1. HELCOM Baltic Sea Protected Areas
A Regional Approach to a Coherent Network of Marine and Coastal Protected Areas
Maria Laamanen, HELCOM Secretariat
Brussels, 29 September 2008
Photo: Metsähallitus

2. Baltic Sea Action Plan 2007 Implementation of the Ecosystem Approach
Biodiversity
Eutrophication
Hazardous substances
Maritime activities

3. Biodiversity and nature conservation in the Action Plan
New Baltic Sea Protected Areas (BSPAs)
Ecological coherence by 2010
Mapping of habitat-forming species
Marine Spatial Planning
Fisheries related measures
Baltic Sea as a model of good management of human activities.
BSAP biodiversity targets include, for example:
Developing principles for MSP by 2010 and test, apply and evaluate by 2013,
Nomination of Natura sites as BSPAs if appriopriate,
Assessing ecological coherence of the MPA networks in the BS by 2010,
Mapping the potential and actual habitats of e.g. fucus, eelgrass, blue mussel and stoneworts by 2013.
Reduced bycatch of under-sized fish and harbour porpoises, and improved reporting system of porpoise bycatch.
Management measures for fisheries within MPAs. New permanent closures for fisheries to enhance fish stocks at their spawning areas.
Active conservation of at least 10 salmon rivers and restoration plans for rivers hosting migratory fish.

4. Recommendations for BSPAs
Examples of typical biotopes of ecological significance
Minimum size: terrestrial area 1000 ha, marine area 3000 ha
Economic activities sustainable, free of pollution
Management plans
Number activities should be regulated, e.g. fisheries, agriculture and forestry
Management options in space and time, e.g. bans
2003: Guidelines for designation: Proper protection: National Protection, Biosphere Reserve, SCI/SAC (EU-Habitats Directive), SPA (EU-Birds Directive).
Ongoing economic activities should follow the principles of sustainable use.
The environment of a BSPA should be to a large extend free of pollution

5. Evolution of BSPA Network
Designated BSPAs 2008
1998: BSPAs & Proposed new sites
Proposed network 1994 (Rec 15/5)
1994: first international network covering the Baltic Sea region: Initial 64 sites
1998: Expert Opinion sites (14)
2007 BSAP: Natura 2000 sites into the network
Now: 96 sites
Coverage ca 6 % of the marine area

6. Tools to Assess Ecological Coherence
HELCOM BSPA database
Representativeness of habitats, species and genetic diversity (conservation features)
known distribution of underwater features
target level: 20% protection of each feature
Replication of conservation features
Connectivity at different scales
25 km / 50 km / 100 km
between conservation features, NOT MPAs
Adequacy of MPAs (size, shape, quality)
Large enough to support short-distance dispersers, viable habitats and to reduce border effects

7. Preliminary assessment
Al-Hamnadi & Reker BALANCE 2007
Preliminary assessment
Benthic marine land- scapes used as proxies for habitats
41/60 of the landscape types had less than 20% protected
Gaps particularly in offshore areas
BSPA size distribution was adequate
Replication was biased
Within-MPA connectivity good but between-site connectivity not sufficient (25 km scale)
Since the underwater habitats ans species’ distribution ranges have not been yet mapped for the whole Baltic Sea, the assessments so far have based on more robust data. Benthic MArine Landscapes were created by the BALANCE project and are based on geophysical parameters. Altogether 60 landscape types are identified at the sea area.
If assuming that each conservation feature requires 20% protection in order to be sufficiently protected, the BSPA network is not yet representative.
Particular gaps in the network were in the offshore areas.
However, the size distribution of BSPAs showed that the protected areas are large enough to support viable populations of species. The majority of sites are over 10 km2 in size.
Replication of the conservation features was biased to certain biogeographic areas, indicating that new designations are needed to ensure biogeographic coverage of habitat and species protection.
The large MPA size means that habitats and species are well connected within the MPAs. However, more important connectivity is the between-site connectivity across longer distances. To reach sufficient connectivity across, say 25 or 50 km distance, especially offshore sites are needed to the network.

8. Next Steps
Liman et al. 2008
Updating the database with more biological information
Assessing the ecological coherence of the network
Comparing the BSPA network and the Baltic Biodiversity hotspots
The map of Baltic Biodiversity hotspots is based on site-selection software MARXAN which uses several data layers of environmental and socio-economic information and ”chooses” the best portfolio of these areas. In this map the baseline assumption was that 20% of each benthic landscape type should be selected, 60 % of seal haul-out sites are selected, 100% of bubbling reefs are selected and so on.

9. Thank you! For more information Please contact: Helsinki Commission
Katajanokanlaituri 6B
FI Helsinki