Revision of HELCOM monitoring programmes

Aim

The aim of the activity is to further develop the HELCOM monitoring programmes, in a gradual, stepwise manner, ensuring that it is based on HELCOM and other relevant international requirements.

Tasks

The tasks of the proposed activity are to:

• Identify indicator and underlying data needs raised by HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan (BSAP)

• Make an inventory of available indicators and underlying data requirements

• Identify gaps in the available indicators and underlying data

• Propose possible solutions for filling the identified gaps

• Secure and institutionalize production of yearly HELCOM indicator updates by, for example, identifying responsible institutions/ countries

• Develop ToR for joint ICES/HELCOM/OSPAR STGQAB taking into account the need of HELCOM, ICES and OSPAR .

Activities for the period 2007-2008

1) Background paper should covering:

• Monitoring requirements of the BSAP

• Available indicators compared with the needs of the BSAP indicators

• Identification of gaps in existing indicators and data

• Inputs (indicators and monitoring) will be dealt within eutrophication and hazardous substances segments

• The quality assurance requirements;

2) HELCOM EUTRO-PRO and HELCOM BIO, and possible HELCOM hazardous substances project, to give their input to the background document on the discovered shortages of the existing monitoring activities;

3) Contracting Party -comments to the amended background document;

4) A workshop in April 2008 to agree on needs, identify solutions to the gaps identified in the background document, and to propose further steps for revision of HELCOM monitoring programmes.

5) Reporting to MONAS 11/2008;

6) More technical workshops to cover different BSAP topics may be needed later.

For more details, see also Annex 3 of the Minutes of the 10^th Meeting of the HELCOM Monitoring and Assessment Group (HELCOM MONAS 10/2007).

Contacts

Ms Maria Laamanen
Professional Secretary
HELCOM Secretariat
Tel: +358 46 850 9198
E-mail: maria.laamanen@helcom.fi