Author: Eeva Nyyssönen

​This conference, joining together the 7th BONUS Forum and the 8th HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan Stakeholder Conference, reinforces and develops the synergies of HELCOM and BONUS in association with key strategic actors in efforts related to environmental policy and sustainable development of the northern European regional seas. The BONUS-HELCOM stakeholder conference on Tuesday 6 November 2018, to be held at the Park Inn by Radisson Copenhagen Airport, will foremost utilise the results of the BONUS projects (many of
which are now nearing completion) in HELCOM work – and beyond – as well as
jointly identify gaps to fill in for the future. The conference
will also offer a platform to enhance further synergies across the region,
Europe and wider.  Drawing from
the achievements and lessons learned from the simultaneously in 2007
established HELCOM – the pioneering programme
to restore the good ecological status of the Baltic Sea – and – a
regional marine research and development programme – the conference is set to
add value to continued cooperation in the Baltic Sea region as well as other
sea basins.The , setting the future strategic direction for
implementing the Baltic Sea Action Plan by 2021 and beyond, as well as
the UN 2030 Agenda’s sustainable development goals (SDGs), provide useful context
when the event’s agenda is being set in the coming month(s). The EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive and the EU Blue Growth
Agenda as well as other key sustainability policies also create a further
demand for new knowledge that can be met with BONUS research. Finally, also the
broadened scope of the current BONUS to form a northern regional seas research
and innovation programme in the future will be addressed during the conference
and key strategic actors invited to the setting of the agenda. A broad range of actors and stakeholders will be invited to take part in
discussions on 6 November 2018: policy makers and other end-users of sound
knowledge, regional sea conventions, industries, academia, non-governmental
organisations, relevant General Directorates of the European Commission,
research and innovation funding institutions, joint programming initiatives,
implementing bodies of the EU macro-regional strategies etc. Further information and key dates in the run-up period to the conference
will be announced in March 2018.* * *Note for editors The ,
usually referred to as HELCOM, is an intergovernmental organization of
the nine Baltic Sea coastal countries and the European Union. HELCOM has
worked since 1974 to protect the marine environment of the Baltic Sea
from all sources of pollution and to ensure safety of navigation in the
region. HELCOM is the governing body of the “Convention on the
Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area,” more
usually known as the Helsinki Convention.is
a joint Baltic Sea research and development programme producing
knowledge to support development and implementation of regulations,
policies and management practices specifically tailored for the Baltic
Sea region. It issues calls for competitive proposals and funds projects
of high excellence and relevance based on its BONUS strategic research
agenda 2011-2020. Half of the funding of the EUR 100 million to BONUS is
covered by the national research funding agencies in the eight EU
member states around the Baltic Sea and the other half by the EU. * * *For further information, please contact:Ms. Maija SirolaCommunications Manager, BONUSTel. +358 40 352 0076E-mail: Website: Facebook and Twitter: @BONUSBalticMs. Sara EstlanderCommunication Coordinator, HELCOMTel. +358 40 482 6103E-mail: Website: Facebook and Twitter: @HELCOMinfo

This conference, joining together the 7th BONUS Forum and the 8th HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan Stakeholder Conference, reinforces and develops the synergies of HELCOM and BONUS in association with key strategic actors.

