(MENAFN) German authorities and conservation organizations have voiced strong objections to Poland’s proposed development of a recently identified oil and gas reserve in the Baltic Sea, citing fears of potentially “catastrophic” consequences for the region’s delicate ecosystems.

According to reports by local media, the criticism follows an announcement made earlier this week regarding the discovery.

The Canadian firm Central European Petroleum (CEP), which has held exploration licenses off Poland’s western coastline since 2017, revealed on Monday the existence of the Wolin East field.

The company characterized the find as the most substantial hydrocarbon discovery in Poland’s history and among the most significant in Europe over the last ten years.

The site is situated approximately 6 kilometers off the port of Swinoujscie, near the Polish-German frontier.

This boundary crosses an island that both nations share—known in Germany as Usedom—famous for its seaside resorts.

CEP has estimated the site contains more than 33 million tons of extractable oil and 27 billion cubic meters of gas, translating to a production capacity exceeding 400 million barrels of oil equivalent.

Nevertheless, German authorities have expressed alarm over the initiative’s possible disruption to tourism and environmental stability.

Till Backhaus, the Environment Minister of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, told a news outlet that the endeavor contradicts “the environmental and tourism interests of the German side.”

He also rebuked Poland for failing to inform Berlin ahead of time about exploratory activities that may have “potentially transboundary environmental impacts,” which he claims breaches existing international environmental accords.

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