1. Lena Bergström, Project Coordinator lena.bergstrom@helcom.fi
Second holistic assessment of ecosystem health in the Baltic Sea HOLAS II
Lena Bergström,
Project Coordinator
HELCOM ESA WS

2. A holistic assessment – why?
Follow up on the Baltic Sea Action Plan (BSAP)
Serve as a regional roof report for the 2018 reporting of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive
Photo: Ulf Bergström
Lena Bergström, HOLAS II

3. The Baltic Sea Action Plan
Good Ecological status restored by 2021
“A healthy Baltic Sea environment with diverse biological components functioning in balance, resulting in a good ecological status and supporting a wide range of sustainable economic and social activities.”
HELCOM 2007:
Lena Bergström, HOLAS II

4. Marine Strategy Framework Directive
Marine waters provide ecologically diverse and dynamic oceans and seas which are clean, healthy and productive
(MSFD Article 3)
Lena Bergström, HOLAS II

5. The MSFD assessment cycle
Lena Bergström, HOLAS II

6. Timeline Years in focus for the assessment: 2011-2016
Development of tools and concepts
Improvement of data flows
Operalization of core indicators
Prepare draft report
Consul-tation period
Finalizing report
Carrying out assessments

7. Main components of the assessment
Pressures &
human activites
Environmental
status
Biodiversity
Economic and social impacts
Hazardous substances
Sufficiency
of measures
Eutrophication
Maritime activities

8. Project Structure HOLAS II
Chair and HOLAS II Core Team
Lead Country A3
Lead Country A4+A5
Expert workshops
Project Researcher/ Consultant A1
HELCOM WGs,
projects, expert groups
Project Coordinator
Supporting projects
Eg. BalticBOOST, TAPAS
Project Researcher/ Consultant A2

9. Method and concept developments
HELCOM environmental status assessment tools
Biodiversity
Hazardous substances
Eutrophication
The Baltic Sea Pressure and Impact Indices
Framework for socioeconomic analyses
Photo: Lena Bergström
Lena Bergström, HOLAS II

10. A little bit more on the planned assessments
Name
Surname

11. Indicators HELCOM Core indicators ICES (commercial fish)
Regionally agreed, quantitative GES boundary
Gap filling to enhance the number of Core indicators

12. Indicators potentially available for HOLAS II
Name
Surname

13. Indicator grouping -example
Holistic assessment (?)
Thematic assessment
Descriptor
BSAP key segments
Thematic assessment
Descriptor
BSAP key segments
Sub-level group
Criterion
Element
Sub-level group
Criterion
Element
Sub-level group
Criterion
Element
Indicator 1
Indicator 2
Indicator 3
Indicator 4
Indicator 5
Lena Bergström

14. Proposed grouping of MSFD descriptors
According to working documents for the MSFD Decision Review*
*eg workshop on cross-cutting issues, Jan 2015
Lena Bergström, HOLAS II

15. Indicator Assessment units
1) Level 1: Entire Baltic Sea
2) Level 2: 17 units

16. Assessment units (cont.)
3) Level 3
17 units with coastal areas separated
4) Level 4: WFD Water bodies

17. Pressures and human activities
Spatial distribution of pressures and activities
Combine with ecosystem layers into an impact index (Cumulative Effects Assessment, based on impact scores)
Lena Bergström, HOLAS II

18. The Baltic Sea pressure and impact indices (BSPI and PSII)
Pressure index
Summed intensity of pressures
Impact Index)
Pressure and ecosystem data combined
using Impact scores
Korpinen et al Ecological Indicators 15:

19. Economic and social analyses
THIS WORKSHOP
Cost of degradation (benefit of measures to improve status)
The use of marine waters
Linkages to the assessment of environmental status, pressure and human activities
Regional aspects
Aspects that can be harmonised
Proposed way forward
Report to the next Core team meeting November, 2015 .