Federal Environment Minister Altmaier advocates the conservation of harbour porpoises in the North and Baltic Sea. On 11 May he visited the marine museum "Ozeaneum" in Stralsund in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania to learn more about the work of the scientists investigating the harbour porpoise population in the Baltic Sea. Their research is the basis for an effective harbour porpoise protection against e.g. noise impacts caused during the construction of offshore wind turbines.
"Harbour porpoise conservation is particularly dear to my heart", Minister Altmaier commented. "A successful transformation of our energy system will only be successful if it takes place in harmony with nature. I will make every effort to address both objectives equally - a renewable energy supply and fauna conservation. We are in dire need of additional information on the Baltic harbour porpoise. For an effective conservation we have to learn where they live during certain phases of their life. For this reason the research undertaken in Stralsund is so important."
Harbour porpoises are not only potentially threatened by the impact of noise caused by the construction of offshore wind parks. The set gillnets still widely used in the Baltic are also a danger to the population.
Harbour porpoises are a seriously endangered species according to the German Red List. The North Sea population has been thoroughly investigated, but there is hardly any sound knowledge available on the Baltic harbour porpoise.
Marine scientists in Stralsund are trying to change this. Together with scientists from other EU countries around the Baltic sea they are investigating the Baltic harbour porpoise population within the framework of the SAMBAH-project which is being funded by the federal government. A programme recording the clicking sounds made by harbour porpoises by means of underwater detectors was launched in May 2011. The programme is aimed at determining where harbour porpoises are located at specific times of the year and where particular protection from human activities is therefore needed. Collection of the data is almost complete.