Indicators and targets for monitoring and evaluation of implementation of the Baltic Sea Action Plan

In order for the ecological objectives to be operational, initial indicators with set initial targets have been agreed upon. The set targets, when reached, reflect the good ecological status.

Eutrophication

Hazardous substances

Nature conservation and biodiversity

Maritime activies

Eutrophication

It has been decided that the ecological objectives for eutrophication will be measured by the following indicators:

• Winter surface concentrations of nutrients reflecting the ecological objective “Concentrations of nutrients close to natural levels”

• Summer Secchi depth reflecting the ecological objective “Clear water”

• Chlorophyll a concentrations reflecting the ecological objective “Natural level of algal blooms”

• Depth range of submerged vegetation reflecting the ecological objective “Natural distribution and occurrence of plants and animals”

• Area and length of seasonal oxygen depletion reflecting the ecological objective “Natural oxygen levels”.

The transparency of seawater integrates many of the concrete effects of eutrophication and has been chosen as the primary ecological objective with summertime (June-September) Secchi depth as an indicator. The other indicators can be regarded as supportive indicators to give additional information on whether good environmental status has been achieved and are dealt with elsewhere.

Target levels for water transparency are defined by acceptable deviation from reference levels reflecting historical, non-impacted status. As a pragmatic approach, the maximum deviation from reference level should not exceed 25%.

Table 1. The initial target and present levels for summertime water transparency in the different sub-regions

 *Development of tools for assessment of eutrophication in the Baltic Sea (BSEP No. 104)

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Hazardous substances

Substances or substance groups of specific concern to the Baltic Sea

1. Dioxins (PCDD), furans (PCDF) & dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls

2a. Tributyltin compounds (TBT)

2b. Triphenyltin compounds (TPhT)

3a. Pentabromodiphenyl ether (pentaBDE)

3b. Octabromodiphenyl ether (octaBDE)

3c. Decabromodiphenyl ether (decaBDE)

4a. Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS)

4b. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)

5. Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD)

6a. Nonylphenols (NP)

6b. Nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPE)

7a. Octylphenols (OP)

7b. Octylphenol ethoxylates (OPE)

8a. Short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCP or chloroalkanes, C_10-13)

8b. Medium-chain chlorinated paraffins (MCCP or chloroalkanes, C_14-17)

9. Endosulfan

10. Mercury

11. Cadmium

Substance relevant sectors of the 11 hazardous substances / substance groups of specific concern to the Baltic Sea

Ecological objectives for hazardous substances will be measured where applicable by the following initial indicators and targets:

Table 1.  Indicators for ecological objectives “Concentrations of hazardous substances close to natural levels” & “All fish safe to eat”  

Table 2. Intermediate target levels / maximum allowable concentrations of mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), dioxins and sum of dioxins & dioxin-like PCBs in fish muscle meant for foodstuff as regulated by EC 1881/2006

Table 3. Indicators for ecological objective “Healthy wildlife”  

Table 4. Indicators for ecological objective “Radioactivity at pre-Chernobyl levels”
Target levels have been calculated on basis of average concentrations during years 1984-85 which refer to pre-Chernobyl time period.

Nature conservation and biodiversity

Ecological objectives for nature conservation and biodiversity will be measured by the following initial indicators and targets:

Natural marine and coastal landscapes

Targets:

• By 2010 to have an ecologically coherent and well-managed network of Baltic Sea Protected Areas (BSPAs), Natura 2000 areas and Emerald sites in the Baltic Sea,

• By 2012 to have common broad-scale spatial planning principles for protecting the marine environment and reconciling various interests concerning sustainable use of coastal and offshore areas, including the Coastal Strip as defined in HELCOM Rec. 15/1,

• By 2021 to ensure that “natural” and near-natural marine landscapes are adequately protected and the degraded areas will be restored.

Preliminary indicators:

• Designated BSPAs, Natura 2000 and Emerald site area as percentage of total sub-region area,

• Percentage of important migration and wintering areas for birds within the Baltic Sea area which  are covered by the BSPAs, Natura 2000 and Emerald sites,

• Percentage of marine and coastal landscapes in good ecological and favourable status,

• Percentage of endangered and threatened habitats/biotopes’ surface covered by the BSPAs in comparison to their distribution in the Baltic Sea,

• Trends in spatial distributions of habitats within the Baltic Sea regions.

Thriving and balanced communities of plants and animals

Targets:

• By 2021, that the spatial distribution, abundance and quality of the characteristic habitat-forming species, specific for each Baltic Sea sub-region, extends close to its natural range,

• By 2010 to halt the degradation of threatened and/or declining marine biotopes/habitats in the Baltic Sea, and by 2021 to ensure that threatened and/or declining marine biotopes/habitats in the Baltic Sea have largely recovered,

• To prevent adverse alterations of the ecosystem by minimising, to the extent possible, new introductions of non-indigenous species.

Preliminary indicators:

• Percentage of all potentially suitable substrates covered by characteristic and healthy habitat-forming species such as bladderwrack, eelgrass, blue mussel and stoneworts,

• Trends in abundance and distribution of rare, threatened and/or declining marine and coastal biotopes/habitats included in the HELCOM lists of threatened and/or declining species and habitats of the Baltic Sea area,

• Trends in trophic structure and diversity of species (e.g. caught in scientific surveys),

• Trends in the numbers of detections of non-indigenous aquatic organisms introduced into the Baltic Sea.

