Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission
Group for the Implementation of the Ecosystem Approach
Tallinn, Estonia, 8-10 October 2014
Document title
Code
Category
Agenda Item
Submission date
Submitted by
Reference
GEAR 8-2014, 3-3
Draft structure for HELCOM Action Plan on knowledge gaps
3-3 REV3 REV
CMNT
3 – Coordination and information related to the implementation of the ecosystem
approach and related policiesCoordination and information related to the
implementation of the ecosystem approach and related policies
10.10.2014
Secretariat
Revision
This document has been revised based on the Outcome of GEAR 8-2014 (paras XXX). The Meeting further
agreed that comments and proposed revisions should be submitted by GEAR contact to the Secretariat by
29 October 2014.
Background
GEAR 7-2104 proposed that GEAR should prepare an Action Plan to address shortcomings identified in the
implementation of the initial assessment of MSFD (GEAR 7-2014, Annex 4, p.6).
This document has been prepared by the Secretariat to suggest how such Action Plan could be structured to
serve all Contracting Parties in HELCOM to improve regional coherence in the implementation of marine
policies to reach Good Environmental Status of the Baltic Sea. Some initial text and proposed themes are also
included.
It is proposed that the Action Plan takes the Roadmap of HELCOM activities as a starting point but that it
extends beyond shortcomings identified in the initial assessment and includes knowledge gaps identified by
HELCOM WGs as related to monitoring programmes and programmes of measures. The Action Plan can also
take up activities recently proposed by e.g. GEAR IG PoM.
The Action Plan should be developed as a guiding document for development of HELCOM activities until
2018.
Action required
The Meeting is invited to:
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discuss and further develop the content and proposed structure of the Action Plan and agree on a
time-table for its further development and finalization by end of 2014.
Page 1 of 7
GEAR 8-2014, 3-3
Draft outline for a HELCOM Plan to improve regional coherence in
implementation of marine policies to reach Good Environmental Status of
the Baltic Sea
1. Bullet points for consideration in an introductory text
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HELCOM is already well underway with activities that contribute to enhancing regional coherence in
implementation of actions to achieve GES of marine waters by the Baltic Sea countries.
The relevant HELCOM agreements that form the basis for coordinated actions are BSAP and
Ministerial Declarations, as included in the Roadmap of HELCOM activities that provides a timetable
for major HELCOM activities (Annex X) for the implementation of the ecosystem approach, and the
HELCOM input to the MSFD CIS.
In the development of the HELCOM Plan, recent knowledge gaps identified by HELCOM Working
Groups and projects are also considered, as well as conclusions from the Baltic Sea regional meeting
to follow-up the European Commission assessment of MSFD Article 12 report for the HELCOM
Contracting Parties being EU Member States.
The HELCOM Plan addresses actions to close knowledge gaps including such that have been identified
in relation to EU Member State assessment.
The HELCOM Plan intends to lay out the issues on which further steps on regional level are needed
in short-, mid- and long-term. It lists already ongoing activities that will contribute to closing
knowledge gaps and enhancing regional coherence, along with new initiatives, and plans for the
future.
It should be noted that some activities included in the HELCOM Plan would require resources to set
up a project.
The HELCOM Plan is structured according to the following themes:
o Data and knowledge gaps in coastal and marine waters, focusing on the assessment of state
of and pressures on the environment
o Integrated Regional Monitoring programmes
o Coordinated programmes of measures
o Management coordination measures
Primary responsible HELCOM WG(s) are indicated.
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GEAR 8-2014, 3-3
2. Data and knowledge gaps in coastal and marine waters
Focus: The data and knowledge needs required to improve the indicator-based assessment system of
HELCOM, including both assessment of state of and pressures on the environment.
2.1. Joint baseline from which distance to GES can be assessed
The work on HELCOM core indicators so far has faced the challenge that not all Contracting Parties have
contributed or followed the process which is necessary for establishing the common set of indicators on
regional level, to be used also nationally.
One shortcoming identified in the EC Article 12 assessment is that results from previous HELCOM
assessments have not been consistently used by the HELCOM EU member countries in the initial assessment
of their marine waters and that indicators and definitions of Good Environmental Status (GES) were not
coherently used.
Goal:
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A set of jointly agreed operational HELCOM core indicators for use in region-wide assessments that
cover the requirements of the HELCOM Monitoring and Assessment Strategy and that are imbedded
in national processes.
A set of HELCOM assessment tools that are endorsed by HELCOM and whose results are recognized
and used for future joint assessments.
