Author: Eeva Nyyssönen

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

​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.

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

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

A two-day conference kicks off the planning of the 2018 HELCOM BALEX DELTA exercise on oil and chemical spills, to be held in August in SwedenThanks to extra EU funding, the exercise will have a wider scope and greater impact than usualThe next major Baltic operational exercise in oil spill response, HELCOM BALEX DELTA, is scheduled to take place during the week of 27–31 August 2018 in Karlskrona area, Sweden. Preparations for the 2018 exercise will take major steps forward today and tomorrow (8–9 November) with an initial planning conference in Stockholm, Sweden. During the conference, the participating response authorities from the Baltic Sea coastal countries and the EU will have an opportunity to provide input to the planning of the three-day exercise. The conference is organized by the Swedish Coast Guard, the coordinator of BALEX DELTA 2018, and co-financed by the EU. Kapitan Poinc from Gdynia, Poland deploying the 600-metre oil boom during the 2015 BALEX DELTA exercise.Long-standing Baltic
cooperation gets boost from EUHELCOM BALEX DELTA exercises, organised as a practical test of the alarm procedures and the response capability of the Baltic Sea countries, have taken place each year since 1989. They are hosted by the Baltic Sea coastal countries according to a rotation schedule agreed upon at the HELCOM RESPONSE Working Group.In addition to the host, other countries regularly participate with their own response ships. Typically, 6–8 countries take part in the exercise, bringing the total number of vessels to 10–20. This makes the Baltic exercise one of the major multilateral spill exercises worldwide.

For the 2018 exercise, the hosting country Sweden has a
project budget of nearly 1 million euro, which includes significant project financing
from the European Union Directorate-General
for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO) for the period from May 2017 to April 2019. This
funding allows a more advanced exercise, including detailed and inclusive planning
as well as more thorough analysis of the lessons learned. The outcome of this
analysis will contribute to the overall development of the HELCOM exercise framework
for at-sea, on-shore and combined operations. The project has recently been selected a flagship project of the EU
Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region.Therese Larsson from the Swedish Coast Guard Headquarters is full of enthusiasm: “Due to the EU financing we have secured, we will be able to organise the 2018 Balex Delta exercise in Sweden at a completely different level than normally possible. I am very much looking forward to the input from the coastal countries and the EU during this initial planning conference.”

Coordinated action on land and at sea The preliminary scenario for the 2018 BALEX DELTA, to be further discussed at the initial planning conference, involves a cargo ship which hits ground off the environmentally sensitive rocky coast of southern parts of Sweden (Skåne and Blekinge). The ship carries containers with hazardous chemicals, some of which start leaking and are lost into the sea, while a breach in the hull leads to an oil spill. Some of the material reaches the shoreline, which calls for response activities on the shore, in addition to those at sea. Thus, besides ensuring effective international oil spill response at sea and on the shore, the exercise will also answer another need: to further develop the response procedures that relate to international incidents involving hazardous and noxious substances, both in the Baltic Sea and worldwide. Moreover, the exercise will focus on ensuring effective communication between the diverse actors involved, especially between those working on shore and those at sea.As the exercise receives funding from the DG ECHO programme, an extensive observer programme will be organised in order to ensure that the Baltic best practices can be spread throughout the EU. Within the observer programme, observers from 40 countries will be invited to witness the exercise, in addition to the Baltic Sea community that regularly takes part.”Today’s planning conference, involving all the coastal countries in initial planning, is a particularly welcome feature enabled by the additional funding. The EU project will also enable more detailed evaluation and analysis of the lessons learned, which will likely contribute greatly to the further development of the overall regional Baltic Sea cooperation on spill response.” concludes Heli Haapasaari, Chair of HELCOM RESPONSE working Group.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 HELCOM Response Working Group.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). Contacts

A two-day conference kicks off the planning of the 2018 HELCOM BALEX DELTA exercise on oil and chemical spills, to be held in August in Sweden – Thanks to extra EU funding, the exercise will have a wider scope and greater impact than usual

