1. HELCOM BALTIC SEA ACTION PLAN STAKEHOLDER CONFERENCE 2007
Actions to protect the biodiversity of the Baltic Sea Nature protection segment of the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan
HELCOM BALTIC SEA ACTION PLAN STAKEHOLDER CONFERENCE 2007
6 TH OF MARCH

2. Healthy sea - diverse biological components functioning in balance
Resource extraction
including fisheries
Bio-diversity
Healthy Baltic Sea
Maritime issues
Excessive nutrients
Hazardous substances
Diverse biological components functioning in balance
brackish conditions.
Excess input of nutrients has changed water quality and hazardous substances have accumulated in the biota, having subsequent impacts on biodiversity. Some species are directly threatened e.g. due to overexploitation by fisheries and many species suffer from the destruction of habitats, caused by e.g. coastal developments, extraction of gravel, dredging or other intensive activities on the seabed. The probability for environmental hazards caused by severe oil spills is continuously rising with increasing shipping in the Baltic Sea. In addition, intensive maritime traffic throughout the world has resulted in the introduction of many non-native species.
Together with the estimated effects of global warming, all these pressures might pose increasing hazards to biodiversity in the future. At the same time, protection should not prevent the sustainable use of the ecosystem good and services by current and future generations.
Good ecological status
Wide range of sustainable economic and social activities

3. Nature Protection – towards Baltic Sea biodiversity in favourable status
Baltic Sea unaffected by eutrophication
Favourable status of Baltic Sea biodiversity
Baltic Sea life undisturbed by hazardous substances
Maritime activities carried out in an environmentally friendly way
Clear water
Natural landscapes and seascapes
Healthy wildlife
No illegal pollution
Natural oxygen levels
All fish safe to eat
Safe maritime traffic without accidental pollution
Thriving and balances communities of plants and animals
Since multitude of human actions have impacts on biodiversity, the goal “favourable status of the Baltic Sea biodiversity” can not be reached without preventing introduction of alien species, having healthy wildlife as well as natural levels of algal blooms, distribution and occurrence of plant and animals, and oxygen levels – i.e. Baltic Sea unaffected by eutrophication, Baltic Sea life undisturbed by hazardous substances and Maritime activities carried out in an environmentally friendly way.
Natural level of algal blooms
Radioactivity at pre-Chernobyl level
Efficient response capacity
Viable populations of species
Natural distribution and occurrence of plants and animals
No introduction of alien species

4. Protecting Landscapes,
Healthy sea with diverse biological components functioning in balance
Good Ecological
and
Favourable Conservation
Status
Sustainable Economic and
Socio-economic Activities
Eutrophication
Combating
Substances
Hazardous
Inputs of
Closing
Transport
Maritime
Improving
None of the goals can be achieved without a holistic approach, which is taking into account all relevant pressures. Since biodiversity is in the core of the HELCOM’s vision of the healthy sea, this segment also serves as a controlling element for the performance of the whole Action Plan
Protecting Landscapes,
Habitats and Species

5. Natural landscapes and seascapes
maintaining and restoring natural marine, coastal and adjacent terrestrial landscapes in the whole Baltic Sea.
maintaining seafloor integrity at a level that functions of the ecosystems are safeguarded

6. Targets to have natural landscapes and seascapes
to have an ecologically coherent and well-managed network of coastal and offshore BSPAs, Natura 2000 areas and Emerald sites in the Baltic Sea
the short-term target is to have, when justified, a minimum of 10% of each Baltic Sea sub-region to be covered by BSPAs, Natura 2000 and Emerald sites
to have a broad scale spatial zoning template for the Baltic Sea area to enhance the protection of coastal and offshore areas, including the coastal strip, by reducing conflicting human activities

7. Current status Indicator Status
Designated BSPAs, Natura 2000 and Emerald site areas as a percentage of total sub-region areas
Percentage of important migration and wintering areas for birds within the Baltic Sea area which are covered by the BSPAs, Natura 2000 and Emerald sites
Number of BSPAs protecting threatened and/or declining species (for each species separately)

8. Actions to reach the targets
Regionally
jointly develop a broad scale spatial zoning template for the Baltic Sea area
to agree on and make use of the HELCOM criteria to assess the ecological coherence of MPA network
Nationally
designate already establish Natura 2000 and Emerald sites as BSPAs, as well as designate new sites as BSPAs (within EEZ)
designate, where appropriate, additional BSPAs with special attention to inclusion of new marine sites outside territorial waters, i.e. within EEZ
test the zoning approach and value whether the outcome can be applied for development of the HELCOM work on ICZM
Identification and mapping of marine landscapes will be an important action
In order to enhance the protection of coastal and offshore areas, including the coastal strip, by reducing conflicting human activities, a broad scale spatial zoning template could be jointly developed, and subsequently tested nationally as contribution to the HELCOM work on integrated coastal zone management.
At national level the first action to facilitate the analysis of ecological coherence of the network of marine protected areas should be the designation of already established marine Natura 2000 and Emerald sites as BSPAs. In addition the necessary missing information on their marine Natura 2000 and Emerald sites should be submitted to the HELCOM BSPA Database.
Designation of additional BSPAs with special attention to inclusion of new marine BSPAs outside territorial waters (within EEZ) should be done in order to reach the 10% and 30% area targets.
To fulfil the requirements of good governance (cf. HELCOM Recommendation 15/5) the Contracting Parties should finalize management plans, or measures, and routines for their BSPAs, according to the HELCOM BSPA Planning and management: Guidelines and tools.
In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the network of marine protected areas in covering marine underwater landscapes, such marine landscapes should be identified and mapped.

