6) Sea Alarm's contribution to the Conference Its not all work work work...... Follow-up Thank-you! The 10th International Effects of Oil on…

Helcom moving swiftly to integrate oiled wildlife

September 25, 2009

Sea Alarm attended the HELCOM Response meeting that took place from 23-25 September in Stockholm, Sweden. An important agenda item was the discussion of a paper prepared by Estonia, Sea Alarm and WWF that seeks to include oiled wildlife response in the HELCOM Response Manual.

At least 1,500 birds thought to be affected by Full City spill

August 10, 2009

The Norwegian Ornithological Society (NOF) has observed 34 species of birds affected by the Full City spill, which occurred in southern Norway on 31 July. While NOF representatives have to date observed over 1,500 oiled birds in the field, the total number of birds affected by the spill is predicted to be far higher.

The Norwegian Oiled Wildlife Response Network (NOW) is leading the organisation and coordination of the response. Sea Alarm’s Roser Gasol has been on-site since 2 August, providing assistance together with Sea Alarm’s other on-site team members Claude Velter (Wildlife Rescue Centre Ostend), Sascha Regmann (Project Blue Sea, Germany) and Tania Regmann (Project Blue Sea, Germany). Three RSPCA experts will be joining the international response team on 10 August.