Download The HELCOM Rec. 15/5 HELCOM Network of Marine Protected Areas

The review of HELCOM Rec. 15/5
Reasons for reviewing the Rec.15/5
• The Recommendation was adopted in 1994,
almost 20 years ago
• All the legislation and international
agreements that have emerged in the past
two decades is not acknowledged in the
present Rec.15/5
• Although the main goal is still adequate there
are several objectives that are ignored in the
present Recommendation 15/5.
Reasons for reviewing: legislation and
international agreements
• The CBD COP meetings 1994-2013, in particular the COP-10 in Nagoya
(Aichi province), in Japan in 2010 which set up important goals for MPAs
and the last COP-11 (Hyderabad, 2012) which pushed forward the
concept of Ecologically and Biologically Significant Areas (EBSA)
• UNCLOS (Came into force on 16 Nov. 1994)
• IMO (Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas)
• IUCN New classification system for MPAs
• EU’s Habitats Directive process & reporting
• EU’s Marine Strategy Framework Directive (reference to MPAs in the
Preamble and Article 13)
• EU’s Biodiversity Strategy
• EU’s Integrated Maritime Policy (reference to MPAs)
• The Climate Change as a global driver of change that also affects MPAs
• The HELCOM-OSPAR Joint Ministerial meeting in 2003
• The HELCOM Ministerial meeting in 2007 & BSAP
• The HELCOM Ministerial meeting in Moscow in 2010
The COP-10 targets not acknowledged
in the present Rec. 15/5
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Target 5: Loss of habitats
Target 6: Overfishing
Target 8: Pollution and nutrients
Target 9: Invasive species
Target 10: Anthropogenic pressures, climate change, acidification
Target 11: 10% MPAs
Target 12: Threatened species
Target 13: Genetic diversity
Target 14: Ecosystem services
Target 15: (15% restoration goals)
Target 17: Biodiversity strategy
Target 19: Knowledge sharing
The COP-10 (Aichi) target 11
• Target 11: By 2020, at least 17 per cent of terrestrial and inland
water areas and 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas,
especially areas of particular importance for biodiversity and
ecosystem services, are conserved through effectively and
equitably managed, ecologically representative and wellconnected systems of protected areas and other effective areabased conservation measures, and integrated into the wider
landscape and seascape.
The COP-11 Decision’s topics not
acknowledged in the present Rec. 15/5
• Ecologically and Biologically Significant Areas (EBSA)
• Climate change & Ocean acidification (impact on coastal and marine
biodiversity)
• Unsustainable/Destructive fisheries
• Marine Debris
• Marine Spatial Planning (including knowledge sharing)
• Underwater noise
Other issues that need to be addressed when
reviewing the present Rec. 15/5
• The effect of the legal protection of HELCOM MPAs is unclear
• The 10% MPA target is reached for the Baltic Sea but not for sub-regions
• The HELCOM MPA Guidelines should be fully compatible with the IUCN
classification of MPAs and the selection criteria for EBSAs
• MPAs should be transboundary when ecosystems give reason for this
• The MSFD Monitoring obligations should make the most of HELCOM’s
MPA network (scientific use of MPAs should be promoted)
• Maritime Spatial Plans and ICM-strategies should strengthen the MPA’s
• Data and knowledge sharing and joint analysis must be improved
• Cooperation with other Regional Sea Conventions, EEA, the CBD
secretariat and others working on MPAs should be strengthened
• The name BSPA should be changed to HELCOM MPAs because the
acronym BSPA have in the 19 years not been branded well enough and it
cause confusion when communicating with parties outside the Baltic Sea
The upcoming HELCOM Ministerial meeting in
should adopt a reviewed rec. 15/5 because...
• The HELCOM Ministerial meeting define the new goals (direction) and
objectives (actions) for HELCOM’s work for the next 3-6 years
• The biodiversity component of these goals and objectives should have a
purpose and provide added value and include new ideas & practices
• The goals and objectives should acknowledge other relevant activities
that support or are entwined into HELCOM’s MPA related work in order
to avoid double work and enhance the operative efficiency
• Agreeing on a set of new goals and objectives at the end of 2013 would
provide a perfect timing for applying for funding because several EU
funding programmes are about to begin or have just begun (Life funding
programme, Interreg, EMFF).