Tag: Monitoring

​The first HELCOM marine litter workshop begins today by discussing on the best way forward to develop Regional Action Plan for the Baltic, as litter dominated by plastics of all sizes is a rapidly growing concern at sea and shores alike. The Regional Action Plan on marine litter will fulfil the 2013 HELCOM Ministerial commitment, expecting adoption in 2015, with the aim of achieving a significant reduction of marine litter by 2025 and to prevent harm to the coastal and marine environment.  Consumer behaviour is considered as the most important reason for marine litter in the Baltic Sea, indicate recent studies by e.g. by the and . Moreover, as much as 48 per cent of marine litter originates from household‐related waste, including sanitary waste, while waste generated by recreational or tourism activities would add up to 33 per cent. The urgent need of a comprehensive action plan to address the issue is further supported by the Marlin study results stating that, in average, close to 240 items of litter were detected per every 100 meters in urban beaches of Estonia, Finland, Latvia and Sweden. Plastic never biodegrades, but with the sunlight it splits into smaller pieces – also into tiny microplastics that are ingested by a few marine species thus entering the food chain. Following the thematic session on marine litter that took place last month in Oslo as part of the HELCOM Monitoring and Assessment Group () the 2-day HELCOM workshop will focus on the development of the structure of the Regional Action Plan. Measures to reduce the input of marine litter to the Baltic Sea area will be discussed, both from land based and sea based sources, also giving space to education and outreach measures. This is the first of the two workshops on marine litter aiming to draft the Regional Action Plan on marine litter, the second one taking place in October, in Germany.  he workshop will be led by Ms. Stefanie Werner, Federal Environment Agency, Germany.  (documents will
be public after the meeting ends)* * *Note for editors:The Monitoring and Assessment Group () looks after one of HELCOM’s key tasks by assessing trends in threats to the marine environment, their impacts, the resulting state of the marine environment, and the effectiveness of adopted measures. This work forms the basis for the work of HELCOM’s other main groups, and helps to define the need for additional measures. The Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, usually referred to as , is an intergovernmental organisation 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:Ulla Li Zweifel Professional Secretary – GEAR, HABITAT & MONASHELCOM Tel. +358 46 850 9198  Skype: helcom64E-mail: ullali.zweifel(@)helcom.fiJohanna Laurila Information Secretary HELCOM Tel: +358 40 523 8988 E-mail: johanna.laurila(@)helcom.fi

HELCOM starts to develop a Regional Action Plan on marine litter, as litter dominated by plastics of all sizes is a rapidly growing concern at sea and shores alike.

​Monitoring of radioactive substances in the Baltic Sea is one of the longest-lived, continuous activities of HELCOM, mainly thanks to the Expert Group on Monitoring of Radioactive Substances in the Baltic Sea (), adjourning its 3-day today in Hamburg, Germany. Confidence level of HELCOM data on radioactivity is considered high, since the 28-year-old Expert Group has enabled the long term collection of unbroken data series from all coastal countries which are the Contracting Parties of the Helsinki Convention.  Planning for the next thematic assessment of long-term changes in radioactivity in the Baltic Sea, covering years 2011–13, was the main topic of the Meeting, along with the review of Cs-137 related core indicator as well as several fresh scientific reports by the Contracting Parties and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The region’s first joint efforts concerning radioactivity started in early 1980s by a project under IAEA, while MORS Expert Group had its first meeting shortly before the Chernobyl accident – in 1986. “Generally there is a decreasing trend of concentrations of radionuclides in the Baltic Sea, after the steep rise caused by the Chernobyl accident. However, continuous monitoring of radioactive substances is still relevant due to many reasons, such as new nuclear facilities planned or under construction in several Baltic Sea states; decommissioning of old facilities; plans for storage of radioactive waste; and the fact that the Baltic is still one of the most polluted sea areas as regards radioactive contamination,” says Tarja Ikäheimonen, Chair of HELCOM MORS Expert Group. While radioactive substances occur naturally in the environment there are also man-made radioactive substances in the Baltic Sea, mainly due to nuclear weapon tests in 1950–80 and the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident in 1986, as well as routine operations of nuclear power plants and research reactors. The latest HELCOM thematic assessment of long-term changes in radioactivity in the Baltic Sea was released last year.  Meeting documents will be available at the Meeting Site ().HELCOM, 2013: Thematic assessment of long-term changes in radioactivity in the Baltic Sea, 2007-2010 () * * *Note for editorsThe Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, usually referred to as , is an intergovernmental organisation 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:Tarja IkäheimonenChair of HELCOM MORS Expert Group STUK – Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority, Finland Tel: +358 9 7598 8596 E-mail: tarja.ikaheimonen(@)stuk.fi Johanna Laurila Information Secretary HELCOM Tel: +358 40 523 8988 E-mail: johanna.laurila(@)helcom.fi

