A set of five amendments tabled by The Left Group to the European Parliament's report on the multiannual plan for the Baltic Sea proposes a new sub-section strengthening protection for marine mammals and seabirds. The amendments, published on 12 May 2026, target the report by Isabella Lövin (Greens/EFA) and seek to insert paragraphs 36a to 36e, shifting the focus from fisheries management toward biodiversity conservation and animal welfare.
The amendments respond to perceived gaps in existing EU and Member State measures. Amendment 1 calls for a dedicated emergency response and funding mechanism for stranded marine mammals, citing the recent case of the humpback whale "Timmy" and reliance on private donations. Amendment 2 demands full upholding and, where necessary, strengthening of measures to protect marine mammals. Amendment 3 highlights underreporting of seabird bycatch in static nets, referencing data from the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission (HELCOM), and calls for improved monitoring and reduction measures. Amendment 4 focuses on the critically endangered Baltic harbour porpoise, demanding close monitoring of recovery measures and additional actions if needed. Amendment 5 recalls the historical near-extinction of Baltic seal populations and calls for upholding seal protection, implicitly opposing any relaxation of culling or disturbance rules.
No other political group tabled amendments to this section, suggesting the draft report's existing text was broadly acceptable to the EPP, S&D, Renew, Greens/EFA, ECR, and ID groups. The Left's amendments thus represent a minority push for a more ambitious environmental agenda, implying that current multiannual plan and national implementation are inadequate to prevent harm to whales, porpoises, seals, and seabirds.
EU regulatory bodies (Commission, HELCOM) would face new reporting and funding obligations; national authorities of EU Baltic states would need to implement additional monitoring and emergency response measures; fishing industry could face tighter bycatch reduction requirements and potential operational restrictions; environmental NGOs would gain stronger legal basis to push for conservation measures. The amendments create a trade-off between fisheries management flexibility and biodiversity protection, with moderate impact on fishing operations but potentially significant benefits for marine mammal and seabird populations.
The report will be debated in plenary and voted on, with the amendments needing majority support to be included in the final resolution. The Council and Commission will then consider the Parliament's recommendations for the multiannual plan's revision.
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