January
The Kick-off of the EUROWA-2 project, which will boost oiled wildlife response capability in Europe and is coordinated by Sea Alarm, assisted by project partners Submon, WWF Finland and Royal NIOZ, is held.
The multi-annual project to develop and maintain a national oiled wildlife response preparedness in the Netherlands, moves into the final year of its current phase.
Sea Alarm presents at a webinar on oiled wildlife preparedness and response, organised by Oil Spill Response Limited (OSRL). Work begins on the 2021 OSRL-Sea Alarm Work Plan.
Work begins on Country Wildife Response Profiles for 2021, introducing new formatting which provides more in-depth information.
February
An online meeting of the HELCOM Expert Working Group-Oiled Wildlife Response (EWG-OWR), chaired by Sea Alarm, includes discussions of recent national developments and upcoming events such as the 2021 BALEX Delta exercise which will include a wildlife response component for the first time, updates on the EUROWA-2 project, and an upcoming webinar on euthanasia.
March
In March and April, Sea Alarm and the International Fund for Animal Welfare deliver a series of introductory training events to authority representatives, scientists and veterinarians from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Jordan, Sudan and Egypt.
The new EUROWA website is created at www.eurowa.eu. The EUROWA Governance Committee, whose Secretariat is provided by Sea Alarm, meets online.
In its role as observer, Sea Alarm attends the March 2021 sessions of the International Oil Pollution Compensation Funds.
April
Sea Alarm organises and hosts a HELCOM online seminar attended by 39 people, which looks at euthanasia during an oil spill response by exploring veterinary and animal welfare aspects, state of the art methods for euthanasia and ethical considerations.
A two-day online meeting of the EUROWA network is held as part of the EUROWA-2 project.
The first Sea Alarm Board Board meeting of 2021takes place.
May
At the 2021 International Oil Spill Conference, which was held virtually, Sea Alarm presents on the successful implementation of an international tiered response to the Bow Jubail oiled wildlife incident and modeling the dynamics of a facility to understand critical resource use in oiled seabird rehabilitation.
At the 14th Meeting of the Focal Points of REMPEC, Sea Alarm, as permanent member of the Mediterranean Assistance Unit, supports the approval of the draft Mediterranean Strategy for the Prevention of, and Response to, Marine Pollution from Ships (2022-31), provides input on capacity building, and presents the EUROWA-2 project’s upcoming regional workshops.
During the Bonn Agreement’s Working Group on Operational, Technical and Scientific Questions Concerning Counter Pollution Activities (OTSOPA) meeting Sea Alarm presents on its role as EUROWA Secretariat and the EUROWA-2 project (2021-2022).
June
A new version of the Dutch Oiled Wildlife Response Plan, which was originally created in 2009, developed by Sea Alarm and Rijkswaterstaat, is sent out for consultation.
The EUROWA Governance Committee, with the Secretariat provided by Sea Alarm, meets online.
A Steering Committee meeting of OSRL and Sea Alarm is held.
July
Sea Alarm, along with collaborators from Belgium and South Africa, presents on oiled wildlife response as part of a Global Initiative for West, Central and Southern Africa (GI-WACAF) webinar series.
August
The EUROWA network participates informally in the BALEX Delta exercise.
September
Sea Alarm presents on news and recent activities of the Expert Working Group-Oiled Wildlife Response (EWG-OWR) to the HELCOM Contracting Parties. HELCOM Response approves the new name for EWG-OWR: HELCOM Wildlife Group, which recognises the importance HELCOM places on the group. HELCOM approved the Wildlife Group’s continuation of activities through 2023.
Sea Alarm and Oil Spill Response Limited deliver a webinar to the Mediterranean Oil Industry Group on Tiered Preparedness for Oiled Wildlife Response in the Mediterranean Region.
At a REMPEC-organised workshop on regional oil spill response preparedness, Sea Alarm instructs representatives of national authorities of 35 countries on the use of the
Self-Assessment Tool for Oiled Wildlife Response Preparedness.
Sea Alarm participates in elements of the week-long online meetings of the Global Oiled Wildlfie Response System (GOWRS).
October
Sea Alarm presents a two-day national training course on oiled wildlife response at the invitation of the Estonia Ministry of Environment to aid in the country’s updating of its national oiled wildlife response plan.
The EUROWA Governance Committee, with its Secretariat provided by Sea Alarm, meets online.
During a two-day oil industry exercise online, Sea Alarm provides advice and guidance on oiled wildlife response issues.
November
Sea Alarm and EUROWA member SON-Response lead a Beachhead Collection Point (BCP) exercise in the Netherlands where member organisations practice set-up and operation of a BCP. Representatives of Rijkswaterstaat and Veiligheidsregio Zeeland are present as observers.
Sea Alarm attends the March 2021 sessions of the International Oil Pollution Compensation Funds, in its role as observer.
The second Sea Alarm Board meeting of 2021 is held.
December
Sea Alarm presents at and participates in group discussion sessions during the OSRL online shareholder meeting.