Ongoing activities:
- CORESET II development of biodiversity and hazardous substances indicators, to operationalize
HELCOM core indicators by mid-2015.
- EUTRO-OPER development of new eutrophication indicators.
- HOLAS II to start shortly.
Further actions:
- All Contracting Parties to participate with experts in e.g. remaining work of the CORESET II project
(mid-2015)
- Further planning and putting arrangements in place for operationalization (ensuring data flow) of the
core-indicators, including their electronic presentation (2015)
- Develop coherent definitions of GES
- Develop HELCOM assessments tools as part of the HOLAS II project (mid-2016)
- Develop a 2nd Holistic Assessment of the Baltic Sea Ecosystem health so that it will also serve as a
joint roof report for the reporting of MSFD Article 8 in 2018 (draft report ready mid-2017).
HELCOM WG: STATE, GEAR.
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GEAR 8-2014, 3-3
For those Contracting Parties that are also being EU Member States, this action will lead to the
accomplishment of point 2, 4 and 5 of the conclusions of the regional Article 12 meeting:
2. Further develop together and revise their definition of GES on the basis of relevant EU legislation and
the agreed core and, where possible pre-core, indicators, of HELCOM and consequently using them at
national level as soon as possible and in 2018 at the latest.
4. Improve the adequacy, completeness and coherence of the initial assessment in the Baltic Sea by
developing the next HELCOM Holistic Assessment (HOLAS 2) as an integral part of the initial assessment of
all Member States ("roof report") and include a draft HOLAS 2 report in the national public consultation
and the final HOLAS 2 report in the report for the initial assessment to the Commission. HOLAS 2 will be
based on the coordinated GES mentioned above.
5. Reflect further on the timing of the HOLAS 2 report where a draft report would be agreed by mid-2017,
then used for public consultation and finalised and adopted by HELCOM, reflecting the feedback from the
public consultations and possibly with some updated information that became available in the meantime,
in mid-2018, in time for inclusion in the national reports to the Commission in October 2018.
2.2. Regionally agreed environmental targets
At this time, regionally agreed environmental targets in HELCOM only exist for nutrient input i.e. the
MAI/CART-scheme. Targets for other pressures are also needed, in order to be able to device cost-efficient
measures contributing to reaching GES and measure the progress in the implementation. Science-based
target setting is a demanding and challenging task, and it is foreseen that at least in the field of marine litter
and seafloor integrity HELCOM could progress and soon embark on target setting. The work on defining
environmental targets also in other fields, such as underwater noise and hazardous substances, could be
considered.
Goal:
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Develop environmental targets for seafloor integrity/damage, marine litter in a short- and mediumterm, and on underwater noise, hazardous substances and non-indigenous species in long-term.
Ongoing activities:
- The HELCOM Regional Action Plan on Marine Litter under development is planned to include targets
for marine litter (2015).
- HELCOM and BIAS workshop on underwater noise on 26 November 2014.
Further actions:
- Explore possibilities to develop a Regional Action Plan to reduce Physical loss and damage to the
seafloor by 2015/2016, including the development joint principles for defining environmental
targets.
- Develop a work plan in 2014/2015 for developing a Regional Action Plan on Underwater Noise,
including environmental targets, by 2017/2018.
HELCOM WGs: PRESSURE, FISH, MARITIME, AGRI
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GEAR 8-2014, 3-3
For those Contracting Parties that are also being EU Member States, this action will lead to the
accomplishment of point 3 of the conclusions of the regional Article 12 meeting:
3. Prioritise areas where greater regional convergence can be achieved in relation to environmental
targets by 2018 over and above the approach for nutrient pollution (descriptor 5). Such an overview will
be prepared by HELCOM and communicated to the Commission by the end of 2014.
2.3. Make a survey of knowledge needs for achieving good environmental status
Knowledge needs for achieving good environmental status is currently brought forward occasionally by
HELCOM WGs. To complement the HELCOM Roadmap of activities, a survey among HELCOM WGs should be
conducted to collect their view on knowledge needs for the implementation of marine policies.
Further actions:
Survey knowledge needs in HELCOM WGs during 2014/2015.
HELCOM WGs: All
3. Regional Monitoring programmes
3.1. Common guidelines for monitoring
During 2013-2014 HELCOM has developed a Monitoring Manual that documents coordinated monitoring
activities in the Baltic Sea region. The Manual contains a set of new monitoring programmes, in agreement
with the HELCOM Monitoring and Assessment Strategy that still lack common guidelines for monitoring. In
addition, the existing guidelines need to be reviewed and possibly revised.