Baltic Sea is still one of the most polluted sea areas regarding radioactive contamination. HELCOM MORS Expert Group will focus its next assessment to cover years 2011-13.

​​The 2013 HELCOM nutrient reduction scheme is a step towards cost-efficient water protection, suggests a recent by the University of Helsinki and MTT Agrifood Research Finland. The conclusions state that while there is no need to revise the 2013 targets set for the Baltic Sea catchment, more flexibility for the implementation is required in order to maximise the economic benefits. Furthermore, the cost of reaching the previous nutrient reduction targets, as set in the 2007 Baltic Sea Action Plan, would have been 16% higher although the revised targets are now more ambitious with respect to phosphorus. By adopting the 2013 HELCOM Ministerial Declaration last October, the HELCOM members committed to revised nutrient reduction targets for each Baltic coastal country to limit their annual inputs below maximum allowable level in specific sub-basins. The report “” provides ideas to boost the performance of national implementation programmes of HELCOM countries.  The study demonstrates that there is potential for efficiency gains in load  reductions if more flexible mechanisms are put into place, such as joint implementation that could resemble climate change mitigation measures. The cost of meeting the remaining Country Allocated Reduction Targets (CART) – set for waterborne inputs – were roughly estimated to be 1980 million euros (MEUR) annually. According to the report these costs can be reduced by over 200 million, from 1980 to 1700 MEUR each year, if the HELCOM countries were allowed to account for load reduction efforts made in other countries, be reduced by almost 500 million if the HELCOM states, as already introduced in the 2013 commitment, account for nutrient reductions achieved in other than the focal catchments, and take into account the nutrient exchange between Baltic Sea basins.  The study is a follow-up of the and was performed during late 2013 – beginning 2014. The analysis is limited to estimating the costs of nutrient reductions made in waterborne inputs – both point and non-point sources in the catchment area – in the coastal countries. Together they account for 85% of the overall phosphorus input and 68% of the overall nitrogen input to the Baltic Sea. * * *Note for editorsWithin the , each country committed to fulfil particular targets for reducing nutrient pollution, through measures addressing discharges and emissions from land and via air. The updated targets represent the best available knowledge and give guidance to sharing responsibility for reducing nutrient inputs originating from both HELCOM and non-HELCOM countries, as well as from shipping and sources outside the region.  Reduction country-wise nutrient reduction targets as agreed in 2013 HELCOM Ministerial Declaration​ * = figures after ‘+’ refer to loads originating from the country but being discharged to the Sea via another country; additional specific footnotes to the table can be found in the Ministerial Declaration text​* * *The Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, usually referred to as , is an intergovernmental organisation of the nine Baltic Sea coastal countries and the European Union workin​g 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 contactJohanna Laurila> Information Secretary> HELCOM> Tel: +358 40 523 8988> E-mail: > Skype: helcom70​

The 2013 HELCOM nutrient reduction scheme is a step towards cost-efficient water protection, suggests a recent study by the University of Helsinki and MTT Agrifood Research Finland.