Viable populations of species

Targets:

• By 2021 all elements of the marine food webs, to the extend that they are known, occur at natural and robust abundance and diversity,

• By 2015, improved conservation status of species included in the HELCOM lists of threatened and/or declining species and habitats of the Baltic Sea area, with the final target to reach and ensure favourable conservation status of all species,

• By 2012 spatial/temporal and permanent closures of fisheries of sufficient size/duration are established thorough the Baltic Sea area,

• By 2009, appropriate breeding and restocking activities for salmon and sea trout are developed and applied and therefore genetic variability of these species is ensured,

• By 2009 illegal, unregulated and unreported fisheries are close to zero,

• By 2008 successful eel migration from the Baltic Sea catchment area to the spawning grounds is ensured and national programmes for conservation of eel stocks are implemented,

• By 2015, as the short-term goal, to reach production of wild salmon at least 80%, or 50% for some very weak salmon river populations, of the best estimate of potential production, and within safe genetic limits, based on an inventory and classification of Baltic salmon rivers,

• By 2015, to achieve viable Baltic cod populations in their natural distribution area in Baltic proper,

• By 2015, to have the re-introduction programme for Baltic sturgeon in place, and - as a long term goal, after their successful re-introduction has been attained - to have best natural reproduction, and populations within safe genetic limits in each potential river,

• By 2015 by-catch of harbour porpoise, seals, water birds and non-target fish species has been significantly reduced with the aim to reach by-catch rates close to zero,

• By 2015 discards of fish are close to zero (<1%).

Preliminary indicators:

• Trends in the number of threatened and/or declining species,

• Abundance, trends and distribution of Baltic seal species compared to the safe biological limit (limit reference level) as defined by HELCOM HABITAT,

• Abundance, trends, and distribution of Baltic harbour porpoise,

• Number of rivers with viable populations of Baltic sturgeon,

• Spawning stock biomass of western Baltic cod and eastern Baltic cod compared to precautionary level (Bpa) as advised by ICES and/or defined by EC management plans,

• Fishing mortality level of western Baltic cod and eastern Baltic cod, compared to precautionary level (Fpa) as advised by ICES and/or defined by EC management plans,

• Trends in numbers of discards and by-catch of fish, marine mammals and water birds,

• Number of entangled and drowned marine mammals and water birds,

• Number of salmon rivers with viable stocks,

• Trends of salmon smolt production in wild salmon rivers.

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Maritime Activities

Management objectives for maritime activities will be measured by the following initial indicators and targets:

Enforcement of international regulations - No illegal pollution

• Number of surveyed/inspected ships found to use organotin compounds actively in their antifouling systems in relation to the total number of surveyed ships calling at Baltic Sea ports,

• Pollution per Flight Hour (PF) Index (ratio of total no. of detected oil spills to total no. of flight hours) per year,

• Number of detected/confirmed illegal oil discharges per year,

• Number of regular flight hours, including Co-ordinated Extended Pollution Control Operation (CEPCO) flights, per year,

• Number of satellite imageries per year per sub-region,

• Number of ships caught red-handed per year,

• Amount of ship-generated waste delivered to port reception facilities in the Baltic ports in relation to the total number of calls at ports,

• Number of notifications on inadequacy of port reception facilities received by the Contracting States.

Safe maritime traffic without accidental pollution*

• Number of shipping accidents, including in ice conditions, per year in relation to yearly traffic (number of ships crossing pre-defined AIS lines),

• Number of accidents with pollution in relation to the total number of accidents per year,

• Number of collisions/groundings in relation to the total number of accidents per year.

Efficient emergency and response capability

General evaluation of implementation by HELCOM RESPONSE

• Rate of oil recovery and the amount of oily wastes at sea and on the shoreline during response operations to oil accidents,

• Number of accidents where dispersants were used.

Minimum sewage pollution from ships

• Number of ferry and passenger terminals equipped with adequate sewage reception facilities per number of all ferry and passenger terminals in a country per year,

• Number of ferries and passenger ships delivering sewage to port reception facilities.

No introductions of alien species from ships

General evaluation of implementation by HELCOM MARITIME in co-operation with HELCOM MONAS and HELCOM HABITAT

• Number of new introductions observed per year,

• Number of established alien species per year,

• Amount of sediments delivered to port reception facilities.

Minimum air pollution from ships

• NOx emissions from shipping in the Baltic per year,

• Number of ships that use NOx abatement technology and specified by technology, such as SCR (selective catalytic reduction), HAM (Humid Air Motor Technique), water injection, etc.,

• Number of non-compliant ships in relation to the total number of ships inspected in the Baltic Sea ports to control compliance with fuel oil requirements of Annex VI to MARPOL 73/78,

• Average content of sulphur in fuel delivered to ships from fuel oil suppliers in the Baltic Sea per year.

Zero discharges from offshore platforms

General evaluation by HELCOM MARITIME.

Minimum threats from offshore installations

General evaluation by HELCOM MARITIME.

* applicable for tankers over 150 GT and other ships over 400 GT according to the agreed HELCOM reporting form

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