1. Marine Protected Areas
The coverage of HELCOM coastal and marine protected areas has increased threefold since 2004.
The Baltic Sea was the first regional sea to reach the target of 10% of the whole sea area in 2010 and today 12% of the total sea area is protected by HELCOM MPAs.
Protected areas are essential for maintaining healthy biodiversity and ensuring the versatility of ecosystems.
In total, there are 174 HELCOM MPAs (as of December 2015). The next target is to protect also 10% of each sub-basin.
Despite the good progress, studies have shown the network of MPAs is not yet ecologically coherent (the collection of sites does not protect the full range of biodiversity in the region). Further assessments of the ecological coherence of the network will be made within the HELCOM framework with the aim to improve the coherence with targeted MPA designations of for example off-shore areas.
Out of all of the 174 HELCOM MPAs, 64% have a management plan in force, 24% have a management plan in preparation, and 12% have no management plan at all.
The goal:
A management plan in force in 5 years after establishment
A management plan in force for all old areas by 2015.
In 20 years – since the adoption of HELCOM Recommendation 15/5 on a System of Coastal and Marine Baltic Sea Protected Areas (MPA), 163 have been nominated as HELCOM MPAs.
The goal is based on decisions made in the 2013 Copenhagen declaration.

2. Management plans of Marine Protected Areas 64% plan in force
24% plan in preparation
12% no plan
Of the total 174 HELCOM MPAs, 64% have a management plan in force, 24% have a management plan in preparation, and 12% have no management plan at all. According to the new HELCOM recommendation from April 2014 each HELCOM MPA shall have a management plan in force within 5 years of its establishment, which will further improve the management of the HELCOM MPAs.
HELCOM Contracting Parties have reported threats facing the Marine Protected Areas including among others commercial and leisure fishing. Commercial fishing is considered as an existing threat to almost half of the MPAs and a possible threat to one third of the MPAs. The concern for leisure fishing is a bit less. However, only one third of the marine protected areas are reported to have actions concerning fishing within their management plans, 23 require a permit for fishing, while 28 restrict fishing and only two forbid fishing in the protected area. Practical way forward is needed to ensure sustainable fisheries overall and in MPAs specifically.