​​​​Baltic Sea community follows up on commitment to describe Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Areas (EBSAs) International EBSA workshop and training session to be held 19–24 February in Helsinki, FinlandGroup picture from the opening of the workshop. Front row: Ms. Hannele Pokka, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of
the Environment of Finland, Ms.
Penina Blanket, Ministerial Adviser, Ministry of
the Environment of Finland,  Ms. Monika Stankiewicz, HELCOM Executive Secretary and Ms. Jihyun Lee, Environmental Affairs Officer, CBD
Secretariat. ​Photo: Florent Nicolas/HELCOM​At the United Nations Ocean Conference in June 2017, HELCOM members registered a to describe Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Areas (EBSA) in the Baltic Sea. The EBSA process will take a significant step further at a workshop in Helsinki next week. The workshop is being convened by the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, with financial support from the Governments of Finland and Sweden, and in collaboration with HELCOM. HELCOM’s contribution is supported by the HASPS 2 project, which aims to further objectives of the Horizontal Action “Spatial Planning” of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region.EBSAs are special areas in world’s oceans that serve important purposes, in one way or another, to support the healthy functioning of oceans and the many services that they provide. The purpose of the EBSA process is to globally describe these important marine areas using the established scientific criteria adopted by the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in all the world’s oceans:Uniqueness or RaritySpecial importance for life history stages of speciesImportance for threatened, endangered or declining species and/or habitatsVulnerability, Fragility, Sensitivity, or Slow recoveryBiological ProductivityBiological DiversityNaturalnessIn the Baltic Sea Region, the EBSA process is expected to provide further useful information of relevance to national and transboundary in the Baltic Sea. Other HELCOM processes such as the Red List, evaluation of effectiveness and coherence of networks, and future HELCOM environmental assessments may also be able to benefit from EBSAs.The workshop is of a scientific and technical nature. The description of EBSAs will draw on specific scientific criteria for describing important marine areas. Countries in the region, relevant organizations and indigenous peoples and local communities have been invited to provide relevant information, including scientific data and traditional knowledge on marine ecosystems, habitats and species, as well as physical, oceanographic, and geological characteristics. The Duke University Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab act as the technical team of the workshop, identifying and mapping datasets and analyses for consideration by the workshop. In addition to national datasets, the Baltic Sea countries have agreed to make relevant HELCOM datasets available to the workshop. ​ Mr. Patrick N. Halpin from the Technical Support Team instructing the workshop experts. ​Photo: Florent Nicolas/HELCOM​​​Thirteen regional EBSA workshops have been arranged worldwide to date. Countries in the region in question, as well as relevant global and regional organizations/initiatives, are invited to nominate experts for the workshop. The nominated experts then go through a selection process under CBD to ensure scientific and technical expertise, knowledge on EBSAs, and gender balance in the workshop. The workshop will produce a regional workshop report on areas meeting EBSA criteria, for consideration by the CBD’s Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice.* * *Note for editorsThe Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, usually referred to as HELCOM, is an intergovernmental organization of the nine Baltic Sea coastal countries and the European Union working to protect the marine environment of the Baltic Sea from all sources of pollution and to ensure safety of navigation in the region. Since 1974, HELCOM has been the governing body of the ‘Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area’, more commonly known as the Helsinki Convention. * * *ContactsMr. Ville Karvinen Project Coordinator ville.karvinen(at)helcom.fi +358 40 161 6513Ms. Jannica Haldin Professional Secretary jannica.haldin(at)helcom.fi +358 40 485 5905

Baltic Sea community follows up on commitment to identify Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Areas (EBSAs) – International EBSA workshop and training session to be held 19–24 February in Helsinki, Finland

