The Baltic Sea is a shared natural environment for Lithuania and Latvia, and therefore pollution risks do not stop at national borders. Increasing maritime traffic and the geopolitical situation raise the risk of oil and petroleum product spills. Such incidents can have long-term consequences for marine ecosystems and wildlife, and effective rescue of affected animals requires both countries to be prepared to act quickly and in a coordinated manner.

The project will:

• develop joint Lithuanian–Latvian procedures for wildlife rescue and rehabilitation;

• strengthen the capacity of the Lithuanian Sea Museum to receive and rehabilitate wildlife affected by pollution;

• upgrade and expand mobile wildlife rehabilitation infrastructure and equipment;

• organise training, practical exercises and joint response scenario testing;

• strengthen cooperation between Lithuanian and Latvian emergency services, environmental authorities, NGOs and other relevant partners.

Oil pollution in the Baltic Sea does not respect national borders. An oil spill can reach the coastline of another country within a short period of time, while the number of affected animals may exceed the response capacity of a single country. Effective response therefore requires common procedures, coordinated actions, and the sharing of expertise, equipment and resources.

COASTCLEAN will enable Lithuania and Latvia to prepare to act as one team in the event of a major pollution incident in the Baltic Sea. The project focuses not only on preparedness for a potential emergency, but also on practical testing of response capacities: the procedures and solutions developed will be tested through training sessions and joint exercises.

4 November 2026

Would you like to gain new knowledge and help protect Baltic Sea wildlife? The Lithuanian Sea Museum invites you to join a Lithuanian–Latvian volunteer network being established to help wildlife affected by pollution from oil or other substances.

Birds and other wildlife in the Baltic Sea and the Curonian Lagoon can face threats for various reasons. One of these is a spill of oil or other pollutants. To ensure a timely and effective response in an emergency, it is essential to prepare in advance and bring together people who can assist specialists.

The Lithuanian Sea Museum, together with the Fire and Rescue Department under the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Lithuania and Latvia’s State Fire and Rescue Service, is implementing the COASTCLEAN project (LL-00333). One of its aims is to establish a Lithuanian–Latvian volunteer network to help rescue wildlife affected by pollution

An opportunity to learn and gain practical experience

Volunteers will be offered training and practical exercises covering safe animal handling, the basics of biosecurity and hygiene, and the principles of cleaning, caring for and rehabilitating oiled wildlife. They will also learn about logistics, response coordination and cooperation with specialists.

Participants will gain knowledge and practical skills that will enable them to contribute responsibly to wildlife rescue, in line with their level of training and specialists’ instructions. This will also be an opportunity to meet professionals working in wildlife protection and become part of a community united by a shared concern for the Baltic Sea and its wildlife.

We will provide the essentials for participation

Travel expenses related to attending the training will be reimbursed in accordance with the established procedures. Meals will be provided during the training, and the necessary workwear, protective equipment and hygiene supplies will be available for practical activities.
 

How to join

If you are interested, please contact the Lithuanian Sea Museum at l.kunciene@muziejus.lt. We will provide further information about the planned activities and next steps.

The COASTCLEAN project (LL-00333) is co-funded by the European Union under the Interreg VI-A Latvia–Lithuania Programme 2021–2027.