Refuge on the Pomeranian Bay

The Pomeranian Bay Refuge (PLH990002) is an area covering 243,058.55 hectares, located in the southern part of the Baltic Sea, encompassing marine territories from the mouth of the Świna River to Dźwirzyno. Established by the European Commission in 2009, this area aims to protect natural habitats and endangered animal species such as the grey seal, sea lamprey, harbor porpoise, and twait shad. It features sandy submarine banks, which occupy 25% of the refuge's area, and diverse seabed types ranging from banks to gravel beds. The area is crucial for the Baltic population of twait shad and serves as a habitat for the harbor porpoise. In 2010 and 2014, the European Commission adjusted the boundaries of the area. The natural environment of the Pomeranian Bay is characterized by high diversity, which supports the presence of many bird species, including rare ones listed in EU directives. The refuge is significant not only for nature conservation but also as a tourist and research region. Supervision of the area is managed by the director of the Maritime Office in Szczecin, and the refuge almost entirely overlaps with the special protection area for birds known as "Pomeranian Bay."