Outside Gotland are Hoburgsbank and Midsjöbankarna, which since 2016 will be a protected area. The County Administrative Board of Gotland works with a plan for the tumors in the area and has six years in accordance with current EU regulations.

Despite this, the EU Commission is critical that Sweden has not taken conservation measures for the approximately 500 endangered tumors in the Baltic Sea, including outside Gotland.  

Measures against fishing already this year

Susanne Viker, who is an investigator at the Marine and Water Authority, HaV, says she knows about the EU Commission's criticism but that the authority has not yet been given the government's mission to participate in and respond to the criticism. On the other hand, she confirms that a work is in progress to bring about measures against fishing in the protected area. It should be in place before the end of the year.

- Sweden works pretty well on this issue, but it affects many different parties and conflicts around the Baltic Sea, says Susanne Viker.

To save the tumors an international issue

- It is not primarily Swedish fishermen in the area outside Gotland who are putting the reins at risk without international fishing in the Baltic Sea, she says.

She also believes that environmental toxins, ship traffic, sonar, underwater work, such as wind turbines and gas pipelines, are serious threats. Protecting the tumors and fixing problems is a complex issue.

The public can help

Susanne Viker also urges the public to help identify what is threatening and killing the riots in the Baltic Sea.

- In order for us to understand more about how the tumors are exposed and how we can protect them, the Marine and Water Authority is now urging anyone who finds a dead tumbler to contact the Natural History Museum.

Sweden has three months to respond to the European Commission on the state of conservation plans and measures to protect the porpoise in the Baltic Sea.