Pieces are put into place for the HELCOM BALEX DELTA 2018 oil and chemical spill recovery exercise, to be held on 27–30 August 2018 in Karlskrona area, SwedenPlanning updates to follow on the newly launched HELCOM BALEX DELTA 2018 web pageThe Baltic Sea response community gathered in Malmö in the beginning of the week to put together the pieces of the puzzle for the HELCOM BALEX DELTA 2018 oil and chemical spill recovery exercise. The exercise will be held in August 2018 in the Karlskrona area, hosted by Sweden. The Main Planning Conference, held on 23–24 January 2018 and hosted by the County Administrative Board of Skåne, gathered 25 experts from seven Baltic Sea countries (Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Sweden) and the HELCOM Secretariat. Experiences from the SCOPE 2017 exercise were shared by the Norwegian colleagues, to the appreciation of the conference participants.  Therese Larsson, Project Manager for the BALEX DELTA 2018 EU project, welcomed the good cooperation: “I’m happy to have such knowledge from all over the Baltic Sea gathered under one roof during the Conference.” The Main Planning Conference for the 2018 BALEX DELTA exercise was attended by experts from all over the Baltic Sea. Photo: Sanna Saari.The planning of the exercise progressed from the overall picture to planning the details of the exercise. The experts worked on finalizing the scenario for the exercise, setting the scene for the at-sea and table-top exercises, and planning the alerting exercise and the EU observer program as well as publicity issues related to the exercise.  The exercise will look different from previous years, as it includes rehearsing the response to both oil and chemical spills, as well as a table-top exercise on on-shore and oiled wildlife response. In addition, the program for the observers is more extensive than usual, giving the observers the possibility to follow the exercise closer than ever before. Jonas Holmstrand from the Swedish Coastguard, responsible for the scenario, was pleased with the accomplishments of the planning conference: “All the team members now have a shared vision of how the exercise will be planned and carried out. We are well equipped for entering the next phase, during which the different aspects of the exercise will be planned in dedicated groups.”The official, newly launched BALEX DELTA 2018 web page recaps the most important information on the exercise and project, and will be updated regularly with latest news and project updates. The web page is intended as an information hub for participants of the exercise, as well as for others interested in oil response related issues.Background informationInternational assistance from some or all coastal countries may be needed in the case of a major spill in the Baltic Sea. Based on the 1974/1992 Helsinki Convention, work for such co-ordinated on pollution preparedness and response take place within the regular regional cooperation of HELCOM. A dedicated intergovernmental group was established in 1977 for this purpose, today called the .The agreed preparedness and response procedures are documented in the HELCOM Response Manual, which was first compiled in 1983 from a number of related HELCOM Recommendations and has been kept continuously updated ever since.In order to test this Response Manual in practice, and thus ensure effective co-operation in case of an international pollution incident in the Baltic Sea, the coastal countries regularly carry out exercises. These range from table top and communication exercises to operational exercises like the HELCOM BALEX DELTA, which has been organised every year since 1989. In operational exercises equipment, ships and staff are exercised in the field using an incident scenario, partly unknown to the participants.The BALEX DELTA 2018 EU project is a time-limited EU project supporting the organisation of the 2018 edition of the HELCOM BALEX DELTA exercise. The project will run from 1 May 2017 to 30 April 2019 with a total budget of EUR 950 000 from European Union DG ECHO, Directorate A -Emergency Management. The project consortium, led by the Swedish Coast Guard, includes as project partners the County Administrative Board of Skåne, HELCOM, MSB (Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency), Polish Maritime Search and Rescue Service, and SYKE (Finnish Environment Institute).The Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, usually referred to as HELCOM, is an intergovernmental organization of the nine Baltic Sea coastal countries and the European Union. HELCOM has worked since 1974 to protect the marine environment of the Baltic Sea from all sources of pollution and to ensure safety of navigation in the region. HELCOM is the governing body of the “Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area,” more usually known as the Helsinki Convention.ContactsMs. Therese LarssonBALEX DELTA 2018 Project ManagerSwedish Coast Guard, Director General’s OfficeTel: +46 721-87 87 34E-mail: therese.larsson(at)kustbevakningen.seMs. Heli HaapasaariChair of HELCOM Response Working GroupFinnish Environment Institute – SYKETel: +358 40 1793050E-mail: heli.haapasaari(at)environment.fiMr. Hermanni BackerProfessional Secretary for Maritime and ResponseHELCOMTel:+358 46 8509199Skype: helcom02E-mail: hermanni.backer(at)helcom.fi

Pieces are put into place for the HELCOM BALEX DELTA 2018 oil and chemical spill recovery exercise, to be held on 27–30 August 2018 in Karlskrona area, Sweden – Planning updates to follow on the newly launched HELCOM BALEX DELTA 2018 web page

