HELCOM RECOMMENDATION 2/8

adopted 18 February 1981, having regard to Article 13, Paragraph b) of the Helsinki Convention

RECOMMENDATION TO THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE CONTRACTING PARTIES ON THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE DOCUMENT "ASSESSMENT OF THE EFFECTS OF POLLUTION ON THE NATURAL RESOURCES OF THE BALTIC SEA"

THE COMMISSION,

NOTING that the Interim Commission in 1978 initiated a project "assessment of the effects of pollution on the natural resources of the Baltic Sea" to be prepared as a basis for the evaluation of the monitoring programme, and that the project was elaborated in collaboration with marine scientists in the Baltic Sea States and the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES);

RECOGNIZING that, as summarized in the document "Assessment of the Effects of Pollution on the Natural Resources of the Baltic Sea" (HELCOP4 2/6/9 ), changes in the Baltic marine environment observed in this century are either due to natural courses alone, due partly to human activities, or due to human activities alone;

RECOGNIZING FURTHER that, in spite of indications of improvement in some respect (e.g. mercury, DDT), evident risks still prevail with regard to the marine environment of the Baltic Sea as indicated in the aforementioned document;

EXPRESSING its deep concern;

RECOMMENDS the Governments of the Contracting Parties to the Helsinki Convention to carefully consider the document "Assessment of the Effects of Pollution on the Natural Resources of the Baltic Sea" (HELCOM 2/6/9 ) and to take into account the results of this assessment when taking measures towards the abatement of pollution on the Baltic See.