January
The EUropean Oiled Wildlife Assistance (EUROWA) Network kicks off 2019 with a debrief of the Bow Jubail oiled wildlife response in the summer of 2018, led by Sea Alarm. Funding for EUROWA activities in 2019 is provided by Aramco.
March
In California, Sea Alarm participates in the Global Oiled Wildlife Response System (GOWRS) Project meeting, discussing and developing their international cooperation on mutual response to international oiled wildlife incidents.
April
Sea Alarm assists with Shell Shipping and Maritime exercise in Denmark, moderating discussions between Shell and the Danish government on response to oiled wildlife, allowing them to explore options for response based on limited resources and potential public pressure to rescue and rehabilitate wildlife.
Sixteen veterinarians earn EUROWA Network Veterinary Specialist Qualification at a course in Ostend, Belgium lead by Sea Alarm and funded by Aramco.
May
Sea Alarm participates in the 2019 meeting of the Bonn Convention’s OTSOPA Working Group, presenting on the EUROWA Network and the Convention’s use of Sea Alarm’s Self -Assessment Tool (SAT version 2.0) for evaluating oiled wildlife response preparedness.
June
Sea Alarm attends the 26th Annual Meeting of the Helsinki Convention’s HELCOM Response Group, providing updates on the EUROWA Network and Contracting Parties’ use of SAT version 2.0.
EUROWA Network members and potential members meet in Ostend, Belgium to develop a Charter which will guide decision-making within the Network. During the same week, EUROWA members inspect the network’s equipment stockpile (held in Belgium) and plan for repairs, replacements and upgrades based on the Bow Jubail response experience.
At the 2019 REMPEC Focal Points Meeting (Barcelona Convention), Sea Alarm presents on EUROWA and SAT version 2.0, sharing results from the Western Mediterranean region Marine Oil & HNS Pollution Cooperation (WestMOPoCo project involving France, Italy, Algeria and Tunisia) pilot project using this tool.
August
Daniela Barreras Biesot joins Sea Alarm as Senior Technical Advisor, following a short secondment from OSRL.
September
In cooperation with WWF Poland, and with financial support from Aramco, Sea Alarm leads a national workshop on Oiled Wildlife Response Planning, attended by representatives of government, industry and NGOs.
Two EUROWA Basic Responder courses are held in Poland with 43 people qualifying at this level, greatly increasing Poland’s oiled wildlife response capabilities.
November
Sea Alarm leads an IPIECA-sponsored workshop in Cyprus on oiled wildlife response preparedness for industry members.
December
Paul Kelway leaves Sea Alarm to join OSRL as Wildlife Preparedness and Response Manager.
Sea Alarm celebrates twenty years in oiled wildlife response preparedness, having been founded in December of 1999 under Dutch law.