Author: Eeva Nyyssönen

The coastal
countries of the Baltic and North Seas, as well as the EU, are reviewing their jointly
agreed procedure for applying and granting exemptions under the IMO Ballast
Water Management Convention, at a starting today in Madrid, Spain.

Practical tests of the port sampling protocol, adopted as part of the Procedure
reviewed today, will help to improve cost-efficiency, scientific reliability and
comparability across regions. Photo: Riikka Puntila

The coastal
countries and EU originally developed the Joint Harmonized Procedure on such
exemptions during 2012–13 within the regional marine protection Commissions,
HELCOM and OSPAR, with active participation from ship owner organizations. The procedure
adopted in 2013 supplements the global exemption guidelines provided by IMO.The
procedure has by today been tested in practice in more than 13 ports in the
Baltic Sea, North Sea, Iberian Atlantic and the Great Lakes of North America. These
practical tests of the port sampling protocol, adopted as part of the Procedure,
will help to improve cost-efficiency, scientific reliability and comparability
across regions.The
sampling protocol is intended for use in ports in the Baltic, North-East
Atlantic and beyond, as the basis of risk assessments required by IMO as a
justification of an exemption.Today’s Meeting
will also consider revisions to the adopted criteria, and current list, of
harmful alien species – also called as “target species”. Defining and selecting
these target species is central for the outcome of risk assessments.This Fifth
Meeting of the joint HELCOM-OSPAR Task Group on Ballast Water Management is
chaired by Mr. Henrik Ramstedt (Sweden) and Mr. Manfred Rolke (Germany), and is
hosted by Puertos del Estado (Spain).. All documents will be public after the meeting * * *
Note for editorsThe Working Group of HELCOM, originally
established in 1975, identifies and promotes actions to limit sea-based
pollution and ways for safer navigation. It also works to ensure enforcement
and harmonized implementation of international shipping regulations. Its sub-groups
include the HELCOM-OSPAR on Ballast Water Management (regional dimensions of
implementing the IMO Ballast Water Management Convention), Expert group on
safety of , Working group for mutual exchange
and deliveries of Automatic Identification System () data, and HELCOM Cooperation Platform on Port
Reception Facilities (). The was set up by the 1992 OSPAR Convention for the Protection of the
Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic, which unified and updated the
1972 Oslo and 1974 Paris Conventions. It brings together the governments of
Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, the
Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United
Kingdom, together with the European Community. The 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 marine environment of the Baltic Sea from and to ensure
safety of navigation in the region. Established in 1980, HELCOM is legally 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
ratified by the governments of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Poland,
Latvia, Lithuania, Russian Federation and Sweden, as well as the European Union.* * *
For more information, please contact:
Hermanni Backer
Professional Secretary for Maritime, Response and Maritime Spatial Planning
HELCOM
Tel:  +358 46 8509199
Skype: helcom02
E-mail: hermanni.backer(at)helcom.fi Johanna
Laurila
Information Secretary
HELCOM
Tel: +358 40 523 8988
Skype: helcom70
E-mail: johanna.laurila(at)helcom.fi

Criteria of target alien species and procedures for sampling in ports under review in today’s meeting.

