BALSAM Testing new concepts for integrated environmental monitoring - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Baltic Sea Pilot Project BALSAM Testing new concepts for integrated environmental monitoring of the Baltic Sea Johanna Karhu, BALSAM Project Coordinator

Background • 3 New Knowledge pilot projects (Oct 2013 – March/May 2015): – Towards a joint monitoring programme for the North Sea and the Celtic Sea (JMP NS/CS) – Integrated Regional monitoring Implementation Strategy in the South European Seas (IRIS-SES) – Baltic Sea Pilot Project (BALSAM)

Main aim of the Pilot Projects Develop new concepts and decision-making tools for MSFD implementation: • integrated monitoring strategies based on existing sampling and scope potential for joint monitoring programmes within and between MS; • to support MSFD and other environmental legislation; • cooperation between pilot projects and transferability of results between regions.

Objectives of BALSAM 1. Support coordinated monitoring in the Baltic under HELCOM BSAP and the MSFD monitoring (Art 11) of EU Member States 2. Support the development of the HELCOM Monitoring Manual (published on 15 October 2014) 3. Provide recommendations for further improved data management and infrastructure, monitoring of seals and seabirds, non-indigenous species in ports, benthic habitat distribution, as well as further coordinated use of research vessels Focus on gaps

1. Coordinator HELCOM Secretariat 2. Aquabiota, Sweden (non-profit research institute) 3. Baltic Environmental Forum, Latvia (NGO) 4. Estonian Fund For Nature, Estonia (NGO) 5. Estonian Marine Institute, Estonia (public research institute) 6. Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency, Germany (public research institute) 7. Finnish Environment Institute, Finland (public research institute) 8. Finnish Game and Fisheries Research Institute (public research institute) 9. Instytut Meteorologii I Gospodarki Wodnej – PIB, Poland (public research institute) 10. Klaipeda University, Lithuania (university) 11. Latvian Fund for Nature, Latvia (NGO) 12. Latvian Institute of Aquatic Ecology, Latvia (public research institute) 13. Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research Warnemuende, Germany (public research institute) 14. Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute, Sweden (SMHI) 15. Swedish Museum of Natural History, Sweden (public research institute) 16. Tallinn University of Technology, Estonia (university) 17. University of Gdansk, Poland (university) 18. WWF Finland (NGO) 19. Århus University, Denmark (university, public research institute)

HELCOM MONITORING MANUAL • Published on 15 October 2014 (same date for MSFD art 11 reporting)

Action Plan to improve data management • Action plan with ICES being developed to enhance data flows and databases (data infrastructure and management) at the regional level to ensure data for certain core indicators and HELCOM assessments(HOLAS II) • Synergies for environmental and fisheries monitoring

Further Coordinated Use of Research vessels • Compiling information on research vessels in the Baltic, creating an online tool to view research vessels locations in real-time as well as overlaps in spatial use

Thank you!