Helcom : Working Programme

Working programme of HELCOM HABITAT 2009-2011

The working programme of HELCOM HABITAT for the years 2009-2011 is focused on the implementation of the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan. Detailed working programme with actions was agreed upon by the 11^th Meeting of the HELCOM HABITAT Group and can be found in Annex 4 of the Minutes to the Meeting. The segments and themes of the working programme fully concern implementation of the biodiversity segment of the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan, and they are as follows:

List of Tables

Table 1. Natural marine and coastal landscapes
Table 2. Thriving and balanced communities of plants and animals
Table 3. Viable populations of species
Table 4. Indicators and environmental targets
Table 5. Other issues

Table 1. Natural marine and coastal landscapes

ACTION	INTERSESSIONAL ACTIVITIES/RESPONSIBLE	RESULTS/TIME FRAME
Implementation of the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan - Natural marine and coastal landscapes
Develop approaches and tools for implementing -the marine spatial planning related paragraphs of the HELCOM BSAP; -HELCOM Recommendation 24/10 on integrated marine and coastal management of human activities and; -HELCOM Recommendation 28E/9 on broad-scale cross-sectoral marine spatial planning principles
To jointly develop by 2010, as well as test, apply and evaluate by 2012, broad-scale, cross-sectoral, marine spatial planning principles (page 21 of BSAP) Implementation of the HELCOM Recommendation 28E/9 Implementation of the HELCOM Recommendation 24/10 Gathering relevant data on the biota and human activities at sea	Lead Party: [Germany] HELCOM project on the Development of broad-scale spatial planning of the Baltic Sea area (HELCOM SCALE)/ Secretariat Co-operation with relevant Baltic Sea organizations to further develop the principles and to apply for a Baltic Sea pilot project under the EU MSP Roadmap Ongoing and future projects in the Baltic Sea region, e.g. possible 2^nd phase of BALANCE, BaltSeaPlan/ Contracting Parties, Secretariat	Reporting to HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan IG or HELCOM HOD meetings First outcome / HELCOM HABITAT 12/2010 and HELCOM 2010 Ministerial Meeting Final results / HELCOM HABITAT 15/2013 and HELCOM 2013 Ministerial Meeting Spatial information on biota, human activities at sea and BSPAs into HELCOM GIS / Open ended activity
Further development of HELCOM GIS, (including an interactive tool for marine spatial planning)	/Secretariat with the help of a GIS project assistant	An informative and helpful GIS system within HELCOM/ Open ended activity
To develop further detailed marine landscape maps	Lead Party: Sweden Make use of the already existing information, produced by various projects, e.g. BALANCE/Contracting Parties	Reporting / HELCOM HABITAT 12/2010
HELCOM BSPA network
To designate already established marine Natura 2000 and Emerald sites also as HELCOM Baltic Sea Protected Areas by 2009 To designate, where appropriate, additional BSPAs with special attention to inclusion of new marine sites outside territorial waters, i.e. within EEZ by 2010	Lead Party: Germany Designate BSPAs/Contracting Parties Corresponding updates to the BSPA database/ Contracting Parties	Reporting / HELCOM HABITAT 12/2010, and HELCOM 2010 Ministerial Meeting
To finalize, where possible, and to implement management plans, for the BSPAs thereby improving the protection efficiency of the BSPA network by 2010	/Contracting Parties	Management plans finalized, where possible, and implemented / HELCOM HABITAT 12/2010 and HELCOM 2010 Ministerial Meeting
To assess the ecological coherence of the BSPA network together with the Natura 2000 and Emerald networks thereby improving the protection efficiency of the BSPA network by 2010	Lead Party: Secretariat and Germany Designate BSPAs/Contracting Partie Annual updates to the BSPA database/ Contracting Parties Assessment/Secretariat with Germany	Status reports on the assessment / HELCOM HABITAT 11/2009 Final assessment report / HELCOM HABITAT 12/2010 and HELCOM 2010 Ministerial Meeting