​Major revisions of the internationally agreed procedures for marine pollution response in the Baltic Sea region, the HELCOM Response Manual, will be considered at the HELCOM Response Working   in Tallinn, beginning today.  The 3-day Meeting collects ministries and authorities with operational responsibilities on marine pollution preparedness and response in the coastal countries of the Baltic Sea and the EU. It will be chaired by Bernt Stedt, Swedish Coastguard. Changes considered to the
Response Manual this weekinclude a complete overhaul of
the sections on hazardous substances response. Photo: Swedish Coast GuardThe original on marine pollution incidents was adopted in 1983, based on a series of HELCOM Recommendations dealing with international warning, reporting, communication and command systems for the Baltic Sea region developed since the 1970s. These agreed operational procedures and best practices for the Baltic Sea are followed, exercised and revised on a regular basis by the coastal countries and the EU.  Today the Manual consists of three parts: on general issues, such as national contact information, procedures for alarm and requests for international assistance, aerial surveillance and financial aspects of international operations; on spills involving hazardous substances; and on response the shore. Changes considered to the Response Manual this week include the first drafting for a complete overhaul of the sections on hazardous substances response. Response to accidents involving not oil, but one of the many other hazardous substances transported in the region, involve a complex range of measures and procedures. Technological advances, such as instrumentation and new “safe platform” vessel designs, have been rapid during recent years, but also global experience from response incidents has accumulated.  Other parts of the Manual which will be looked at more closely include the procedures in situations where pollution has reached the shore. The international cooperation regarding on-shore response in the Baltic Sea has received recent attention from HELCOM. Last year, the coastal countries and the EU adopted a series of related amendments to the Helsinki Convention, the legal international basis of the HELCOM cooperation, as well as a new section (Volume III) of the Manual targeting on-shore response. The Meeting of the HELCOM Response group will also consider revisions to the minimum requirements and best practices for the aerial surveillance in the Baltic Sea region carried out by the coastal countries. Other topics in the Meeting include national reports on recent response operations since the last meeting in January; a draft for a new HELCOM Recommendation on marine pollution incident reporting and requests for assistance; and the report of the HELCOM Balex Delta 2014 operational in Ventspils, Latvia.. All documents will be available after the meeting. * * *Note for editorsHELCOM has been in place since 1976 and works to ensure swift regional to maritime pollution incidents both oil products and other harmful substances. The Group also coordinates aerial surveillance of maritime shipping routes, response on the shore, sub-merged hazardous objects. Sub-groups include the Expert working group on response on the , Informal working group on surveillance, oiled wildlife response and Expert group on environmental risks of hazardous objects. The 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. * * * For more information, please contact:Hermanni BackerProfessional Secretary for Maritime, Response and Maritime Spatial PlanningHELCOMTel:  +358 46 8509199Skype: helcom02E-mail: hermanni.backer(at)helcom.fi Johanna LaurilaInformation SecretaryHELCOMTel: +358 40 523 8988Skype: helcom70E-mail: johanna.laurila(at)helcom.fi

Major revisions of the internationally agreed procedures for marine pollution response in the Baltic Sea region, the HELCOM Response Manual, will be considered at the Response meeting starting today.

The first
meeting of the HELCOM on
Sustainable Agricultural Practices () has started today in Copenhagen, Denmark. Agricultural sector has been
identified in the Baltic Sea as having important potential for environmental
gains in relation to the nutrient losses and the status of the marine
environment. The Agri group, composed of agriculture and environmental
authorities, will find solutions within this sector on how to reduce nutrient
loads and further contribute to reaching Good Environmental Status of the
Baltic Sea by 2021.>> Upgrading of manure storages is one way to reduce harmful nutrients leaching into the environment. Photo: Helena Rosenlew. >The major
task of the group is to identify and revise the outdated items in the international
which
address prevention of pollution from agriculture in the Baltic Sea Region (Part
2 of the Annex III). The Group is expected to outline the steps to fulfill this
task by 2016 as agreed by the HELCOM Ministerial Meeting in 2013. >> >The use of
nutrients in the agricultural sector should be more effective and few key ways
have been identified, such as development of standards for nutrient content in
manure and application of nutrient accounting system at the farm level. Another
key action is the recycling of nitrogen and phosphorus generated at the farms
i.e. for fertilization, instead of nutrient input from external sources.> >>Reducing
the leaching of nutrients to the environment at different stages of the
agricultural production is another major set of measures preventing nutrient
input to the Baltic Sea. This can be done through improving the related
techniques and practices; and by upgrading of manure storages or drainage
systems. Related studies carried out in the region will be presented at the
Meeting. >> >. All documents will be public after the Meeting.>> >* * *>Note for
editors>>The HELCOM
Group on Sustainable Agricultural Practices () deals with
agriculture in relation to the implementation of the ecosystem-based approach
and involves representatives from agriculture and environment 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 and
joint discussion on the Baltic agriculture in the context of the protection of
the marine environment, in order to address nutrient inputs and emissions from
agriculture.>> >The 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.>> >* * *>For
further information please contact>>Dmitry Frank-KamenetskyProfessional SecretaryHELCOMTel: +358 40 630 9933Skype: helcom68E-mail:
dmitry.frank-kamenetsky(at)helcom.fi>> >Johanna Laurila>Information Secretary>HELCOM>Tel: +358 40 523 8988>Skype:
helcom70>E-mail:
johanna.laurila(at)helcom.fi

Revision of the Annex III of Helsinki Convention continues in the meeting of the new HELCOM Group on Sustainable Agricultural Practices in Copenhagen, Denmark.