 HELCOM Heads of Delegation note the contribution of BONUS projects to policy-making, including the upcoming HELCOM Ministerial Meeting 15 December 2017, Helsinki, FinlandThe 53rd Meeting of the Head of Delegations (HOD) of HELCOM, which concluded earlier this week in Helsinki, has taken note of recent policy-related results from a number of BONUS projects related to topics of biodiversity protection and marine protected areas, nutrients, social and economic analysis, and climate change. These policy messages stem from discussions at a HELCOM-BONUS workshop held on 6 November 2017 ( available on the ).Besides welcoming the HELCOM-BONUS workshop, the representatives of the Baltic Sea countries and EU also acknowledged the crucial contribution of the BONUS research programme to the recent work of HELCOM and to solid scientific basis for policy measures. As to the future, the meeting highlighted a need for research support regarding cumulative impact of multiple stressors on species and habitats and on the entire ecosystem of the Baltic Sea.One of the overarching conclusions of the joint workshop based on the results of various BONUS projects was the profound effect of climate change on all parts of the Baltic ecosystem, in particular on the distribution of species and genetic diversity in the Baltic Sea. Hence, the workshop considered it to be of key importance to include climate change as an integrated aspect of measures for biodiversity as well as for nutrient reduction, and in this way ensure that measures are in place to mitigate impacts from climate change.Further results of the BONUS projects will be presented at the next BONUS Symposium “Sustainable ecosystem governance under changing climate and land use in the Baltic Sea region”, planned to take place 14–16 March 2018 in Gdansk, Poland. Monika Stankiewicz, Executive Secretary of HELCOM, sees the new BONUS results as very timely to underpin the strengthening of the implementation of the HELCOM agreements. “The upcoming HELCOM Ministerial Meeting will consider the needed steps to accomplish the Baltic Sea Action Plan by 2021 as well as will decide on a future update of the Action Plan. The new scientific results from BONUS support the ongoing negotiations leading up to these major policy decisions at the Ministerial Meeting”, said Stankiewicz. “We are most pleased with the continued strengthening of the synergies between BONUS and HELCOM. We also look forward to jointly organising a HELCOM-BONUS stakeholder conference later in 2018, which the now concluded HOD meeting also welcomed. This will be important to further disseminate BONUS results as well as build synergies across the region, Europe and wider”, concluded Kaisa Kononen, Executive Director, BONUS.    * * *Note for editors The 2018 HELCOM Ministerial Meeting will be held on 6 March in Brussels, Belgium, under the EU chairmanship of HELCOM. The Ministers of the Environment of the nine Baltic coastal states and the EU Environment Commissioner will gather to discuss the status and the future of the Baltic Sea marine environment. The outcome of the 2018 Ministerial Meeting is expected to revolve around new actions to meet the Sustainable Development Goals in the Baltic Sea, strengthening implementation of the Baltic Sea Action Plan by 2021, and adjusting the Baltic Sea Action Plan based on new knowledge and future challenges. More information on the .The , usually referred to as HELCOM, is an intergovernmental organization of the nine Baltic Sea coastal countries and the European Union. HELCOM has worked since 1974 to protect the marine environment of the Baltic Sea from all sources of pollution and to ensure safety of navigation in the region. HELCOM is the governing body of the “Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area,” more usually known as the Helsinki Convention.is a joint Baltic Sea research and development programme producing knowledge to support development and implementation of regulations, policies and management practices specifically tailored for the Baltic Sea region. It issues calls for competitive proposals and funds projects of high excellence and relevance based on its BONUS strategic research agenda 2011-2020. Half of the funding of the EUR 100 million to BONUS is covered by the national research funding agencies in the eight EU member states around the Baltic Sea and the other half by the EU.  * * *BONUS projectsThe following BONUS projects were presented at the HELCOM-BONUS workshop on 6 November 2017:BONUS BALTICAPP – Wellbeing from the Baltic Sea – applications combining natural science and economics (1 April 2015-31 March 2018) BONUS BAMBI – Baltic Sea marine biodiversity – addressing the potential of adaptation to climate change (1 January 2014-31 December 2017) BONUS BIO-C3 – Biodiversity changes – causes, consequences and management implications (1 January 2014-31 December 2017) BONUS COCOA – Nutrient cocktails in coastal zones of the Baltic Sea – improving understanding of the transformation and retention of nutrients and organic matter in the coastal zone (1 January 2014-31 March 2017) BONUS GO4BALTIC – Coherent policies and governance of the Baltic Sea ecosystems (1 April 2015-31 December 2018) BONUS MIRACLE – Mediating integrated actions for sustainable ecosystem services in a changing climate (1 April 2015-31 July 2018) BONUS PROMISE – Phosphorus recycling of mixed substances, (1 April 2014 – 31 March 2017) BONUS SOILS2SEA – Reducing nutrient loadings from agricultural soils to the Baltic Sea via groundwater and streams, (1 January 2014-31 March 2018) * * *For further information, please contact:Ms. Maija SirolaCommunications Manager, BONUSTel. +358 40 352 0076E-mail: Website: Facebook and Twitter: @BONUSBalticMs. Sara EstlanderCommunication Coordinator, HELCOMTel. +358 40 482 6103E-mail: Website: Facebook and Twitter: @HELCOMinfo​

HELCOM Heads of Delegation note the contribution of BONUS projects to policy-making, including the upcoming HELCOM Ministerial Meeting

