A workshop was organised on the environmental impacts of recreational boating in the Baltic Sea. This was in the framework of the Baltic Sea Convention (HELCOM) with the aim to advance implementation of the Baltic Sea Action Plan that includes a number of actions for recreational boating, including antifouling, decarbonisation and boater awareness.

The workshop was organised by the Coalition Clean Baltic with the Lithuanian, Swedish and German governments being the official organisers. A number of EBI members participated in the meeting, as well as representatives of boat users associations.

The main discussion points at the meeting, informed by presentations from scientists and national authorities, focused on environmental impacts from recreational boating. These included transfer of non-invasive species, antifouling, sustainable marinas, sewage, litter, emissions and alternative fuels and underwater noise.

Philip Easthill represented EBI, which is an official observer member in HELCOM. During the meeting, an overview of the recreational boating industry and its approach to sustainability has been portrayed. The key messages from the presentation were the following:

• Boating and nautical tourism is a key sector in the Baltic Sea region from an economic, societal and environmental perspective;
• The industry is committed to tackling environmental impact and continue building a successful industry;
• Sector-specific solutions are required to make a difference and more than just decarbonisation with a life-cycle perspective key;
• ‘Sustainability quick wins’ and long-term transition are possible with the support of authorities and stakeholders, but investment needs to be incentivised and supported by governments.

EBI also emphasised its intention and that of its members to engage on a forward-looking agenda for boating in the Baltic Sea.

During the meeting, several key points were discussed regarding the future direction of environmental protection efforts within HELCOM on recreational boating. The participants collectively agreed on the importance of improving the accessibility of environmental knowledge within the boating community. They emphasised the need to expand initiatives at both the Baltic Sea and Europe-wide levels, focusing on connecting with boaters, sharing best practices, and avoiding fragmentation when addressing regional and national issues such as exclusion zones and emissions reduction. Boater and industry associations were invited to join these collaborative efforts, and their strong participation was appreciated by national authorities and HELCOM.

The European Commission informed participants about an ongoing study regarding the recognition of the International Certificate of Competence (ICC) and the possibility of incorporating environmental protection questions into boating license tests. The meeting also raised the idea of establishing a dedicated working group for recreational craft, aiming to avoid duplication of efforts and effectively coordinate environmental protection events related to boating, recognising that national authorities play a significant role in this context.

A full summary and all presentations are available for EBI members on request. EBI will also, together with its Baltic Sea member associations, continue to be involved in the process and engage on next steps.