​The current status of reception facilities for sewage, as well as their use, are among the region’s hot shipping topics considered at HELCOM meetings this fall. Key occasions include the annual HELCOM Maritime last week and the HELCOM Heads of Delegation meeting, to take place 9-10 December 2014. he national contacts and industry and civil society observers in the maritime field have commented an update of the HELCOM report on current availability and use of sewage reception facilities in the Baltic Sea area. The revised version of the report is currently developed further based on recent information from the cruise industry, ports and national administrations. The 2014 version of the report will be released during spring 2015 inal agreement is yet to be reached when a submission to the IMO meeting is to take place, on the Baltic port reception facilities of sewage. Photo: Metsähallitus NHS/Jan EkebomThe last week’s Maritime meeting in Riga, Latvia discussed the current status of the notification submission to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) on the sewage port reception facilities. Such a notification is needed in order to enforce the status of the Baltic Sea as a special area in terms of sewage from passenger ships, as agreed at IMO in 2011 inal agreement is yet to be reached when a submission to the IMO meeting is to take place, as three countries still wish to clarify uncertainties regarding the quality of sewage, implications to small ferries or address the reception capacities in specific ports ccording to the Maritime meeting , discussions on the submission to the IMO will continue during the upcoming months within a dedicated correspondence group led by Sweden. Interim outcome of the correspondence will be considered by the HELCOM Heads of Delegation meeting in December ther important shipping issues discussed within HELCOM during the autumn and early winter include the coastal state preparations for implementing the new stricter limits to sulphur in bunker fuel to be applied in the Baltic Sea 1.1.2015, summarized in a recent interim ; revision of the list of HELCOM target species to be used in the agreed risk assessment related to exemptions from ballast water management according to the IMO ballast water management convention; strengthening regional cooperation on alternative fuels; updating HELCOM Recommendations on ship-to-ship and bunkering transfer operations; as well as regional guidance on under keel clearance he remaining maritime related HELCOM expert meetings for 2014 include (Ballast Water Management, 1–2 December 2014) and (Safety of Navigation, 3 December 2014 Copenhagen, Denmark) as well as the (Response to spills at sea and on the shore, 25–27 November 2014, Tallinn, Estonia), (sub-group on response to spills on the shore, 24 November 2014, Tallinn, Estonia)  * * Note for editorsThe Group of HELCOM identifies and promotes actions to limit sea-based pollution and ways for safer navigation. It also works to ensure enforcement and harmonized implementation of international shipping regulations. Sub-groups include HELCOM-OSPAR Task Group on Water Management, Expert group on safety of , Working group for mutual exchange and deliveries of Automatic Identification System () data, and HELCOM Cooperation Platform on Port Reception Facilities (). ELCOM Group works to ensure swift regional response to maritime pollution incidents both oil products and other harmful substances. The Group also coordinates aerial surveillance of maritime shipping routes, response on the shore, sub-merged hazardous objects. Sub-groups include Expert working group on response on the , Informal working group on , and Expert group on environmental risks of hazardous objects he 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  * * For more information, please contact: Hermanni Backe Professional Secretary for Maritime, Response and Maritime Spatial Plannin HELCO Tel:  +358 46 850919 Skype: helcom0 E-mail: hermanni.backer(at)helcom.f ohanna Lauril Information Secretar HELCO Tel: +358 40 523 898 Skype: helcom7 E-mail: johanna.laurila(at)helcom.fi

The current status of reception facilities for sewage, as well as their use, are among the region’s hot shipping topics considered at HELCOM meetings this fall.