Regional ministers will discuss the state and future of the Baltic Sea marine environment in MarchHeads of Delegation of the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission meet this week to prepare ministerial outcomeHow will the Baltic Sea region respond to the call to action for the marine environment, set by the United Nations Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development? What efforts should be prioritized in order to achieve the aim of the – a healthy Baltic Sea by 2021? How should the Action Plan be adjusted based on the newest scientific knowledge and the challenges ahead? These are among the questions on the table at the 53rd HELCOM Heads of Delegation meeting today and tomorrow. The questions form the basis of the negotiations ahead of the in Brussels on 6 March, bringing together the responsible ministers from the Baltic Sea countries and the EU Commissioner for Environment. The Heads of Delegation meeting this week will focus in particular on the Declaration to be adopted at the Ministerial Meeting, which will frame the work for the Baltic Sea marine environment in the years to come.Targets: Baltic Sea Action Plan and Sustainable Development GoalsAmong the central background information for the discussions is a report following up on the actions agreed upon in the Baltic Sea Action Plan (BSAP) in 2007 and linking them to the current state of the Baltic Sea. According to the latest assessments, much has been accomplished, and there are some encouraging signals in the ecosystem, but the efforts so far have not led to the recovery of the Baltic Sea. The Heads of Delegation will discuss how to achieve stronger follow-through on the BSAP in order to reach the common goals.The Heads of Delegation will also consider how to adjust the BSAP in the light of new information. As science advances, policy-makers are better equipped than before to focus on those issues that cause the greatest harm and are the most widely distributed. There is also more and more knowledge about climate change and other issues that are developing or will emerge in the future. The adjusted plan for action will take into account the changing situation and highlight the most important measures to take. The questions about the BSAP are also central to the global context of the Sustainable Development Goals, adopted by the UN General Assembly in September 2015. Governments have the primary responsibility for taking action to achieve the goals, while Regional Sea Conventions like HELCOM are well suited for considering new actions across borders in pursuit of those SDGs that relate to marine and water issues. The Baltic Sea countries have agreed to use HELCOM as the regional arena for coordinating work on ocean-related SDGs. In order to reach SDG 14 – “Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources” – the Baltic Sea region needs both to accelerate work towards the goals of the Baltic Sea Action Plan and to adapt the plan based on the newest and best available science. HELCOM will use the Sustainable Development Goals as guidance when setting new priorities and targets. Preparing for the Ministerial MeetingThe outcome of the discussions between the Heads of Delegation will be an important stepping stone towards reaching Ministerial agreement. The meeting this week aims to put everything in place for the Ministerial negotiations in March.Preparations for the Ministerial Meeting have been ongoing since the meeting of high-level representatives of the Baltic Sea states and the EU in February 2017. However, the background efforts and the scientific data that underpin the discussions stretch back over several years and includes a multitude of projects. Among these are the large-scale , which will be finalized by mid-2018.  “The background work for the Ministerial Meeting draws together all the different roles and processes of HELCOM: it is a hub that provides information about the Baltic Sea environment, that produces recommendations and policies based on this information in order to improve the state of the ecosystem, and that supervises that agreements are upheld. HELCOM is the bridge between science and policy in the Baltic Sea, and the Ministerial Meeting is the highest point on that bridge,” says Monika Stankiewicz, Executive Secretary at the HELCOM Secretariat.All the meeting documents will be available in the HELCOM Meeting portal after the meeting, no login required:  * * *Note for editors:The 2018 HELCOM Ministerial Meeting will be held on 6 March in Brussels, Belgium, under the EU chairmanship of HELCOM. The Ministers of the Environment of the nine Baltic coastal states and the EU Environment Commissioner will gather to discuss the status and the future of the Baltic Sea marine environment. The outcome of the 2018 Ministerial Meeting is expected to revolve around new actions to meet the Sustainable Development Goals in the Baltic Sea, strengthening implementation of the Baltic Sea Action Plan by 2021, and adjusting the Baltic Sea Action Plan based on new knowledge and future challenges. More information on the .The Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, usually referred to as HELCOM, is an intergovernmental organization of the nine Baltic Sea coastal countries and the European Union. HELCOM has worked since 1974 to protect the marine environment of the Baltic Sea from all sources of pollution and to ensure safety of navigation in the region. HELCOM is the governing body of the “Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area,” more usually known as the Helsinki Convention.* * *For further information, please contact:Monika Stankiewicz Executive Secretary HELCOM monika.stankiewicz(at)helcom.fiSara Estlander Communication Coordinator HELCOM +358 40 482 6103 sara.estlander(at)helcom.fi

Regional ministers will discuss the state and future of the Baltic Sea marine environment in March – Heads of Delegation of the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission meet this week to prepare ministerial outcome