Best measures to monitor and assess underwater noise and marine litter in the Baltic Sea, and especially the development of indicators, were discussed in Oslo during the 3-day of HELCOM Monitoring and Assessment Group () ending yesterday. Noise and litter have damaging impacts on marine ecosystems and immediate attention is needed to define suitable mitigation measures, as well as follow-up on the effectiveness of actions. The long-running MONAS Group consists of representatives from all the Baltic coastal countries, from the fields of research and policy-making alike.  A dedicated thematic session at the meeting focused, among others, on planning the way forward for the development of indicators for underwater noise, which may be used for monitoring ambient and impulsive underwater noise in the Baltic Sea. Human-introduced noise from e.g. wind farm construction and shipping is increasing. Such sounds, highly challenging to measure and manage, may have a significant negative impact on animals in a number of ways, on both individual and population levels.  Moreover, another session at the MONAS meeting considered latest research initiatives and available information on sources and amounts of marine litter in the Baltic Sea as well as existing methods for monitoring. The session provided inputs towards development of a Regional Action Plan for marine litter by 2015. The Action Plan has the aim to significantly reduce marine litter by 2025. Marine litter from land and sea-based sources, with a dominance of plastics of different sizes ranging from macro- to microparticles, causes harmful impacts not only on habitats and species, but also on various economic sectors, such as fisheries, shipping or tourism.  The agenda of the MONAS meeting, which started on Tuesday, has otherwise focused on the extensive revision of the HELCOM monitoring programmes; the development and operationalization of core indicators; and planning of the execution of a second holistic assessment. he Meeting was chaired by HELCOM MONAS Chair Ms. Anna-Stiina Heiskanen, Finland. Note for editors:The Monitoring and Assessment Group () looks after one of HELCOM’s key tasks by assessing trends in threats to the marine environment, their impacts, the resulting state of the marine environment, and the effectiveness of adopted measures. This work forms the basis for the work of HELCOM’s other main groups, and helps to define the need for additional measures. The Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, usually referred to as , is an intergovernmental organisation 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:Ulla Li Zweifel Professional Secretary – GEAR, HABITAT & MONASHELCOM Tel. +358 46 850 9198  Skype: helcom64E-mail: ullali.zweifel(@)helcom.fiJohanna Laurila Information Secretary HELCOM Tel: +358 40 523 8988 E-mail: johanna.laurila(@)helcom.fi

Best measures to monitor and assess underwater noise and marine litter in the Baltic Sea, especially developing indicators, were discussed in MONAS Meeting.

High
quality assessing of the entire Baltic Sea’s eutrophication status is expected
to greatly improve through a new Project, soon wrapping up its kick-off meeting
in Helsinki, Finland. During the 2-year project , the whole assessment process concerning the nine
Baltic coastal states will be designed and implemented, from monitoring and
data aggregation to visualizing the final assessment.  HELCOM has long experience in assessment work
of highest standards – elemental for estimating the effectiveness of
any adopted measures and for improving the health of Baltic marine environment.> >>The key Project
results will include more efficient data flow allowing for regular updates in
an automated way; flexibility in the system to also extract information; as
well as improved integration of indicators on eutrophication status with the
use of so called HEAT 3 assessment tool. With the new approach, HELCOM member
states will be able to utilize the reported data and assessment to also serve
their other requirements such as of EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive as
far as EU countries are concerned. >> >Moreover,
the Project outcome will form an integral part of the next HELCOM holistic
assessment, also including components on biodiversity and hazardous substances,
and published in 2016 as stated in the Ministerial Declaration last year. > >>The Project
will also improve the quality of the existing core indicators on eutrophication
status. The measures entail the introduction of new data types such as remote
sensing and ship-of-opportunity data, as well as development of additional
indicators to fill the gaps in the present set. The task is also to harmonize
coastal and open sea assessment.>>                                                                                                                                                          >* * *>Note for editors:>The Baltic Marine Environment
Protection Commission, usually referred to as ,
is an intergovernmental organisation 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:>Vivi Fleming-Lehtinen>Project Manager/EUTRO-OPER>HELCOM>
Tel. +358 040 032 9157>
Skype: helcom65>E-mail: >> >Johanna Laurila>
Information Secretary>
HELCOM>
Tel: +358 40 523 8988>
Skype: helcom70>
E-mail: >>

The entire assessment process will be designed and implemented, from monitoring and data aggregation to visualizing the final assessment.

The strategic direction for
HELCOM internal and external communication has been set and adopted by the
HELCOM Annual Meeting last Friday. The new has been prepared to better
reflect the main priorities of HELCOM work and to support its key function as
the provider of reliable and timely information, and it describes the basic
elements of HELCOM strategic communication such as goals and objectives, target
audience and messages.  mportantly, the new Strategy responds to the needs of streamlined HELCOM activities in reaction to inevitable changes in the realities surrounding and interacting with HELCOM key working areas. The achievements of the streamlining process will ensure an up-to-date, more efficient HELCOM in both internal processes and in its plentiful external relations. >

​>

* * *>>For further information, please contact:>>Johanna Laurila>
Information Secretary>
HELCOM>
Tel: +358 40 523 8988>
Skype: helcom70>
E-mail: >>

The strategic direction for HELCOM internal and external communication was adopted by the HELCOM Annual Meeting.