Table 2. Thriving and balanced communities of plants and animals

ACTION	INTERSESSIONAL ACTIVITIES/RESPONSIBLE	RESULTS/TIME FRAME
Implementation of the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan – Thriving and balanced communities of plants and animals
Updating of a complete classification system for Baltic marine biotopes/habitats by 2011	Lead Party: Estonia [and Sweden] Make use of the already existing information, e.g. EUNIS/ Contracting Parties HELCOM RED LIST project
Identification and mapping of potential and actual habitats of habitat forming species (bladder wrack, eelgrass, blue mussel, stoneworts) and development of a common approach for the mitigation of negative impacts by 2013	Lead Party: Sweden /Contracting Parties /Partly included in HELCOM HOLAS	Reporting to HELCOM HABITAT each year Final report to HELCOM HABITAT 15/2013
Updating of HELCOM Red Lists of biotopes/habitats and biotope complexes	Lead Party: [Finland, Germany and Sweden were invited by HELCOM HABITAT 10/2008] /Contracting Parties HELCOM RED LIST project	Reporting to HELCOM HABITAT each year, final report to HELCOM HABITAT 15/2013

Table 3. Viable populations of species

ACTION	INTERSESSIONAL ACTIVITIES/RESPONSIBLE	RESULTS/TIME FRAME
Implementation of the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan – Viable populations of species
Promote research and compilation of lists of species in particular need of protection
Producing a comprehensive HELCOM Red List of Baltic Sea species	Lead Party: [Finland, Germany and Sweden were invited by HELCOM HABITAT 10/2008] /Contracting Parties HELCOM RED LIST project	First discussion HELCOM HABITAT 10/2008 and the final List to HELCOM HABITAT 15/2013
Develop research on possibilities of reintroduction of valuable phytobenthos species	Lead Party: Poland	ACTION MISSING, second discussion in HELCOM HABITAT 11/2009
Production of an assessment of the conservation status of non-commercial fish species	Lead Party: Sweden HELCOM FISH	First discussion HELCOM HABITAT 10/2008
Safeguard long term viability of Baltic seal species and harbour porpoises
To safeguard long-term viability of the Baltic seal populations by implementation of HELCOM Recommendation 27-28/2 on Conservation of seals in the Baltic Sea area To finalise National Management Plans for the Baltic seals taking into account HELCOM general management principles	Lead Party: Sweden /Ad hoc Seal Expert Group HELCOM SEAL and its intersessional teams: Population size, distribution and health status team /Contracting Parties	Report of HELCOM SEAL 3/2009 to HELCOM HABITAT 11/2009 To finalize national management plans by HELCOM HABITAT 14/2012 Harmonisemanagement guidelines by HELCOM HABITAT 14/2012
To develop further the co-operation with ASCOBANS and coordinated reporting system and database on Baltic harbour porpoise sightings, by-catches and strandings by 2010	Lead Party: [Finland] /Contracting Parties /Co-operation with ASCOBANS (Jastarnia Group) through HELCOM SEAL	Report to HELCOM HABITAT 11/2009 and a final report to HELCOM HABITAT 12/2010
Promote actions by the competent fisheries authorities to mitigate environmental impacts of fisheries in cooperation with the Regional Advisory Councils under the Common Fisheries Policy
Promote research aiming at developing additional methods for the assessment of and reporting on the impacts of fisheries on biodiversity	/Contracting Parties	HELCOM HABITAT meetings to follow-up
To develop and implement effective monitoring and reporting systems for by-caught birds and mammals	/Contracting Parties /Co-operation with ASCOBANS (Jastarnia Group) through HELCOM SEAL	Reporting to HELCOM HABITAT 12/2010
To develop and implement management measures for fisheries inside marine protected areas in the Baltic Sea area	Lead Party: Germany /Contracting Parties’ competent authorities, Secretariat – Project assistant for the fisheries issues in BSAP Update new information to the BSPA database	Final report by HELCOM HABITAT 12/2010
To develop long term management plans for commercially exploited fish stocks so that they are within safe biological limits and reach agreed targets and improve their distribution and size/age range by 2010 Introduction of additional fisheries management measures based on the best available scientific knowledge by 2012	Lead Party: EC[/Russia] /Contracting Parties’ competent authorities, Secretariat – Project assistant for the fisheries issues in BSAP /Co-operation with Baltic RAC, ICES, OSPAR, CCB and WWF	Final report by HELCOM HABITAT 12/2010