The first of the new HELCOM working on the state of the environment and nature conservation in the Baltic Sea, starting today in Pärnu, Estonia, will formulate a concrete work plan regarding the two key themes of the group: monitoring and assessment as well as nature conservation and biodiversity. The 5-day session will discuss, among others, monitoring of benthic habitats, the production of the holistic assessment of the ecosystem health, as well as the modernization of the database on marine protected areas. Monitoring of benthic habitats could be supported e.g. by remote-sensing methods.  Photo: Metsähallitus NHS/Jan Ekebom & Mats Westerbom.The future coordinated monitoring of benthic habitats in the Baltic Sea will be a key topic of the Meeting. The HELCOM Monitoring and Assessment states that monitoring in the Baltic Sea should cater for assessments of quality and quantity of habitats and biotopes. Still, at present the recently published HELCOM Monitoring shows limited monitoring of benthic habitats in the Baltic Sea thus there is room for improvements and new joint initiatives. Different tools for assessing biodiversity is another theme that expecting major attention. HELCOM recently agreed to start a project with the aim of producing a 2nd Holistic Assessment of the Ecosystem Health of the Baltic Sea by 2018. Assessing the state of biodiversity will be an important component of the holistic assessment and principles for such analyses will be considered at the meeting. Moreover, the modernization of the HELCOM database on marine protected areas () will be discussed. HELCOM has hosted data on protected areas since 2006 and improvements regarding the structure and contents of the database have now been considered necessary. The new database will include data to cater the assessments of ecological coherence of MPAs, management plans and the effectiveness of managing MPAs.  The current development work on core indicators will also be reflected on, concerning biodiversity, hazardous substances as well as eutrophication. A major overall aim of the State group is to work across the monitoring-indicators-assessment chain in order to provide a stronger basis for coordinated development of the HELCOM thematic assessment tools.  . Documents will be public after the meeting. * * * Note for editors:The working group on the state of the environment and nature conservation (tentative name: ) will cover monitoring and assessment theme as well as nature conservation and biodiversity protection theme. A major aim of the group is to work across the monitoring-indicators-assessment chain in order to provide a stronger basis for coordinated development of the HELCOM thematic assessment tools and a coherent holistic assessment of the ecosystems health, including Baltic Sea Pressure Index and Impact Index. The 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. * * * For further information, please contact:Ulla Li Zweifel Professional Secretary HELCOM Tel. +358 46 850 9198 Skype: helcom64 E-mail: ullali.zweifel(at)helcom.fiJohanna Laurila Information Secretary HELCOM Tel: +358 40 523 8988 Skype: helcom70 E-mail: johanna.laurila(at)helcom.fi

First meeting addresses monitoring of benthic habitats, production of the holistic assessment of the ecosystem health, as well as modernization of the database on marine protected areas.

The first of a new HELCOM dealing with pressures from land to the Baltic Sea environment started today, to plan for the detailed work on mitigating nutrient and hazardous substance inputs as well as marine litter and underwater noise. Another key task is to improve follow-up on the HELCOM nutrient reduction , first adopted in 2007, with clear targets per country for less nutrient inputs to the sea. The aim is to increase transparency in monitoring progress achieved by each HELCOM member. The work has continued since the update of the nutrient reduction scheme, jointly approved in the 2013 HELCOM Ministerial as a result from a highly complex calculation process Excess nutrients cause eutrophication which deteriorates the marine environment. Photo: Metsähallitus NHS/Jan Ekebom & Mats Westerbom.One issue in need of further development for the group are core pressure indicators to complement the ongoing work to develop and agree on a common set of core indicators to describe Good Environmental Status and pressures on the marine environment. Such pressure indicators should link to human activities causing the releases of hazardous substances, and thus helping to scope which hazardous substances should be given priority and where exactly HELCOM can create added value comparing to existing regulations. Accordingly, the group will discuss where further joint or coordinated measures might be needed.Progress so far to mitigate marine litter in the Baltic Sea will be discussed, as after a fruitful workshop last week the more detailed draft for a regional action plan is currently consulted by each nation. The work is on schedule hence the deadline for a March 2015 release for the plan holds ast but not least, the Meeting will discuss underwater noise and the first steps of implementation of the 2013 HELCOM Ministerial Declaration commitment related to mitigation of the negative impact of noise on the marine environment. An expert team is prepared to start hands-on work in a on 26 November. . All documents will be public after the meeting. * * * Note for editorsThe working group on reduction of pressures from the Baltic Sea catchment area (tentative name: ) 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. The 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. * * * 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 Johanna Laurila Information Secretary HELCOM Tel: +358 40 523 8988 Skype: helcom70 E-mail: johanna.laurila(at)helcom.fi

The first meeting of a new HELCOM working group dealing with pressures from land to the Baltic Sea started today, to plan the detailed work for reducing nutrients and hazardous substances.