Three new reports available on beach litter, microlitter, and litter on the seafloor in the Baltic SeaHELCOM marine litter workshop to focus on microlitter sampling and analysisDuring 2017, experts from all over the Baltic Sea region have worked together on how to monitor and assess marine litter in the Baltic Sea, within the EU-financed . The project is now coming to an end, and it is time to share the results. With the support and guidance of the , three reports have been prepared, to be finalized by the end of the year: ;; and.The results of these reports will be discussed in the HELCOM SPICE Workshop on microlitter, to be held on 7–8 November in Helsinki, with the aim to identify gaps and ways forward in marine litter monitoring and assessment in the Baltic Sea. More specifically, the focus of the Workshop will be on sampling and analysing microlitter:sampling environments (such as water surface, water column, sediment, biota), options for sampling (such as manta trawl, Baby-Bongo net, box core), and analytical methods (such as stereo microscopy, Raman, FTIR, chemical digestion, enzyme digestion).The Workshop will be co-chaired by Outi Setälä (Finland), Włodzimierz Krzymiński (Poland), and Per Nilson (Sweden). Key speakers of the event will be Mr. Martin Hassellöv (University of Gothenburg) and Mr. Mikhail Zobkov (P.P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology), who will talk about their experiences from the BASEMAN project (Defining the baselines and standards for microplastics analyses in European water) and the MARBLE project (MicroplAstics Research in the BaLtic marine Environment projects), respectively.The HELCOM coordinated SPICE project develops marine litter indicators towards operationalization and contributed to the assessment of marine litter in the * * *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 ConventionThe focuses on nutrient and hazardous substance inputs from diffuse sources and point sources on land, including the follow-up of HELCOM nutrient reduction scheme implementation. The group ensures the necessary technical underpinning and develops solutions for policy-relevant questions and needs. Marine litter and underwater noise are also coordinated by this group. Its official name is the Working Group on Reduction of Pressures from the Baltic Sea Catchment Area.* * * For more information, please contact:Marta Ruiz Associate Professional Secretary HELCOM Tel: +358 40 6472424 Skype: helcom59 E-mail: marta.ruiz(at)helcom.fi ​

Three new reports available on beach litter, microlitter, and litter on the seafloor in the Baltic Sea – HELCOM marine litter workshop to focus on microlitter sampling and analysis

