21st Meeting of the ASCOBANS Jastarnia Group

The 21st Meeting of the ASCOBANS Jastarnia Group (JG21) took place online on 11 and 12 March 2025, bringing together Baltic Sea Range States, partner organizations, and invited experts to review progress under the Recovery Plan for Baltic Harbour Porpoises[1] (Baltic Proper) and the Conservation Plan for the Harbour Porpoise Population in the Western Baltic, the Belt Sea and the Kattegat. 

As in previous years, the meeting served as a practical checkpoint: what has moved forward, what has stalled, and what needs to happen next for harbour porpoises in a region where pressures from fisheries, development, and underwater noise continue to stack up.

National updates highlighted ongoing monitoring and mitigation efforts. Sweden reported continued work on passive acoustic monitoring and bycatch monitoring (including camera systems), alongside regulatory measures such as mandatory pinger use in a designated southern Baltic area and ongoing trials of alternative gear and mitigation technologies.

Germany provided an implementation-focused update, covering stakeholder engagement, monitoring activities, and work related to underwater noise, including efforts to improve mitigation approaches for impulsive noise.

Several presentations helped frame the next steps. Updates on ICES advice reinforced that meeting the management objective for the Baltic Proper population requires a serious reduction in bycatch, with emphasis on a combination of measures (including pinger use and closures) rather than relying on a single tool. 

The meeting discussed the current status and environmental concerns related to offshore wind development across the Baltic and Belt Sea region, with a focus on potential impacts on harbour porpoises and marine protected areas. Key concerns raised include the lack of coordination and cumulative impact assessments across borders, noise disturbance from construction, the legal implications of causing behavioural disturbance within MPAs, and the need for stronger mitigation measures and seasonal restrictions in sensitive areas. It was also noted that economic viability is affecting project timelines in several countries.

In addition, the meeting heard presentations regarding SAMBAH II, carbon capture and storage (CCS), submarine carbon dioxide storage in geological formations, PAL use in German waters, EU Strategy for the Baltic Region, PROTECT BALTIC project, and many more. 

A key outcome of JG21 was Action Points, including strengthened elements on bycatch data collection and underwater noise monitoring. The meeting reiterated the urgency of immediate bycatch mitigation, alongside continued improvements in monitoring of both porpoises and fishing activities, and more effective management of protected areas that address the full suite of relevant pressures.

The Action Points from JG21, and well as all presentations, are available on the meeting page. The Report of the meeting will be posted as soon as available.