​The 35th Annual Meeting of closed yesterday evening after reviewing the current and relevant key issues related to regional policy-making on Baltic marine environment.  The Annual Meeting, involving HELCOM member parties which consist of all the Baltic coastal nations and the EU, is the highest decision-making body of HELCOM and explores the yearly developments concerning eutrophication, hazardous substances, biodiversity and maritime activities. This year’s Meeting started with a special festive flavor with the 40th Anniversary celebrating the signing of the 1974 Helsinki Convention, providing the basis for HELCOM work.  The Meeting decided yesterday on necessary steps in order to develop a Regional Action Plan on marine litter by 2015, as agreed by the Ministerial Meeting last October. Marine litter is a broad and critical concern and the Action Plan will form a regional strategy on how to deal with it in a comprehensive way. The Plan will be developed based on information on sources and amounts of marine litter, and it aims to include concrete measures to minimize the presence of marine litter in the Baltic Sea. Its development will be organized through regional workshops and with close involvement of the Contracting Parties. The proposed working plan utilizes the experience from preparing the Regional Action Plan for the North-East Atlantic within OSPAR. Another key topic in the extensive Meeting agenda was the major overhaul of the HELCOM Recommendation on coastal and marine Baltic Sea protected areas. Such protected areas are essential for maintaining biodiversity and ensuring the versatility of ecosystems. The previous similar document, HELCOM Recommendation , was adopted 20 years ago, and the Contracting Parties now agreed on the main changes in the Recommendation with only small aspects pending confirmation shortly. The main reasons for creating the new Recommendation have been the need to update the selection criteria of the marine protected areas, also concerning the newly Red-listed habitats and species; to establish a new database and ensure it is updated; and to re-assess the criteria for both ecological coherence and management aspects. Furthermore, to help reduce harmful nutrients in the Baltic Sea, the Meeting decided in principal to submit a notification on improved sewage reception facilities in Baltic ports to the International Maritime Organization (). Such a submission to IMO meeting will trigger an enforcement of ban on sewage discharges from passenger ships according to the special areas status of the Baltic Sea under the IMO MARPOL convention, which Baltic has been granted as the first sea area in the world following the HELCOM-led process.  An overview on current availability of port reception facilities for passenger vessels’ sewage, as well as on passenger traffic trends, are about to be published on HELCOM website. Almost 40 years of successful marine protection of HELCOM has been achieved through constant self-reflection. Yesterday the 35th Annual Meeting endorsed a plan for major deliverables by the organization until 2021 as well as agreed to implement a number of measures for a modernized HELCOM. The new, more streamlined working structure for HELCOM main operational bodies was to a large extent completed, to better reflect the current environmental challenges and obligations of the Contracting Parties. HELCOM will pay more attention in the future to better communicating scientific and technical outcomes to decision-makers as well as the general public.  The 35th meeting was chaired by Helle Pilsgaard, Chair of HELCOM. All Meeting documents can be accessed in  * * *Note for editors:The Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, usually referred to as , is an intergovernmental organisation 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:Johanna Laurila Information Secretary HELCOM Tel: +358 40 523 8988 Skype: helcom70 E-mail:  

Work starts on Baltic marine litter action plan and other current key issues reviewed on Baltic environmental policies.

