Baltic Sea Protection Action Plan: Fewer inputs from agriculture - fewer restrictions for water sports enthusiasts?
At first glance, Tuesday's agreement between the state government of Schleswig-Holstein and agricultural associations has little to do with us windsurfers, wingfoilers and stand-up paddlers. However, it is part of the Baltic Sea Protection Action Plan, the successor project to the cancelled national park, which also had the water sports scene in an uproar for a long time. The hope is that the measures in the area of agriculture can be so effective in protecting the Baltic Sea that restrictions for water sports enthusiasts are off the table.
Less nitrogen and phosphorus should end up in the Baltic Sea
The priority is to reduce nutrient input and adapt agricultural use near the Baltic Sea. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the aim is to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus by 20 per cent over the next ten years. The agreement includes measures that are to be implemented voluntarily by farmers. They are an elementary component of the Baltic Sea Protection Action Plan 2030, as agriculture is considered one of the main causes of nutrient input. The state government launched the action plan in March 2024 as the successor to the Baltic Sea National Park.
Nitrogen and phosphorus are essential nutrients for agriculture - especially for the growth of plants and the development of fruit. They maximise yields and are a component of fertilisers. The problem is that when excessive amounts of fertiliser seep into the groundwater and are washed into the oceans via rivers, the consequences are immense. The Baltic Sea is a good example of this. The sea suffers from eutrophication, a lack of oxygen and a damaged ecosystem.
Implementation plans until autumn 2025
Schleswig-Holstein's Minister of Agriculture Werner Schwarz explained: "The core of the agreement is the establishment of five Baltic Sea advisory councils and model regions (...). This will enable us to take into account regional characteristics and needs in order to implement measures efficiently and in an accepted manner together with local stakeholders." In these regions, local representatives are to draw up plans by autumn 2025 that show how the agreed reduction can be implemented in concrete terms.
In the debate surrounding the protection of the Baltic Sea, farmers and associations had protested loudly in advance against possible legal restrictions. Environment Minister Tobias Goldschmidt (Greens) explained that the new agreement was aimed at farmers: "We are taking agriculture at its word and will assess the success of the agreement based on its impact on the Baltic Sea." Environmentalists have criticised the agreement. For them, the target agreement is not enough; the voluntary measures do not go far enough.
Baltic Sea protection also hotly debated among water sports enthusiasts
The target agreement now addresses a point in the Baltic Sea Protection Action Plan that has also caused displeasure among water sports enthusiasts. Hans Köster, board member for environmental issues at the Schleswig-Holstein Sailing Association, criticised this to our sister magazine YACHT in October: "The many restrictions for water sports enthusiasts give the impression that they are the main cause of the poor condition of the Baltic Sea. However, the main problem, eutrophication caused by agriculture, lies on land. This is now being tackled with the agreed target agreement. Whether it will improve the condition of the Baltic Sea remains to be seen.