Experts to discuss Baltic Sea processes for eel assessment and managementAim: identifying ways of working together on eel more efficientlyEel and the Baltic Sea is the topic of a regional workshop starting today in Stockholm, which gathers representatives from management bodies, scientific experts, and relevant stakeholders in charge of assessment and management of eel in countries around the Baltic Sea and its tributaries. European eel. Image: The workshop will share information on international, regional, and national processes on eel assessment and management that are relevant for the Baltic Sea. Based on this, the workshop will discuss similarities, differences, challenges, and opportunities for next steps.”During the three days, we bring together information, expertise, and interest, in order to identify possible ways to contribute to managing this shared resource. We will especially consider how we could work together in the Baltic Sea region more efficiently,” says Willem Dekker, the workshop moderator and senior scientist at the Swedish University of Agriculture (SLU) specialised on eel.The workshop is organized as part of the , in cooperation with the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) and Sargasso Sea Commission (SSC), and with presentations from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), the EU Commission and the Baltic Sea Advisory Council (BSAC). The Workshop is hosted by the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management (SWAM) with the Swedish University of Agriculture (SLU). The outcome will be submitted to the HELCOM Fish group and other organizations/bodies, as appropriate, for consideration and follow-up.* * *Background informationThe deals with the implementation of the ecosystem-based approach in fisheries and considers how the sector could help reach Good Environmental Status in the Baltic Sea by 2021. The group involves representatives from fisheries and environmental authorities of the Baltic Sea countries, as well as EU, and HELCOM Observers and others as appropriate. Its official name is the HELCOM Group on Ecosystem-based Sustainable Fisheries. The Task force on migratory fish species (FISH-M) is a sub-group of HELCOM FISH which looks at the particular challenges around migratory fish species such as salmon, seatrout and eel.HELCOM is an intergovernmental organization made up of the nine Baltic Sea coastal countries and the European Union. Founded in 1974, its primary aims as a governing body are to protect the marine environment of the Baltic Sea from all sources of pollution, as well as to ensure safe maritime navigation. The official name of HELCOM is the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission; it is the governing body of the Helsinki Convention.* * *ContactsWillem DekkerSenior scientist, Swedish University of Agricultural SciencesMobile: +46 76 126 8136 E-mail: Willem.Dekker@slu.seHermanni Backer Professional Secretary for Maritime, Response and Fish groups HELCOM Tel: +358 46 8509199 Skype: helcom02 E-mail: hermanni.backer(at)helcom.fi

Experts to discuss Baltic Sea processes for eel assessment and management, with the aim of identifying ways of working together on eel more efficiently

Nutrient recycling and rural water management discussed at HELCOM AGRI meeting last weekIncreasing ammonia emissions require attentionRepresentatives of national environmental and agricultural authorities as well as scientific institutions and NGOs gathered in Helsinki last week, to discuss the environmental impact of agricultural production in the Baltic Sea region along with various measures to mitigate it. Held in Helsinki on 9–10 November 2017, the 5th HELCOM Meeting focused on the opportunities for recycling nutrients, which serves both to prevent nutrients leaching into waterways and to sustain food security. Participants highlighted that despite different countries having different means and drivers to work for closing nutrients loops, the work done in all Baltic countries serves towards the common goals of sustainable development in the region. The Meeting also pointed out the significance of efficient water management in rural areas. The participants recommend shifting the focus in water management from the individual field to comprehensive solutions within river basins, incorporating land use planning and close involvement of local stakeholders, while taking into account adaptation to climate change. Another environmental aspect discussed at the Meeting was the increase in ammonia emissions, along with the resulting deposition of nitrogen on the water surface of the Baltic Sea. The participating HELCOM members agreed that the matter requires specific attention of the HELCOM society, as agriculture remains the major source of ammonia in the region.​The fifth meeting of the HELCOM Agri group was held in Helsinki on 9–10 November.. All documents will be public after the meeting.* * *Note for editorsHELCOM is an intergovernmental organization made up of the nine Baltic Sea coastal countries and the European Union. Founded in 1974, its primary aims as a governing body are to protect the marine environment of the Baltic Sea from all sources of pollution, as well as to ensure safe maritime navigation. The official name of HELCOM is the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission; it is the governing body of the Helsinki Convention.The deals with agriculture related to the implementation of an ecosystem-based approach. It includes representatives from agriculture and environmental authorities of the Baltic Sea countries, as well as EU and HELCOM Observers. The group provides a platform for agri-environmental policy measures and instruments, as well as for the joint discussion of agricultural effects on the marine environment, namely nutrient inputs and emissions. Its official name is the HELCOM Group on Sustainable Agricultural Practices.* * *For more information, please contact:Dmitry Frank-Kamenetsky Professional Secretary HELCOM Tel: +358 40 630 9933 Skype: helcom68 E-mail: dmitry.frank-kamenetsky(at)helcom.fi 