Work to assess what potentially hazardous waste and wrecks lay beneath the surface of the Baltic Sea kick-starts today in a HELCOM expert in Szczecin, Poland. More precisely, the product will be a one off HELCOM thematic assessment on environmental risks of hazardous submerged objects covering contaminated wrecks, lost or dumped dangerous goods – e.g. containers – and other objects.  The work builds on and expands the outcome of the completed HELCOM work on dumped chemical munitions, summarized in a published in 2013. ‘Chemical Munitions Dumped in the Baltic Sea’ compiles the latest available knowledge on dumping chemical munitions in the past, the state of these materials, and the potential threat to the marine environment and humans. In the view of the increasing utilization of the seafloor for economic purposes – e.g., offshore wind farms, sea cables, pipelines – the risk of encountering hazardous submerged objects is growing. The new expert group on environmental risks of hazardous submerged objects () will work mainly via correspondence but will also meet in person annually.  Documents will be public after the meeting. * * * Note for editors:The 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. * * * For further information, please contact:Hermanni Backer Professional Secretary for Maritime, Response and Maritime Spatial Planning HELCOM Tel:  +358 46 8509199 Skype: helcom02 E-mail: hermanni.backer(at)helcom.fiJohanna Laurila Information Secretary HELCOM Tel: +358 40 523 8988 Skype: helcom70 E-mail: johanna.laurila(at)helcom.fi

Work starts today for a HELCOM thematic assessment on environmental risks of hazardous submerged objects, such as contaminated wrecks, lost or dumped dangerous goods (e.g. containers) and other objects.

​HELCOM, having completed regional in 2013 for all biotopes, habitats and biotope complexes in the Baltic Sea, hosts a three-day workshop this week on the Baltic Sea part of the European-wide assessment work currently carried out for marine habitats. Learning from the Baltic Sea experiences, other marine regions – the North-East Atlantic, the Mediterranean and the Black Sea – will follow later in the year to make Red List assessments for their marine habitats. Red Lists provide invaluable knowledge on which biotopes and habitats are most threatened by complete collapse, as well as the threats that have affected the biotopes and habitats negatively. Such information is essential when planning sustainable use of the sea space and protecting the marine environment.  The key outcome of the concerned EU project ‘Establishment of a European Red List of Habitats’ will be a pan-European online data platform for fact sheets on all terrestrial and marine habitats, including a threat category assessment according to the IUCN categories and criteria. Based on information in this platform the project will produce and overview publication as well as posters, expected publishing by mid-2016. The ultimate aim is to develop a regionally comparable Red List of marine habitats to support prioritization of conservation efforts and policies on an EU-level. For the Baltic Sea, the online data platform will contain much of the same information as HELCOM Biotope Information produced in the HELCOM Red List of Biotopes project and biotope classification . The overview publication and the posters of the EU project will be produced by the Project Management Team (Alterra and NatureBureau together with IUCN), based on the data provided by the Regional Working Groups. * * *Note for editors:The 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. * * *For further information, please contact:Janica Borg Project Researcher (EU Red List)HELCOM Tel: +358 40 662 0101 Skype: helcom57 E-mail: janica.borg(at)helcom.fi Johanna Laurila Information Secretary HELCOM Tel: +358 40 523 8988 Skype: helcom70 E-mail: johanna.laurila(at)helcom.fi

Learning from the Baltic Sea experiences, other marine regions will follow later in the year to make Red Lists for their marine habitats.

