EUROWA network members learn about key international players in oil spill preparedness and response

In its role as coordinator, Sea Alarm was delighted to organise the 2 February 2021 information session with IOPC Funds, ITOPF and OSRL for EUROWA members.

Three organisations that Sea Alarm has close links with were invited to present the scope of their work to EUROWA (EURopean Oiled Wildlife Assistance) members,the network of European expert wildlife response groups that provide a mutual assistance mechanism between European countries.. Ana Cuesta from the IOPC Funds outlined how the international compensation mechanisms function and explained the specific requirements and criteria regarding compensation for oiled wildlife response. ITOPF’s Susannah Dormaille then presented the role of ITOPF in providing preparedness services and responding to major incidents worldwide, as illustrated through the Erika incident which had a huge impact on seabirds. Lastly, Paul Kelway and Francesca Rouse of OSRL talked through the range of OSRL’s services in global preparedness and response, including an overview of OSRL’s new wildlife strategy and details of the recently upgraded wildlife equipment stockpile.

This was an important opportunity for the EUROWA network to better know these three key international players of the oil spill world, in the event that they may be working alongside each other in an incident. This information session was part of a series of awareness and training events being organised in the framework of the EUROWA Work Programme, which runs in parallel to the EUROWA-2 project.