Nutrient recycling and rural water management discussed at HELCOM AGRI meeting last week – Increasing ammonia emissions require attention

Three-year project targets shipping’s harmful hitchhikers: invasive speciesExpected results: knowledge, strategies, and tools for environmentally friendly shippingAn ambitious project is starting its activity with a two-day kick-off meeting in Helsinki, Finland on 9–10 November. The COMPLETE project – short for “Completing management options in the Baltic Sea Region (BSR) to reduce risk of invasive species introduction by shipping” – is a three-year (2017-2020) EU project.COMPLETE is aimed at minimizing the introduction and spread of harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens because of shipping. It will do so by developing consistent and adaptive management strategies and tools for the Baltic Sea region, addressing both major pathways of introductions via ships: ballast water and biofouling. As such, it directly addresses the objective “No introductions of alien species from ships” as well as the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive’s (MSFD) Descriptor 2: “NIS introduced as a result of human activities are at levels that do not adversely alter the ecosystem”. With respect to biofouling, the project will consider not only the risk of species introduction, but also the risk of release of hazardous substances from antifouling.COMPLETE will deliver knowledge and tools to carry out HELCOM’s new roadmap for regional implementation of the outstanding issues on the Ballast Water Management Convention (BWMC) in the Baltic Sea (, para.6.103). It will also assist relevant authorities in implementing Regulation (EU) No 1143/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council, which aims to protect native biodiversity and ecosystem services. By addressing key challenges of the Baltic Sea Region, the ultimate goal of the project is to develop operational frameworks and provide user-oriented tools, in close cooperation with relevant stakeholders, in order to make shipping more environmentally friendly.The Kick-off meeting of the project, held 9-10 November in Helsinki, gathers project partners to start implementing this project. Anna-Liisa Perttilä, Environmental Co-ordinator at Finnlines Plc, provides an invited key note address.Coordination of the project is conducted by Kotka Maritime Research Association (KMRA/FI). Project partnership is formed by the following:Klaipėda University (KU/LT)Helsinki Commission (HELCOM)Finnish Environment InstituteMarine Research Centre (SYKE/FI)University of Gdansk (UG/PL)University of Helsinki, Department of Environmental Sciences (UH/FI)Chalmers University of Technology (CHALMERS/SE)Environmental Development Association (EDA/LV)Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH/DE)South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences (XAMK/FI)University of Tartu (UTARTU/EE)Keep the Archipelago Tidy Association (KAT/FI)Associated organizations represent shipping companies, port authorities, governmental bodies, NGOs, and research institutions from all Baltic Sea countries. Project partners have long-term expertise and know-how in innovative solutions for shipping, risk assessment and management systems, surveillance, and monitoring. The participation of HELCOM as a full project partner will ensure involvement of relevant institutions from all Baltic Sea countries, harmonizing implementation of the Ballast Water Management Convention and elaboration of the Baltic Sea Region biofouling management strategy. Further dialogue between science and managers as well as industry and other stakeholders will be established through an Advisory Board.* * *Note for editorsThe Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, usually referred to as HELCOM, is an intergovernmental organization of the nine Baltic Sea coastal countries and the European Union working to protect the marine environment of the Baltic Sea from all sources of pollution and to ensure safety of navigation in the region. Since 1974, HELCOM has been the governing body of the ‘Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area’, more commonly known as the Helsinki Convention.During the last decade shipping has steadily increased in the Baltic Sea, reflecting intensifying co-operation and economic prosperity around the region. At the same time, increasing maritime transportation threatens fragile ecosystems and the livelihoods of the many people who depend on the sea. identifies and promotes actions to limit sea-based pollution and finds ways for safer navigation. Established in 1975, the group also deals with the harmonized implementation and enforcement of international shipping regulations.* * *For more information, please contact:Miina Karjalainen Management coordinator, COMPLETE project Kotka Maritime Research Association Tel: +358-44-5222843 E-mail: Marta Ruiz Associate Professional Secretary HELCOM Tel: +358 40 6472424 Skype: helcom59 E-mail: marta.ruiz(at)helcom.fi 

Three-year project targets shipping’s harmful hitchhikers: invasive species – Expected results: knowledge, strategies, and tools for environmentally friendly shipping