Data presented at the HELCOM PRESSURE Meeting 7-2017 shows that most of the nutrient input to the Baltic Sea comes from rivers The Meeting called for intensified efforts on tracking microlitter, tackling lost fishing gear, and handling sewage sludgeThe Seventh Meeting of the was held last week in Vilnius, Lithuania. The Meeting was combined with three scientific workshops between experts in monitoring of nutrients, marine litter, and waste water management, from the leading scientific institutions and universities of seven Baltic Sea countriesThe key discussion point of the Meeting was inputs of nutrients to the Baltic Sea. The project group of the Sixth HELCOM project on Pollution Load Compilation (PLC-6) has analyzed new data reported by all countries, based on a time series covering the years 1995 to 2014. The data included a new evaluation of the contribution from different sources to the total nutrient load on the Baltic Sea (the previous evaluation being based on data from 2006).These new data show that rivers are major contributors of nutrients to the Baltic Sea, providing about 70% of nitrogen load and 95% of phosphorus load. The air deposition share of total nitrogen load is about 30% and the share of point sources is only 3%, which is in line with previous assessments. For phosphorous, the proportion of point sources in the total load has more than halved in the last decades, and now constitutes only about 5%.However, the Meeting pointed out that none of the HELCOM countries have fulfilled their reduction requirements for phosphorus. The full version of the source apportionment will be available December this yearLost fishing gear. Photo credit: WWF Poland / Sebastian BarszczewskiThe results of two years of implementation of the were also in focus, both at the workshop dedicated to marine litter and at the PRESSURE 7-2017 Meeting. The participants noted that a lot of work has been done in relation to microlitter and riverine litter, and especially on lost fishing gear, which poses one of the most widely recognized threats to marine life. The scientific workshop suggested to start drafting a HELCOM Recommendation on lost fishing gear, building on a knowledge base with contribution from the World Wide Fund For Nature. The final decision on a new Recommendation will be made by countries in mid-November, after national consultation with the authorities that may be involved to this work.The scientists and representatives of national authorities at the Meeting agreed that diffuse sources are the major contributors of microplastics to the marine environment. However, they pointed out that there are currently no suitable harmonized methods available for monitoring microplastics, especially in storm waters, and therefore it is not possible to identify its sources and pathways without ambiguity. As the leading scientists of the region were of the shared opinion that there is not currently enough consistent knowledge to recommend any specific cost-efficient measures to prevent microlitter input to the marine environment, and bearing in mind the HELCOM principle that all decisions should be based on the best available scientific knowledge, the countries agreed to continue working to improve the knowledge base on microlitter in the marine environment and on its sources and pathways.The progress achieved in treatment of waste water in recent years has resulted in growing amounts of sewage sludge, and the countries agreed that it is increasingly essential to ensure that this sewage sludge is handled in a sustainable way. Experts and representatives of national authorities exchanged views on the national sewage practices of sludge handling, and agreed that regular regional seminars on the topic would help promote sustainable solutions and recycling of nutrients from sewage sludge. Countries also agreed to start elaborating a regional palette of solutions to support dialogue within the Baltic Sea region and to promote the sustainable handling of sewage sludgeThe Meeting gathered representatives of nearly all HELCOM contracting parties, as well as of the observer organizations Baltic Farmers’ Forum on Environment, Coalition Clean Baltic, Federation of European Aquaculture Producers, and World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF). 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 ConventionThe Working Group on Reduction of Pressures from the Baltic Sea Catchment Area – – focuses on nutrient and hazardous substance inputs from diffuse sources and point sources on land, including the follow-up of the implementation of the HELCOM nutrient reduction scheme. The group ensures the necessary technical underpinning as well as develops solutions to the policy-relevant questions and needs. Marine litter and underwater noise are also coordinated by this group* * 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.f

Data presented at the HELCOM PRESSURE Meeting 7-2017 shows that most of the nutrient input to the Baltic Sea comes from rivers. The Meeting called for intensified efforts on tracking microlitter, tackling lost fishing gear, and handling sewage sludge.

The HELCOM State & Conservation group meeting endorses the first HELCOM pharmaceutical indicator for testingImproving the effectiveness of the network of important marine areas in the Baltic Sea tied to global processes and management of human activitiesThe Seventh Meeting of the HELCOM (STATE & CONSERVATION 7-2017) took place in Sopot, Poland 23–27 October. The Working Group is set up to thake a two-pronged approach, linking topics related to monitoring with biodiversity and conservation issues. The key theme of the meeting was the continuing work to update and further improve the holistic . The initial version of the report was published in June 2017 and gives a comprehensive overview of the health of the Baltic Sea, ranging from physical to biological to social and economic aspects. Most of the assessment results in the report are based on indicators, and the meeting agenda included a draft for a new indicator on the drug diclofenac – the first HELCOM indicator for pharmaceuticals. The meeting endorsed the use of this indicator as a pre-core test indicator, meaning it will be included in the updated report using a descriptive approach, as opposed to a quantitative approach based on decided threshold values. The final version of the report, including final results based on 2011–2016 data, will be released in June 2018.Another step forward was the agreement to focus efforts on further improving the HELCOM Marine Protected Area (MPA) network, specifically the necessity for updating the guidance provided by HELCOM on how MPAs are to be designated and managed. Clearer guidelines are needed in order to better link the MPA network to the planning of human activities at sea (often referred to as Marine Spatial Planning) and to current international commitments, as well as to ensure that the network lives up to its full potential.  Current network of HELCOM Marine Protected AreasParallel to the continued work to improve the effectiveness of the MPA network, the work on marine spatial planning and MPAs will take another major step forward, both in a regional and a global context, at a high-level workshop aimed at describing Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Areas (EBSAs). EBSAs are special areas in the ocean that serve important purposes to support the healthy functioning and the many services that the sea provides (for more background information, see ). The designation of EBSAs in the Baltic Sea is an important step in linking the region to the global network of areas already identified under the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (UN CBD). The workshop will take place in Helsinki on 19 to 24 February 2018, hosted by Finland and convened by the Secretariat of the UN CBD in cooperation with HELCOM.The meeting also updated HELCOM Recommendation 19/3 on ‘The Manual for the Marine Monitoring in the Combine Programme of HELCOM’ and HELCOM Recommendation 24/10 ‘Implementation of Integrated Marine and Coastal Management of Human Activities in the Baltic Sea Area’, both of which will be submitted to HELCOM Heads of Delegation 53-2017 in December for a decision.. All documents will be public after the meeting.* * *Note for editorsThe Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, usually referred to as , 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.HELCOM covers the monitoring and assessment functions as well as nature conservation and biodiversity protection in HELCOM. The group works across the monitoring-indicators-assessment chain for the coordinated development of HELCOM thematic assessment tools, as well as for a coherent holistic assessment of the ecosystems health.* * * For more information, please contact:Jannica Haldin Professional Secretary HELCOM Tel. +358 40 485 5905 E-mail: jannica.haldin(at)helcom.fi ​

