[CPEO-MEF] CHEMWEAPONS, GLOBAL:

[Lenny Siegel <lsiegel@cpeo.org>]

News Release
Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission (HELCOM)

Catches of chemical munitions in the Baltic hit record low

Newsdesk
Naturvårdsverket
September 23, 2008

Helsinki, 23 September (HELCOM Information Service) - Catches of dumped 
World War II chemical munitions in the Baltic Sea have substantially 
decreased during the past several years. According to the latest annual 
statistics, submitted by Denmark to HELCOM, fishermen reported two 
incidents of chemical munitions being caught in their nets in 2007 and 
only one in 2006, compared to 25 incidents reported in 2003. This is the 
lowest number since HELCOM began tracking this information in 1995.

However, experts are not yet attributing the decrease to any specific 
factors. The reason for the dramatic decrease is unknown, as was the 
case for the dramatic increase in 2003. These variations are probably 
due to a combination of different factors, such as the intensity of 
fishing activities in the areas close to the dumped chemical munitions, 
and the recommendations issued by HELCOM and local authorities.

...

For the entire release, see
http://www.newsdesk.se/pressroom/naturvardsverket/pressrelease/view/catches-of-chemical-munitions-in-the-baltic-hit-record-low-239735

--


Lenny Siegel
Executive Director, Center for Public Environmental Oversight
a project of the Pacific Studies Center
278-A Hope St., Mountain View, CA 94041
Voice: 650/961-8918 or 650/969-1545
Fax: 650/961-8918
<lsiegel@cpeo.org>
http://www.cpeo.org



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