Meetings – Page 6

Update on Progress in Portugal

June 13, 2009

Several Portugese NGOs are working together to develop an oiled wildlife response plan for Portugal (see earlier newsletters). A working group has been tasked with the preparation of the first draft of the plan, which will be reviewed by the entire group once completed. The working group has determined the principles for the notification and communication procedures, established the main geographical challenges, and identified the texts and structures that could be adopted from the Belgian oiled wildlife response plan, which is being used as a model.

Meeting of the UK Environmental Group

May 30, 2009

Sea Alarm attended the UK National Standing Environment Group Chairs Meeting, which took place in London on 29 April. Organised annually by the Maritime and Coastal Agency (MCA), the purpose of the meeting is to inform Environmental Group Chairs and key individuals about eventual changes in the UK National Oil Spill Plan or related documents and procedures, and discuss recent developments, case histories and relevant current topics. This is the second time Sea Alarm has been invited to the meetings as an observer, taking the opportunity to report on relevant international developments in the field of oiled wildlife preparedness and response.

EMPOWER Steering Group Meeting

May 28, 2009

The first Steering Group meeting of the newly established EMPOWER Network was held in Brussels in May. The Steering Group’s role is to advise and assist Sea Alarm in setting up the EMPOWER Network and coordinate the various activities of the work programme. This initiative has been made possible thanks to a grant awarded to Sea Alarm by the European Commission.

EMPOWER Network Steering Group Meeting

April 2, 2009

The first Steering Group meeting of the EMPOWER Network will be held in Brussels on 8th May. This is the first meeting of the representatives from the nine Founding Members of the Network, who are tasked with drafting the rules…

Visit to Tallinn, Estonia

April 2, 2009

In March, Hugo Nijkamp attended a meeting at the Ministry of Environment in Tallinn, Estonia together with representatives from the Estonian Ministry of Environment, the HELCOM Secretariat and WWF Finland. Together, the participants discussed a proposal that will be submitted at upcoming HELCOM RESPONSE meeting in September, which seeks to integrate oiled wildlife response into the existing Helcom Response Manual.

Whilst in Tallinn, Hugo also met with Agni Kaldma and Juri-Ott Salm of the Estonian Fund for Nature (ELF), the local partner and co-host of the 10th Effects of Oil on Wildlife Conference.

HELCOM Developments

October 31, 2008

HELCOM RESPONSE is moving swiftly forward to integrate oiled wildlife response in its activities. Sea Alarm and WWF-Finland have been an integral part of the process.

OTSOPA

May 30, 2008

Sea Alarm gave a presentation to OTSOPA Contracting Parties on its work in Europe and its cooperation with OSRL/EARL. OTSOPA is the technical working group under the Bonn Agreement, the regional cooperation on oil spill prevention, response and mutual assistance for the North Sea and the North East Atlantic.