Regional action on in the Baltic Sea took major leaps forward in a regional which finished yesterday in Stralsund, Germany. All the HELCOM members, including the nine coastal countries as well as the EU, have agreed to develop a regional action plan for marine litter by 2015. The second working session has now produced a more defined draft action plan, soon ready for national consultation rounds before finalization and
expected adoption in March 2015. Photo: WWF Poland/Oskar SkumialImportantly, participants from other Regional Seas Conventions – Black Sea, Mediterranean and the North-East Atlantic – shared experiences with HELCOM experts in developing and implementing a regional action plan for marine litter. The informal meeting discussed interregional challenges as well as ways for synergies in implementation of action plans on litter, providing a strong basis for developing measures across the regions.  The commitment for the regional action plan for marine litter was sealed in the 2013 HELCOM , with the aim of achieving a significant quantitative reduction of marine litter by 2025, compared to 2015. The plan ought to enable inter alia concrete measures for the prevention and reduction of marine litter from its main sources, develop common indicators and associated targets related to quantities, composition, sources and pathways of marine litter and to identify the socio-economic and biological impacts of marine litter. Marine litter is a rapidly growing concern at sea and shores alike, having a large impact on the environment. Marine litter is not only an aesthetic problem but incurs socioeconomic costs, threatens human health and safety and has impacts on marine organisms. Consumer behaviour is considered as the most important reason for marine litter in the Baltic Sea: 48% of marine litter in the Baltic Sea is estimated to originate from household‐related waste, including sanitary waste, while waste generated by recreational or tourism activities would add up to 33%.  (MARINE LITTER 2-2014). 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. * * * For more information, please contact:Marta Ruiz Project Coordinator HELCOM Tel: +358 40 6472424 Skype: helcom59 E-mail: marta.ruiz(at)helcom.fiJohanna Laurila Information Secretary HELCOM Tel: +358 40 523 8988 Skype: helcom70 E-mail: johanna.laurila(at)helcom.fi

Regional action plan on marine litter in the Baltic Sea took major leaps forward in a regional workshop, with strengthened synergies with other sea regions.

The development for marine mammals in the Baltic Sea area has been among key topics in the seal expert group wrapping up today in Turku, Finland. The details for the operational core indicators, such as abundance, distribution and reproductive status, are timely since the overall HELCOM indicator work is at full speed, expecting finalization for the missing indicators in mid-2015. Once ready, the core indicators enable comparison of monitoring data and assessment results across the entire region, as well as allows for measuring any progress towards the Good Environmental Status of the Baltic Sea. All seal populations in the Baltic Sea, except for the Kattegat harbour
seals, remain below the estimated levels in the beginning ofthe 20th
century. Photo: Shutterstock Furthermore, the seal expert meeting endorsed the guidelines on monitoring of seals, significantly improving the coordination of regional monitoring. The guidelines have been developed by the EU co-funded project, which is also developing databases for seal abundance and distribution. The databases will be hosted by the HELCOM Secretariat and made available for all public. So far only data on harbour porpoise has been updated in a dedicated database, therefore the development of the broader seal databases will aid to follow-up the population trends and status of these species. In the 1970s and 1980s the populations of all seal species in the Baltic Sea were alarmingly low due to hunting and reproductive disorders which have been connected to chemical pollution. The HELCOM Recommendation on Conservation of Seals in the Baltic Sea Area (2006) states that the long-term objectives for the management of Baltic Seals are a natural abundance and distribution and a health status that ensures their future existence. The further acknowledges the need for immediate conservation measures. As a regular activity, the three teams of the HELCOM Ad Hoc Seal Expert Group – on population size, distribution and health – will give their respective reports in the Meeting. . All documents will be public after the Meeting. * * * Note for editors:The HELCOM ad hoc Seal has been meeting annually since 2006. The group consists of marine mammal experts, scientists, and managers from the Contracting Parties around the Baltic Sea. Representatives of the fisheries sector also participate in order to improve dialogue related to the protection and management of marine mammals between the environment and fisheries sectors. The work is carried out in three teams, with a focus on population size, distribution, and health.  The 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.  * * *For further information, please contactPetra KääriäAssisting Professional SecretaryHELCOMTel: +358 46 850 9204Skype: helcom49E-mail: petra.kaaria(at)helcom.fi Johanna LaurilaInformation SecretaryHELCOMTel: +358 40 523 8988Skype: helcom70E-mail: johanna.laurila(at)helcom.fi

Conservation of the Baltic seals moves forward as databasse and core indicators for Baltic marine mammals were further developed in the seal expert group meeting wrapping up today in Turku, Finland.