9. Already done
Existing network of MPAs, including Natura 2000, Emerald and other sites
HELCOM has identified important new sites as a potential candidates for BSPAs
Designated, proposed managed and expert opinion - HELCOM Baltic Sea Protected Areas

10. Thriving and balanced communities of plants and animals
reach and maintain the natural structure and distribution pattern of biological communities
no new introductions of alien species in order to prevent adverse alteration of the ecosystem
Initial focus should be directed to major habitat forming species from all sub-regions and biotopes of Baltic Sea, and their associated communities

11. Current status Indicator Status
Percentage of all potentially suitable substrates (seafloor) covered by characteristic and healthy habitat forming communities specific for each Baltic Sea sub-region
Abundance and distribution of rare, threatened and/or declining marine and coastal biotopes/habitats included in the HELCOM lists of threatened and/or declining species and habitats of the Baltic Sea area
Number of newly introduced invasive and alien aquatic species in the Baltic Sea
Number of established invasive and alien aquatic species in the Baltic Sea

12. Actions to reach the targets for thriving and balanced communities of plants and animals
Regionally
update the list of threatened and declining habitats and biotopes,
establish cooperation with Black Sea Commission and Caspian Sea in order to prevent new introductions of non indigenous species
promote implementation of IMO Ballast Water Convention IMO BWC.
Nationally
reduce the eutrophication and input of hazardous substances,
identify and map marine habitats formed by bladder wrack, eelgrass, blue mussel and stoneworts as well as threatened and declined habitats and biotopes identified by HELCOM,
ratify IMO BWC
minimise harmful impacts on the seafloor and marine biotopes/habitats caused by human activities such as mining, laying underwater cables and pipelines, sediment extraction or bottom trawling

13. What has been done already?
network of BSPAs Natura 2000 and Emerald sites aim at protecting habitats and biotopes
HELCOM has identified the Baltic biotopes and habitats that are threatened and declining,
Information on non-indigenous species has been well addressed including information on their vectors
Contracting Parties to HELCOM are planning steps for implementation of IMO Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments

14. Viable populations of species
focus on reaching and maintaining favourable status of key species
seals, harbour porpoise, white tailed eagle, salmon, cod and species that support them, as well as threatened and declining species
fish stocks are managed within safe biological limits

15. Current status Indicator Status
Number of threatened and/or declining species
Abundance of Baltic seal species compared to the safe biological limit (limit reference level) as defined by HELCOM SEAL
Ringed seal
Harbour and grey seals
Abundance and distribution of Baltic harbour porpoise
Number of rivers with population of Baltic sturgeon
Spawning stock biomass of eastern Baltic cod and autumn-spawning herring compared to the precautionary level (Bpa) as advised by ICES and/or defined by the EC management plans
Cod
Herring
Fishing mortality level of eastern Baltic cod and autumn-spawning herring compared to the precautionary level (Fpa) as advised by ICES and/or defined by the EC management plans
Numbers of discards and bycatch of fish, marine mammals and waterbirds
Number of entangled and drowned marine mammals and water birds
Number of salmon rivers with viable stocks
Trend of salmon smolt production in wild salmon rivers
Gulf of Bothnia
Gulf of Finland
Current status

16. Actions to reach the targets for viable populations of species
Regionally
address EC and other competent bodies to guarantee long term viability of commercial fish stocks through:
appropriate long-term management of Baltic Sea fisheries,
spatial and/or temporal closures for fisheries in order to protect important fish species and wintering birds
address EC and other competent bodies to implement a monitoring system for entangled and drowned marine mammals and water birds on the basis of obligatory bycatch reporting by fishermen develop/update and adopt complete regional HELCOM Red lists of Baltic species,
agree on strategy for stakeholder dialogue in order to avoid potential and mitigate existing conflicts between fisheries and protection of threatened and declining species (collaboration with Baltic RAC and other relevant bodies)
to finalise the general management principles for Baltic seals taking into account the safe biological limits
produce new inventory and classification of Baltic salmon rivers

17. Nationally
re-introduction programmes for Baltic sturgeon in potential rivers,
reintroduce salmon to 4 potential salmon rivers and to safeguard at least 10 wild weak salmon river populations
National Management Plans for seals on a basis of recently adopted HELCOM Recommendation
national management plans in order to ensure sustainable management of fish species whose regulation falls within national competence (in cooperation with the relevant fisheries authorities/bodies)

18. What has been done already?
HELCOM has adopted recommendations to protect harbour porpoises, seals and wild salmon
Jastarnia Plan for the protection of Harbour porpoise is supported by HELCOM
HELCOM ad hoc Seal Expert Group is currently quantifying Limit Reference Levels and Target Reference Levels for Baltic seal species, and is assisting in harmonisation of National Management Plans for seals

19. ...
HELCOM priority list of threatened and/or declining species and a complete Red list of fish and lamprey species
Joint efforts of International Baltic Sea Fishery Commission and HELCOM to protect salmon has resulted in an increase in wild salmon production
EC CFP opened for long-term approach to fisheries management, including the establishment of multi-annual recovery plans for stocks outside safe biological limits
Regional Advisory Councils established in order to ensure involvement of Stakeholders
HELCOM as an observer in the Baltic RAC

20. Finally the main issues
Spatial zoning of marine areas
Avoid conflicts between uses
Guarantee sustainable use of the resources
Network of well-managed protected areas
Safeguarding habitat-building species
Protection of threatened species
Stakeholder dialogue

21. this Second Stakeholder Conference
Contents of the Nature Protection segment of HELCOM BSAP will be further amended and changed taking also into account comments and proposals from
this Second Stakeholder Conference

22. THANK YOU !!!!