Introduction of additional fisheries management measures such as: - designation of spatial/ temporal closures by 2012; - designation of permanent closures by 2012; - breeding and restocking practices for salmon and sea trout by 2012; - minimisation of by-catch of undersized fish and non-target species by 2012; - evaluation of the effectiveness of existing technical measures by 2008 for minimisation of by-catch of harbour porpoise	Lead Party: EC[/Russia] /Contracting Parties’ competent authorities /Secretariat – Project assistant for the fisheries issues in BSAP /Co-operation with Baltic RAC, ICES, OSPAR, CCB and WWF Ban of drift nets in the Baltic Sea from 1 January 2008//Contracting Parties’ competent authorities Secretariat – Project assistant for the fisheries issues in BSAP	Report to HELCOM HABITAT 11/2009 Final report by HELCOM HABITAT 14/2012
Elimination of illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fisheries and further development of landing control	Lead Party: EC[/Russia] /Contracting Parties’ competent authorities /Secretariat – Project assistant for the fisheries issues in BSAP	Immediately
Implementation of existing long-term management plans for cod and eel	Lead Party: Sweden /Contracting Parties’ competent authorities /Secretariat – Project assistant for the fisheries issues in BSAP	Final Report to HELCOM HABITAT 14/2012
Joint submission by HELCOM EU Member States to the revision of EU CFP in 2012	/Contracting States being also EU member states /Secretariat – Project assistant for the fisheries issues in BSAP	A joint submission to a possible stakeholder consultation concerning a green book to be adopted by the EC (in first half 2009) and joint submission in 2009 concerning the final EC proposal; HABITAT 13/2011
To develop national programmes for the conservation of eel stocks	Lead Party: [Need for a Lead Party] /Contracting Parties’ competent authorities	Contracting Parties’ reports to HELCOM HABITAT 11/2009
To produce an inventory and classification of Baltic rivers with historic and existing migratory fish species (salmon, sea trout, sturgeon and eel), development of restoration plans in suitable rivers to reinstate migratory fish species	Lead Party: Sweden, CCB /Contracting Parties’ competent authorities /Secretariat – Project assistant for the fisheries issues in BSAP	A new inventory and classification of rivers were anadromous fish species spawn/Draft report to HELCOM HABITAT 14/2012 and final to HELCOM HABITAT 15/2013
To ensure active conservation of at least ten endangered/threatened wild salmon river populations in the Baltic Sea region as well as the reintroduction of native Baltic Sea salmon in at least four potential salmon rivers	Lead Party: Sweden, CCB /Contracting Parties’ competent authorities /Secretariat – Project assistant for the fisheries issues in BSAP	Report to HELCOM HABITAT 11/2009 and final report to HELCOM HABITAT 12/2010
Enhance restoration of lost biodiversity by supporting German/Polish action to reintroduce Baltic sturgeon	Lead Party: Poland/Germany	Re-introduction programme for sturgeon/HELCOM HABITAT to follow-up
To establish international co-operation network to agree on guidelines to promote ecosystem-based management of coastal fish species in the Baltic Sea region To develop long-term plans for protecting, monitoring and sustainably managing coastal fish species including threatened and declining as well as anadromous ones To develop a suite of indicators with region-specific reference values and targets for coastal fish as well as tools for assessment and sustainable management of coastal fish	Lead Party: Sweden/[Estonia]HELCOM FISH, HELCOM MONAS /Contracting Parties’ competent authorities /Secretariat – Project assistant for the fisheries issues in BSAP	Draft and final reports to HELCOM HABITAT and HELCOM MONAS in 2012 and 2012, respectively

Table 4. Indicators and environmental targets

ACTION	INTERSESSIONAL ACTIVITIES/RESPONSIBLE	RESULTS/TIME FRAME
Implementation of the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan – Indicators and environmental targets
Prepare indicators on biodiversity and nature protection and BSAP for Nature Protection and Biodiversity
Further development of a core set of indicators to assesses how the HELCOM EcoOs for biodiversity and nature conservation are reached	Contracting Parties HELCOM MONROAD HELCOM MONAS /Secretariat /HELCOM FISH	Final biodiversity report to be published by HELCOM HOD 28/2009

Table 5. Other issues

ACTION	INTERSESSIONAL ACTIVITIES/RESPONSIBLE	RESULTS/TIME FRAME
Implementation of the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan – Other issues
Alien species
Keep the list of HELCOM Target Species updated in co-operation with HELCOM MONAS	Contracting Parties Lead Party: [Lithuania] /HELCOM MONAS, HELCOM MARITIME	Open ended