​The coordination of regional policy and application of the ecosystem-based approach in maritime spatial planning were in focus of the 15th Meeting of the joint (HELCOM-VASAB MSP WG 15-2017), held in Warsaw, Poland, on 7-8 November 2017. Meeting participants discussed the first version of the HELCOM report, focusing on the approaches and results that could support MSP and be of use for maritime spatial planners. The report contains an assessment of a broad range of aspects, covering the state of the ecosystem, pressures and impacts from human activities, as well as social and economic dimensions, in the entire Baltic Sea.One of the HELCOM-VASAB MSP group’s tasks is to consider the concepts of green infrastructure and blue corridors, which serve to safeguard that the marine ecosystem remains functional outside marine protected areas as well as to connect marine protected areas to each other. The EU-funded international project PanBaltic SCOPE will focus on this issue during 2018–2019.Furthermore, the upcoming workshop (in February 2018) on identifying Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Areas (EBSAs) in the Baltic Sea will provide information that can be directly used in developing the green infrastructure concept for MSP purposes. HELCOM made a to identify these areas at the United Nations Conference “Our oceans, our future: partnering for the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14” in June 2017. The HELCOM-VASAB Meeting also planned future work on themes such as safety of navigation in MSP, and discussed application of the outcomes of various regional projects in spatial planning, in particular those flagship projects of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region that relate to MSP. * * *Note for editorsThe Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, usually referred to as HELCOM, is an intergovernmental organization of the nine Baltic Sea coastal countries and the European Union working to protect the marine environment of the Baltic Sea from all sources of pollution and to ensure safety of navigation in the region. Since 1974, HELCOM has been the governing body of the ‘Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area’, more commonly known as the Helsinki Convention.According to the United Nations, Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) is “a public process of analyzing and allocating the spatial and temporal distribution of human activities in marine areas to achieve ecological, economic, and social objectives that usually have been specified through a political process.”The functions to ensure regional coherence of activities related to maritime spatial planning. The group, founded in 2010, is also in charge of Horizontal Action Spatial Planning within the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region.  * * *For more information, please contact:Dmitry Frank-Kamenetsky Professional Secretary HELCOM Tel: +358 40 630 9933 Skype: helcom68 E-mail: dmitry.frank-kamenetsky(at)helcom.fi 

The coordination of regional policy and application of the ecosystem-based approach in maritime spatial planning were in focus of the 15th Meeting of the joint HELCOM-VASAB Maritime Spatial Planning Working Group in Warsaw this week.

Nutrient flow and recycling in focus at the HELCOM Agri Group meeting this weekSmart nutrients management in agriculture is in focus at the HELCOM meeting, which is currently being held in Helsinki, Finland, on 9–10 November 2017. Recent results of HELCOM assessments show that an oversupply of nutrients to the Baltic Sea from various land-based sources remains the major environmental pressure on the marine ecosystem. The largest share of nitrogen and phosphorus comes from diffuse sources, and of these, agricultural production is the most significant. Participating in the meeting are representatives of the Baltic Sea countries and the EU, among them experts from environmental and agricultural authorities and research institutions, as well as from farmers associations and environmental NGOs. Discussions will focus on drivers and obstacles for nutrient recycling in the region, including nutrient flows and means to return nutrients to the agricultural production, aimed at preventing them from leaching into the aquatic environment. Among the specific themes of the Meeting are further steps on nutrient accounting at farm level in the region, as well as innovative water management in rural areas. . All documents will be public after the meeting.* * *Note for editorsHELCOM is an intergovernmental organization made up of the nine Baltic Sea coastal countries and the European Union. Founded in 1974, its primary aims as a governing body are to protect the marine environment of the Baltic Sea from all sources of pollution, as well as to ensure safe maritime navigation. The official name of HELCOM is the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission; it is the governing body of the Helsinki Convention.The deals with agriculture related to the implementation of an ecosystem-based approach. It includes representatives from agriculture and environmental authorities of the Baltic Sea countries, as well as EU and HELCOM Observers. The group provides a platform for agri-environmental policy measures and instruments, as well as for the joint discussion of agricultural effects on the marine environment, namely nutrient inputs and emissions. Its official name is the HELCOM Group on Sustainable Agricultural Practices.* * *For more information, please contact:Dmitry Frank-Kamenetsky Professional Secretary HELCOM Tel: +358 40 630 9933 Skype: helcom68 E-mail: dmitry.frank-kamenetsky(at)helcom.fi ​

Nutrient flow and recycling in focus at the HELCOM Agri Group meeting this week