HELCOM State & Conservation group meeting endorses the first HELCOM pharmaceutical indicator for testing – Improving the effectiveness of the network of important marine areas in the Baltic Sea tied to global processes and management of human activities

HELCOM PRESSURE 7-2017 Meeting 24–26 Oct to focus on 6th Pollution Load Compilation assessmentsThe Meeting includes workshops on nutrient input reduction targets, marine litter action plan, and sewage sludge handlingThe seventh meeting of the HELCOM Pressure group will start on 24 October in Vilnius, Lithuania. The highlight of the Meeting is the presentation of new products of the Sixth HELCOM Project on Pollution Load Compilation (PLC-6). These products include an evaluation of nutrient inputs from the major sources and their contribution to the total load on the Baltic Sea; an assessment of the effectiveness of measures to reduce the input; and an evaluation of how far the work to reduce nutrient input has come towards the targets set by HELCOM.Marking that almost two years has passed since HELCOM adopted its regional action plan on marine litter, the group will evaluate the progress made so far on combatting marine litter, as well as suggest next steps. The group will also consider suggestions to revise a number of HELCOM Recommendations and to develop a new Recommendation on littering of the marine environmentAlongside the main HELCOM meeting, three workshops are arranged, each on one key point of the meeting agenda: assessment of progress towards nutrient input reduction targets, implementation of the regional action plan on marine litter, and sewage sludge handling practices. The workshops will give experts an additional opportunity to discuss these matters in more detail and to provide support for the decisions to be made by the group.Promotion of nutrient recycling is one of the HELCOM ministerial commitments. The group will discuss obstacles and drivers of cost-efficient and environmentally friendly recycling of nutrients, as well as what tools could be developed in the Baltic Sea region to support nutrient recycling, considering especially the major nutrient flows coming from agriculture and waste water. The Chair of the HELCOM Agri group will take part in the discussion, in order to ensure cooperation across sectors.Moreover, the Meeting agenda includes several items on hazardous substances – in particular, the new HELCOM indicator on diclofenac, which is the first product of the freshly established HELCOM expert group on pharmaceuticals, as well as pollution by perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFAS) and other substances. The Group will also take stock of how the HELCOM Recommendations concerning land-based sources of pollution has been implemented so far* * *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 ConventionThe Working Group on Reduction of Pressures from the Baltic Sea Catchment Area – – focuses on nutrient and hazardous substance inputs from diffuse sources and point sources on land, including the follow-up of the implementation of the HELCOM nutrient reduction scheme. The group ensures the necessary technical underpinning as well as develops solutions to the policy-relevant questions and needs. Marine litter and underwater noise are also coordinated by this group* * *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.f  ​

HELCOM PRESSURE 7-2017 Meeting 24–26 Oct to focus on 6th Pollution Load Compilation assessments. The Meeting includes workshops on nutrient input reduction targets, marine litter action plan, and sewage sludge handling.