Why is the Baltic Sea so important?

The Baltic region includes eight of the 28 European Union member states. The Baltic Sea provides a critical connection between the EU and the Russian Federation. As a result, the surrounding coastal countries have not been particularly successful in balancing economic and social uses with the protection of the sea.

Is Baltic Sea water Drinkable?

Drinking the surface water of the Baltic as a means of survival would actually hydrate the body instead of dehydrating, as is the case with ocean water. As saltwater is denser than freshwater, the bottom of the Baltic Sea is saltier than the surface.

How dirty is Baltic Sea?

The Baltic Sea is the most polluted sea in the world. There are many rivers flowing into the Baltic Sea which carry waste from the centres of population, from industry as well as from agriculture into the sea. Aquatic organisms from zoo plankton to fish and mammals mistake inedible plastic waste for their food.

Why doesn’t the Baltic have tides?

The Baltic Sea is itself too small to have its own significant tides, and it has too narrow an opening to the North Sea to be influenced by the North Atlantic tides. The total tidal effect is only a few centimetres. Tidal waves from Kattegat through the Sound contribute a few centimetres of tide in the Southern Baltic.

Are Sharks in the Baltic Sea?

Distribution: Contrary to popular belief, there are sharks in the Baltic Sea. In fact, 31 species of sharks and closely related skates, rays and chimaeras (collectively known as cartilaginous fishes) have been recorded in this area.

Why is the Baltic Sea a dead zone?

The Baltic Sea is no stranger to dead zones. The dead zones are due largely to the Baltic’s limited circulation and strong layering of water, which stop oxygen from replenishing bottom waters. Since the 1950s, nutrient pollution from fertilizer and sewage has caused hypoxia in the Baltic to surge.

Why is the Baltic Sea so dirty?

Baltic waters are heavily contaminated with chemicals due to farming activities in the surrounding countries, as well as with oil products from spills. Thousands of tons of unused German chemical weapons have also been dumped in the sea after the Second World War.

Is the Baltic Sea toxic?

Fish from some areas of the Baltic Sea are so contaminated that they may be too toxic for EU markets, warns WWF. The level of brominated flame retardants (PBDEs) found in herring is 5 times higher in the Baltic Sea than in the Atlantic. But it is not only the fish that is contaminated.

What is happening to the Baltic Sea?

When downpours occur, the excess fertilizers run-off from the land and enter the Baltic Sea. Urban waste waters that are being dumped into the Lake also increase the risk of eutrophication. Overfishing had also been proved to contribute the formation of dead zones.

Is there a dead zone in the Baltic Sea?

The Baltic Sea is a large and almost entirely closed marine region with both salt and fresh water. The Danish straits through to the North Sea is its only connection to the ocean. Since the sea is surrounded by a huge drainage area, it is most likely that human activities have influenced the formation of the dead zone.

Which countries are in the drainage basin of the Baltic Sea?

Countries lands in the outer drainage basin : Belarus, Czech Republic, Norway, Slovakia, Ukraine . The Baltic sea drainage basin is roughly four times the surface area of the sea itself. About 48\% of the region is forested, with Sweden and Finland containing the majority of the forest,…

What is the highest water level in the Baltic Sea?

From 1872, there exist regular and reliable records of water levels in the Baltic Sea. The highest was the flood of 1872 when the water was an average of 2.43 m (8 ft 0 in) above sea level at Warnemünde and a maximum of 2.83 m (9 ft 3 in) above sea level in Warnemünde.