EMPOWER Network

Any Non Governmental Organisation that has its legal seat in a country within the Geographical scope can become a Member of EMPOWER by signing the EMPOWER Code of Conduct and sending this document to the Secretariat together with a Membership application form. Membership is free of charge.

By signing the Code of Conduct an organisation demonstrates its awareness that the response to a marine wildlife emergency can only be effective if organisations work together and apply standards of good practice in close cooperation with the authorities. For more information on how to join click here.

The following organisations are registered Members:

(NB: Membership has been opened on 17 November; 2009)

Logo	Name of organisation and Country	Description
	Nederlandse Zeevogelgroep (NZG)Dutch Seabird GroupNetherlands	NZG is a section of the Netherlands Ornithological Union (Nederlandse Ornithologische Unie – NOU). A number of NZG-working groups is involved in different areas of seabird study such as the Beached Bird Survey group (NSO, the Coastal Seawatching group (CvZ), the Offshore and the Breeding bird group. NZG aims to be a bonding mechanism between amateur and professional seabird researchers nationally and internationally and strives to disseminate seabird information to non-governmental groups and policy makers that are dealing with the marine environment. To achieve such aims, NZG publishes the journal SULA and contributes to the organisation of workshop and symposia.
	South Devon Seabird TrustUK	The aim of this Trust is to offer treatment and rehabilitation to oiled seabirds in the local area, and at times of national or international emergency to also offer the same facility to oiled seabirds from other areas. Our objective is to : - offer best treatment to ALL the birds admitted to our care. - get a high percentage back to the wild. - never release a bird until we are fully satisfied that it will survive. - share knowledge of rehabilitation methodology with other rehabilitators.  - make available details of ringing recovery data for the edification of other interested parties.
	Opvangcentrum voor Vogels en Wilde Dieren (VOC) Oostende Wildlife Rescue Centre Ostende Belgium	The Wildlife Rescue Centre Ostend is a non-profit organisation that is part of a national chain of hospitals under Birdprotection Flanders.  We have been founded in 1984, at first to take care of the many oiled birds that came ashore. Now we get more than 2000 patients a year, most of them because of human activities (e.g. oil, traffic, orphaned birds…). Almost every winter we get at about 100-200 oiled birds because of chronic oil spills.  We have had 2 oil spills: the Erika in 1999 and the Tricolor in 2003. Our main goal is the rehabilitation of wildlife so we can release them back into nature.
	Eestimaa Looduse Fond Estonian Fund for Nature Estonia	Sea, forest and wetlands – the aim of the Estonian Fund for Nature (ELF) is to preserve the entire Estonian nature and its diversity. Since 1991, the voluntary civic association in cooperation with many people and organisations has been the leader of various wildlife conservation projects important to Estonia. On the initiative of ELF, natural parks and wildlife preserves have been established; also extensive inventories to map Estonia’s natural resources have been carried out. ELF started to involve volunteers into its activities in 1999 – mainly management of protected areas. Since 2005 ELF started to work on oil combating. ELF was established in 1991 by biologists and conservationists and in close co-operation with WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature). WWF has remained ELF’s main international co-operation partner.
	EΛΛΗΝΙΚΗ ΕΝΩΣΗ ΠΡΟΣΤΑΣΙΑΣ ΘΑΛΑΣΣΙΟΥ ΠΕΡΙΒΑΛΛΟΝΤΟΣ Hellenic Marine Environment Protection Association (HELMEPA) Greece	HELMEPA is a voluntary non-governmental, non-profit organisation inspired by tthe late George P. Livanos and founded jointly by Greek seafarers and ship owners in Piraeus in 1982. The Association’s mission is to motivate the human element in shipping “from ship owner to seafarer” through proper information, education and training, so that a spirit of pollution prevention and maritime safety prevails throughout the industry. HELMEPA membership includes approximately 450 vessels of all types, 200 companies and organisations and 14,000 Greek seafarers. HELMEPA also conducts environmental awareness campaigns throughout the country. With a total participation of 50,000 members, the “HELMEPA Junior” environmental education program (www.helmepajunior.gr) for schoolchildren, 5-13 years old, makes the younger generation the most effective courier of environmental messages in their local communities. HELMEPA is a founding member of INTERMEPA, the International Marine Environment Protection Association (www.intermepa.org).
	FUNDACIÓN CRAM (Fundación para la Connservación y Recuperación de Animales marinos) CRAM Foundation Spain	Mission: the CRAM Foundation is a non profit organisation dedicated to the rehabilitation and conservation of the marine environment and its threatened species. Objectives: our mission will be developed through the following aims: 1 – Developing the knowledge of the pathologies and the clinic attention on the threatened marine species using painless and non-invasive techniques, respecting the individuals and with the objective of reintroducing them in their natural environment in the shortest period of time. 2 – Promoting investigation projects like species reproduction programs or habitats conservation with the collaboration of other institutions. 3 – Establishing international cooperation programs with countries that don’t have enough available resources and provide means and knowledge that help them in the recuperation of their biodiversity. 4 – Generating, through different communication tools, an awareness and education destined to all social spheres with the aim of favouring the marine environment conservation.
	Vogel-en Zoogdierenopvang “de Mikke” Netherlands	Demikke’s objective is to receive ill and injured animals from nature and after physical rehabilitation and 100% curing, we release them back to where they belong.
	Vogelrampenfonds (VRF) Netherlands	St. Vogelrampenfonds offers help to sick and wounded in wild living birds. It is working almost exclusively with volunteers and gets most of its finance from donations and gifts.
	Legambiente Environment League Italy	Legambiente is the most important and widespread environmental organization in Italy. Throughout the years it has become an important actor of the ecological and environmentalist issues of the country. Someone defines Legambiente as a perfect bound between citizens and government concerning very important environment issues like nuclear power, renewable energy sources, climate changing, etc. Legambiente is involved at several levels about the environment issue; in particular its Civil Protection Department cares, in close cooperation with the National Civil Protection Department, question like hydro geological risk, summer arsons plague, decontamination of the coast.
	Ecomare Netherlands	Ecomare aims to increase the public support for the conservation and rehabilitation of nature in the Wadden Sea area and the North Sea. Through public information and education and the rehabilitation of marine mammals and birds Ecomare contributes to a sustainable relationship between man and the sea.