A Lithuanian environment ministry analysis of the Lithuanian sector of the Baltic Sea has revealed that there are several endangered species of birds, seals and fish.
In all about 30 species of birds are native to the area. They nest further north, and winter in the Baltic according to feeding and weather conditions. Many of them gather on Lithuanian beaches on cold winter days, moving from the ice-blocked Riga bay area, although Lithuanian waters are not particularly hospitable to them. The greatest danger to the wintering birds are commercial fishing nets, which kill from 10 to 15 per cent of their population (1,000 to 1,500 birds). Another is oil pollution, which causes them to drown or freeze due to oil deposits on their feathers, which poison them or at best shorten their lifespan.
Fishing gear can be fatal for seals as well. There are three species of seals in the Baltic – the grey, ringed and common Eastern Atlantic seal. The Lithuanian coast is home mostly to the grey seal. Because there no monitoring or scientific research are being carried out, seal mortality statistics are mostly obtained from volunteers. From 2012-2017 there were 112 seals found dead on Lithuanian beaches due to various factors, with 59 found in the previous five-year period. In 2018 alone a total of 56 seals were washed ashore.
Overfishing has caused a severe drop in fish populations in Lithuanian waters. Eastern cod became so scarce that catching them has been prohibited since 2019. The fragile Baltic ecosystem is also endangered due to non-native species. They often arrive in ballast water or are bred to replace older species, and once there, it is impossible to stop their spread.
Currently there are 14 alien species in Lithuanian waters; eight crustaceans, and one each of fish, molluscs and others, including round gobies and killer shrimp. The gobies, first appearing in 2000, have now become a dominant species. They compete with native species for food and spawning grounds.
A new strategy for dealing with these and other Baltic Sea issues will be confirmed for inclusion in the Water Development program during the first half of 2022, according to the Pollution Prevention Policy Group of the Lithuanian Environment Ministry.
News from the Environment Ministry