Goal:
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Common and updated HELCOM guidelines for monitoring of all components included in the HELCOM
Monitoring Manual.
Ongoing activities:
- BALSAM is developing common guidelines for monitoring of seals and will provide recommendations
for monitoring of benthic biotopes by end of 2015.
Further actions:
- Review existing guidelines through HELCOM WGs and expert groups and prepare a work plan for
revision by end of 2015.
- Develop new monitoring guidelines for which this is missing e.g. birds, marine litter, noise, and
benthic habitats by end of 2016.
HELCOM WG: STATE
3.2. Coordinated and purposeful network of monitoring stations
In the development of the HELCOM Monitoring Manual, information on existing monitoring has been
compiled. It has been the task of the MORE project to review the regional coherence and adequacy of existing
monitoring. At this time, it has only been possible to make a simple qualitative evaluation based on expert
judgement while it has been recognized (MONAS 19-2014) that a more detailed statistical analysis of the
coherence and adequacy is needed to analyse the appropriateness of the current monitoring programmes
to provide data for reliable status assessment at the desired scale (HELCOM assessment unites).
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GEAR 8-2014, 3-3
Goal:
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A regional network of monitoring stations agreed from point of view of providing data for reliable
region-wide state assessment.
Ongoing activities:
- None.
Further actions:
- Explore possibility for project/activity to fill this purpose as proposed by MONAS 20. The required
analyses need to be carried out by experts that likely need to be recruited outside of the existing
HELCOM expert network.
HELCOM WG: STATE
4. Coordinated Programmes of Measures
4.1. Follow-up of existing agreements and measures
The Baltic Sea Action Plan and HELCOM Ministerial declarations have been followed-up regularly, the latest
assessment being carried out in 2013. Some HELCOM Recommendations are regularly followed-up while for
others revived activities or new approaches are needed.
Goal:
Develop a revised system to follow-up actions agreed in the BSAP, Ministerial declarations, HELCOM
recommendations and the resulting reduction of pressures.
Ongoing activities:
- Development of a simple follow-up system of implementation of actions by end of 2014 as discussed
under IG PoM
Further actions:
Development of a detailed follow-up system of results of measures by 2016/2017 (see document 3-1 to this
meeting) to address the follow-up of the agreed MAI/CART scheme as well as other measures to reduce
pressure on the environment.
4.2. Measures to address “new” topics
[This section will build on the plans developed by IG PoM]
HELCOM WGs: GEAR, PRESSURE, FISH, AGRI
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GEAR 8-2014, 3-3
For those Contracting Parties that are also being EU Member States, this action will lead to the
accomplishment of point 8 of the conclusions of the regional Article 12 meeting:
8. Work towards developing elements of joint programmes of measures or coordinated programmes of
measures, taking into account GEAR work and the HELCOM upcoming gap analysis, and develop as a first
step a coordinated programme of measures on marine litter and noise. This implies support to agreement
on a Marine Litter Baltic Action plan in HELCOM (with a draft being available in early 2015 to be
considered for public participation) in time for it to form a basis for Baltic EU Member States to take on
board as a regional component of their Programme of Measures by 2015. Baltic Member States will also
consider further opportunities for joint or coordinated programmes of measures, on the basis, i.a. of the
results of the HELCOM gap analysis.
5. Enhancing management coordination
5.1. Inter-regional cooperation
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cooperation with OSPAR
5.2. Cooperation with EEA, JRC, ICES
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active input from HELCOM WGs, expert groups and project to the MSFD CIS
5.3. Alignment of national MSFD implementation time-table (EU countries)
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consideration on timelines for public consultation
For those Contracting Parties that are also being EU Member States, this action will lead to the
accomplishment of point 9 of the conclusions of the regional Article 12 meeting:
9. Consider the public information and consultation timelines in the further planning and ensure that the
regional work is developed in such a way that, at all stages of the MSFD implementation, it can be
considered in the national public consultations. In addition, a regional public consultation through
HELCOM was discussed as a possible option to explore. In particular the updates of GES and targets and
the HOLAS 2 will have to be considered for public consultation in the period between mid-2017 and mid2018.
5.4 Harmonization with other legislation
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explore possibilities to make better use of e.g. status assessments done under other legislation (BD,
HD, WFD)
explore possibilities to share data and information gathered under other legislation (MSP, CFP)
6. Follow-up of the plan
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