Sea Alarm’s observer status at the IOPC Funds continues

The IOPC Funds approved the continuation of Sea Alarm’s observer status at the March 2022 meetings of the governing bodies.

The International Oil Pollution Compensation Funds (IOPC Funds) provide financial compensation for oil pollution damage that occurs in Member States as a result of spills of persistent oil from tankers. Sea Alarm was initially granted observer status in 2017, which allows the Contracting Parties access to Sea Alarm’s technical expertise and networks for assistance and for Sea Alarm, in turn, to assist the Funds with with preparing decisions or developing instruments in the field of oiled wildlife response and preparedness, or wider environmental issues, as we have done in other diplomatic fora in Europe such as the Bonn Agreement and Helsinki Convention.

Oil spills continue to happen in the marine environment worldwide and the probability of potential impacts they may have on marine wildlife is not declining. We are very pleased to continue the collaboration with the Funds and to continue to highlight issues of animal welfare , marine conservation and oiled wildlife reseponse preparedness within the framework of the compensation Convention activities.