Download Presentation 1 - BalticBOOST Theme 3

Theme 3 – Physical loss and
damage to the seafloor
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BalticBOOST
Theme 1 - Biodiversity
development of a biodiversity assessment tool and improving data
arrangements for the biodiversity elements where this is limited
Theme 2 - Hazardous substances
Refine an existing HELCOM tool for assessing the status hazardous
substances
Theme 3 - Physical loss and damage to seabed habitats
Theme 4 - Noise
Review existing knowledge, explore acceptable levels and survey
possible management measures
​Theme 5 - Joint documentation of PoMs
Support the development of a joint document on regional
coordinated Programmes of Measures and a system to follow-up
actions agreed by HELCOM. ​
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What?
Analyze physical loss and impact to the seafloor and explore ways to
determine how much disturbance from different activities specific
seabed habitats can tolerate while remaining in Good Environmental
Status (GES)
• WP 3.1 Continue the development of environmental targets in
HELCOM by developing a methodology for integrating impacts
from multiple pressures and guidelines for setting environmental
targets
• WP 3.2 Continue the BALTFIMPA project by producing a
quantitative estimation of fishing gear impacts on seafloor
habitats, with test-case examples
• WP 3.3 Define information needs on pressures and activities that
affect the seabed habitats
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Why?
Improve regional coherence in the implementation of marine
strategies
The outputs will also support the HELCOM holistic assessment
(HOLAS II) in the assessment of impacts to the seafloor
The outputs of WP 3.1 can be used by Contracting Parties to
develop coherent national environmental targets
The outputs of WP 3.2 could be used by natural resource managers
around the Baltic to evaluate current fisheries management
practices
The outputs of WP 3.3 will be used to provide support to this
Theme as well as future assessment of pressures impacting the
Baltic Sea
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Who?
The project is coordinated by HELCOM and has 10 partners from the
HELCOM EU Member States and one international organisation (ICES)
Theme 3 members
The project implementation is guided by HELCOM groups, as well as
HELCOM workshops carried out as part of the project.
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How?
Literature and data based approach
• For fisheries (WP 3.2):
Use fishing pressure and habitat data to assess impact
• For other impacts (WP 3.1):
Use literature information to assess the extent of impacts
• Test cases (both WPs):
Use real data on a limited scale to groundtruth general findings
• Linkages:
Integration of fisheries and other impacts is still under investigation,
possibility to use Baltic Sea Impact Index (BSII) ad a bridge between
impacts and a connection with HOLAS II
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When?
Project started 15 September 2015 and will end 15 December 2016
Theme 3 runs throughout the project duration
In the past months the Theme held joint and WP specific meetings to
define the work methodology and documents were submitted to
relevant HELCOM Groups for guidance
Draft outputs of the work are expected for September 2016
Draft outputs are going to be reviewed by ICES external experts and
relevant HELCOM Groups; their comments will be integrated in the
final version of the Theme outputs, which is to be ready at the end of
the project in December 2016
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What now?
How to ensure that fisheries and non-fisheries impact categories will
match in sensitivities?
How to integrate fisheries and non-fisheries impact in the work of 3.1?
What is the final approach to follow in WPs 3.1 and 3.2?
Are there other case studies that could be used for fisheries/nonfisheries impacts?
How, and by whom, could the results be used?
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How much pressure a site can tolerate and still remain in GES?
Proposal to use Benthic Quality Index (BQI) for offshore waters, and
EU WFD vegetation indices for national waters, to assess distance
from GES
In practice, many simplifications and assumptions based on expert
knowledge will be needed and there will likely be difficulties to
distinguish the impacts of physical pressures from other pressures,
such as eutrophication, chemical pollution and changes in food web
structure
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