1. What we are, what we do, what we can do together Marco Milardi – Project Researcher, HELCOM Baltic Sea FLAG Seminar, Helsinki, 3-4 April 2013

2. Helsinki Commission  Governing body of Helsinki Convention (signed in 1974 and updated in 1992)  Main goal: protect the marine environment of the Baltic Sea from all sources of pollution, and to restore and safeguard its ecological balance  Environmental policy maker coordinating and cooperating at the international and Baltic level, developing Recommendations and supervising their implementation

4. 2010 Moscow HELCOM Ministerial Meeting 9 NIPs for Eutrophication and Hazardous Substances Segments of the BSAP Overall status of implementation of the HELCOM BSAP 2011 HELCOM High-level segment Outlook for implementation: good examples, need for further action 2013 HELCOM Ministerial Meeting to assess progress in reaching the targets and efficiency of actions to devise additional actions, if needed

5. Ecosystem approach Several indicators to reflect various anthropogenic pressures and ecosystem statuses Not focused on commercial fish stocks. keystone species, functional groups (piscivores/cyprinids), communities, anadromous species

6. Focus on perch and/or flounder. Fishery independent data: survey nets, fyke nets Alternatively fishery catch (with fishing effort) ABUNDANCE OF PERCH

7. Focus on fisheries The task: to enhance the implementation of the fisheries related measures in the Baltic Sea Action Plan Photo: Anna Lingman

8. Within MPAs fishing activities are only marginally regulated How can fisheries contribute to protecting better the Baltic Sea? Are fisheries preventing us from reaching some conservation objectives?

9. Testing of new, low impact gears that can be used in MPAs Suuronen et al. 2012

10. There’s much more! Visit www.helcom.fi

12. Especially ghost nets

13. ASCOBANS

14. Better reporting, better quotas, better management Small scale, coastal fisheries voices are not much heard!

15. New focus for CFP reform

16. We would welcome any transnational proposals of cooperation Removal of nutrients? Johan Forssblad/EviEM More? Managing the conflicts? Also in inland waters?

17. Project Researcher (BALTFIMPA) Mr. Marco Milardi Phone: +358 40 557 5631 Fax: +358 207 412 645 Skype name: helcom51 www.helcom.fi Photo: Metsähallitus