The aim of the current day is to direct attention to the significance of the sea in our everyday life, the valuing and sustainable use of marine biodiversity. The world ocean covers 71% of the Earth’s surface. There are approximately 250,000 known species in the sea; several are yet to be discovered. Human activity, such as pollution, overfishing or destroying of habitats, influences marine environment negatively. About a third of marine habitats (e.g., coral reefs) have become extinct and a large amount of fish resources are over-exploited. Estonia is a sea country — over half of our state border is bordered directly by the Baltic Sea. On the world scale, the Baltic Sea is very special. Its unique connection to the ocean and a great variety in salinity has caused the formation of such sea and freshwater communities that cannot live anywhere else in the world. On the other hand, the Baltic Sea is one of the most polluted seas, which is of serious threat to our unique diverse habitats and has caused a decrease in the abundance of several species. The surface area of Estonia’s marine areas, comprising both territorial waters and exclusive economic zone, is 3,6 million hectares. 0,74 million hectares or approximately 20% of this are formed by protected marine area, which also belongs to Natura 2000 network. All these protected marine areas, such as, for instance, Hiiu shoal or Gretagrund special conservation area, are situated in the territorial waters of Estonia. In protected marine areas, one protects species, communities, species’ habitats, individual objects and marine landscapes. The protection activities of marine habitats are directed to the preservation of marine environment’s general good state. By protecting marine areas and the respective benthos, we protect at the same time several fish species’ spawning and foraging areas as well as birds and seals’ foraging areas. Marine areas’ natural values began to be explored in Estonia more elaborately just recently. Of the area of Estonian territorial waters, there has been an inventory of approximately 40%; there is very little data on the natural values of the outside exclusive economic zone, but surveys are currently carried out. Additionally about the International Day for Biological Diversity. We also remind that Nature Conservation Month is currently ongoing, being this year related to the topic of water, too. The motto of the Nature Conservation Month is „Springs and Rivers — Life’s Flowing Springs”. In the framework of the Nature Conservation Month, thematic events are held all over Estonia. Additional information: www.keskkonnaamet.ee. |
