University of Gdańsk with the Marine Station of the Institute of Oceanography as the Polish coordinator of the SAMBAH project, was nominated by the decision of the European Commission’s Directorate-General of Environment, for the main prize in the competition “Best of the best”  for Life+ projects in 2016 – 2017 years.

The results of the competition will be announced on May 23, 2018, during the Green Week of the European Union in Brussels.

In the SAMBAH project hydroacoustic methods were used to study small cetaceans for the first time in the world on this scale. Numbers and seasonal distribution of porpoises in the Baltic Sea were also established. All the Baltic States participated in the research, with the exception of the Russian Federation. The collected data are used to develop and implement effective methods of protecting Baltic porpoise populations.

The Polish partners in the project were the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management – Maritime Branch in Gdynia and the Chief Inspectorate for Environmental Protection. National co-financing was provided by the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management. (Kp)