A major Brussels conference ‘Healthy Oceans – Productive
Ecosystems ()’ opens today bringing together those working with or in
relation to the European marine environment, with sessions on marine indicators
to assess the status of the sea which is a traditional expertise area for
HELCOM. A key aim of the HOPE Conference is to discuss progress made over the
past 5 years since the adoption of the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive
(MSFD), the problems and the solutions for improved coherence and better marine
governance. The Directive has strong parallels with the HELCOM Baltic Sea
Action Plan (2007–2021), both having the same objective to achieve and maintain
the good environmental status of the marine environment by 2020/2021 ELCOM Professional Secretary Ulla Li Zweifel will represent
long HELCOM experience in common indicator work, by joining Round 1 parallel
session on Monitoring in the morning of 4 March. HELCOM core indicators are
common for all Contracting Parties and can be used to assess the state of the
entire Baltic Sea ecosystem, including its flora, fauna and habitats, as well
as pressures affecting the Sea such as hazardous substances (e.g. PCB) and
radioactive substances. The first HELCOM core sets of indicators is ready for
eutrophication, and since last year, for biodiversity and hazardous substances,
and the work continues to develop them further by 2015.   he entire HOPE conference will be streamed live via on 3 and 4 March. Twitter hashtag: #HOPE4EUSEAS ote for editorsThe Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, usually
referred to as ,
is an intergovernmental organisation 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 governed 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@helcom.fi

Johanna Laurila
Information Secretary
HELCOM
Tel: +358 40 523 8988
Skype: helcom70
E-mail:

A major Brussels conference ‘Healthy Oceans – Productive Ecosystems (HOPE)’ opens today, and is streamed live in its entirety.

An expert workshop today kicks off the second round of HELCOM work on core indicators, which measure the state of and pressures affecting the Baltic Sea environment. The workshop is organized by the recently started HELCOM project (2013–2015) that has the objective of operationalizing the first mutually agreed core indicators for biodiversity, hazardous substances and eutrophication, and to possibly develop additional ones. HELCOM, involving all Baltic coastal countries and EU as its Contracting Parties as well as an extensive specialist expert and observer network, has long experience in indicator development. HELCOM core indicators are common for all Contracting Parties and can be used to assess the state of the whole Baltic Sea ecosystem, including its flora, fauna and habitats, as well as pressures affecting the Sea such as hazardous substances like PCB and radioactive substances. Core indicators analyze data from environmental monitoring and measure the environment’s state against a target or boundary value for good environmental status (GES). They are also a prerequisite for comparing monitoring data and assessment results across the entire Baltic Sea region. Such indicators enable assessments of whether the objectives of are being met, and, for the countries being EU members, also the requirements of the . * * *Note for editorsThe Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, usually referred to as , is an intergovernmental organisation 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 governed 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:Lena AvellanProject Manager, CORESET IIHELCOM Tel: +358 40 162 2054Skype: helcom35 E-mail:   Johanna Laurila Information Secretary HELCOM Tel: +358 40 523 8988 Skype: helcom70 E-mail:

An expert workshop today kick offs the second round of HELCOM work on core indicators, which measure the state of and pressures affecting the Baltic

The work for a revised, scientifically sound, well-coordinated and cost-effective HELCOM monitoring programme moves forward in a project workshop closing today, with a focus on developing joint monitoring fact sheets templates, among others. The fact sheets will help the Baltic coastal countries to document the HELCOM monitoring work and on a broader level, to meet with the requirements of both HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan and the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). The Meeting is organized by the project “Revision of the HELCOM monitoring programmes (). “The Workshop will support in a valuable way the further improvements in coordinated monitoring of the Baltic Sea, involving the entire region, a task which HELCOM has continued for decades.  The joint system is currently being revised, as mandated by the , to better assess the state of the marine environment and the possible impact of any measures taken for the Baltic Sea’s recovery,” says the new Professional Secretary of HELCOM, Ms. Ulla Li Zweifel. The two-day workshop (HELCOM MORE 8/2014) will also consider the current developments for a joint web based monitoring manual. The manual will provide a documentation and presentation of the regionally coordinated joint monitoring system, including strategic aspects, legal background, description of the full monitoring system and specific monitoring programmes, among others.  * * *Note for editors: – The Monitoring and Assessment Group looks after one of HELCOM’s key tasks by assessing trends in threats to the marine environment, their impacts, the resulting state of the marine environment, and the effectiveness of adopted measures. This work forms the basis for the work of HELCOM’s other main groups, and helps to define the need for additional measures. * * *The Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, usually referred to as , is an intergovernmental organisation 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 governed 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:Manuel Frias Project CoordinatorHELCOM MORETel: +358 46 850 9209 Skype: helcom23 E-mail: Johanna Laurila Information Secretary HELCOM Tel: +358 40 523 8988 Skype: helcom70 E-mail:

The work for a revised, scientifically sound and cost-effective HELCOM monitoring programme moves forward.