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5 Programmes and Measures in the North-East AtlanticThe OSPAR Pilot Project on Monitoring Marine Beach Litter (2000-2006), and the designation ofthe North Sea as a Special Area for the purpose of Annex V to MARPOL 73/78, are two examplesof practical action taken to deal with marine litter in the OSPAR Maritime Area. Some countrieshave also taken some initial steps to address the marine litter issue through different programmesand initiatives improving their waste management practices, supporting beach cleanup activities,Fishing for Litter 33 projects, national litter campaigns, as well as through the initiation ofinformation, education and public awareness programmes. Despite these examples progress hasstill been slow on developing and implementing the wide range of programmes and measures thatare required to reduce the input of marine litter from its many sources or to introduce mechanismsfor the remediation of existing litter. Marine litter therefore remains one of the major unresolvedoutstanding pollution issues throughout the North-East Atlantic Region.Local municipalities in Iceland are responsible for protection of the coastline and removal of litterfrom the coastline. Numerous NGOs, local schools, nursery schools, local communityorganisations, the Icelandic Youth Association, and municipal bodies (The health inspectionservice and environmental departments), are also involved in activities related to removal ofmarine litter from the coastline around Iceland. The NGOs involved in marine litter in Iceland are:Blai herinn an Icelandic environmental organisation that works together with local communities toremove marine litter from the coast and in harbours. It has been removing marine litter fromcoasts and harbours since 1998.World Wide Friends is an Icelandic environmental organisation dedicated to cleaning the coastlineof Iceland. A cleaning campaign has been developed from 2006 and it will be carried out until2011. Numerous volunteers take part in the programme that is supported by the private sector aswell as the Ministry for the Environment and Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture.Seeds are another Icelandic environmental organisation that works on beach cleaning in Iceland.Icelandic Youth Association (UMFÍ) has on several occasions taken part in clean-up arrangementsin most parts of the coastline.Furthermore schools and preschools have been active in environmental and coastal protection.Some schools are now running the program: “Adopt a beach” together with the municipal ofReykjavik (Environmental department and the Reykjavik’s nature school). In the Adopt a BeachProgramme, several measures are undertaken including marine litter clean ups, measurement andanalysis the types and amounts of litter that is found at the beach. In general the collection ofbeach garbage in Iceland is perceived to be quite efficient with beach litter not considered aproblem according to the stakeholders that were interviewed in connection with this questionnaire.However as there is continued replenishment of marine litter from sea-based sources continuedcleanup activities are required at the coastline.In the Faeroe Islands (Denmark) Føroya Kommunufelag is in the process of starting a Fishing forLitter pilot project in the port of Tofta havn, currently with one vessel participating. The vessel haslanded initial FFL-bags, which are providing data on the amount of litter found at sea around theFaeroe Islands. Furthermore, in 2006 Umhvørvisstovan and Løgmálaráðið launched a TVcampaign on bringing litter on vessels at sea back into harbour. 34 Most municipalities also have acleaning day every year, where citizens in the municipalities voluntarily clean up the beaches,streams, along the roads etc. In other municipalities, like Runavíkar Kommuna, adults with specialneeds assist in cleaning the beaches on a more regular basis.The Netherlands is undertaking several programmes and activities to tackle marine litter. Theactivities being undertaken by ports are:• Port Reception Plans in accordance with Directive EC/2000/5933 OSPAR Commission 2007. Background Report on Fishing-for-litter Activities in the OSPAR Region34 http://www.us.fo/Default.aspx?ID=579064