BALTIC SEAENVIRONMENT PROCEEDINGS No. 59 - Helcom

INTRODUCTION
The Baltic Sea is the largest brackish water of the world,
though it covers a mere 0.1 % of the world oceans. It is unique
in many ways, e.g. by its flora and fauna. However, the Baltic
is surrounded by highly developed industrial countries. Some of
the HELCOM Contracting Parties are using nuclear power for electricity
production. Those are Germany, Finnland, Lithuania,
Russia, and Sweden. Due to its nature as a semi-enclosed sea
area, which prevents a rapid water exchange with the world
ocean, the Baltic Sea is very sensible for all kinds of pollution.
Therefore persistent contaminants will remain for long
periods in this area.
Due to their potential harm to humans and biota, radioactive
substances are of special concern. Therefore, the spatial and
temporal distribution of radionuclides released into the environment
has to be monitored in the environment. The Helsinki
Commission as the international convention for protection of the
Baltic Sea area established a group of experts for monitoring
radioactive substances in this sea. This group is now a permanent
expert working group under the frame of the Environment
Committee (EC).
MONITORING OF RADIOACTIVE SUBSTANCES IN THE BALTIC SEA
In 1980 the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) initiated
a Co-ordinated Research Programme (CRP) about the evaluation of
the long-term behaviour of radionuclides entering the Baltic
Sea, including their transport back to man. This CRP entitled
"Study of Radioactive Materials in the Baltic Sea"
was carried out by scientists from the - at that time - seven
Baltic Sea states and from the International Laboratory for
Marine Radioactivity in Monaco (IAEA) during the years 1981 to
1984. The results of this CRP provided an excellent knowledge
about the levels and the behaviour of artificial radioactivity
in the Baltic Sea prior to the reactor accident at Chernobyl.
They are reported in a technical document of the IAEA (1).
In March 1985, on its 6th meeting, the Helsinki Commission decided
to continue the work of the IAEA under the auspices of
HELCOM and to establish a group of Experts on Monitoring of
Radioactive Substances in the Baltic Sea (MORS). The Commission
further accepted the offer of Finland to act as Lead Country for
matters related to radioactive substances. The IAEA was invited
to participate in this task as Observer.
The present Terms of References of this group are as follows:
62