Helcom : GUIDELINES FOR MANAGEMENT OF BALTIC SEA PROTECTED AREAS (BSPAS)

Guidelines for HELCOM Recommendation 15/5

These Guidelines were adopted by HELCOM HABITAT 7/2005 (Previous version of the Guidelines)

GUIDELINES FOR MANAGEMENT OF BALTIC SEA PROTECTED AREAS (BSPAs)

Recalling HELCOM Recommendation 15/5, the Commission recommended to the Governments of the Contracting Parties to the Helsinki Convention:

"that management plans be established for each BSPA to ensure nature protection and sustainable use of natural resources. These management plans shall consider all possible negatively effecting activities, such as: extraction of sand, stones and gravel; oil and gas exploration and exploitation; dumping of solid waste and dredge spoils; constructions; waste water from industry, municipalities and households; intensive agriculture and intensive forestry; aquaculture; harmful fishing practices; tourism; transport of hazardous substances by ship through these areas; military activities ..."

1. The need for management

The need for management arises from conflicts of interest and from specific nature conservation goals. But also the aim to keep an area as it is and to focus on an undisturbed natural succession needs to be described within a management plan. Conflicts between conservation interests and anthropogenic exploitation or side effects from such and other human activities detrimental to nature must be avoided in a BSPA. On the other hand, an activity by man, such as environment friendly farming practices may be essential for the upholding of conditions needed for certain species or habitats.

2. Required background information

Available information concerning the state of the environment and the flora and fauna and their interactions with outside areas have to be compiled. Additional information should be gathered through literature studies including ecological changes (in the past), or base-line studies must be undertaken to gather new information.

Existing legal and administrative structures pertaining to the area and constraints already put on the area must be clarified, e.g., existing frameworks for coastal fisheries, marine transportation and other relevant controls on present use of the area.

In both instances, and most likely in the latter, it may be necessary to follow up by monitoring at appropriate intervals depending on regeneration potential and the impact and frequency of detrimental activities, in order to assess the need for management.

Actual and potential ecological stress factors, conflicts and threats have to be scrutinized in order to assess their effects on the environment and on the flora and fauna.

Maps with all relevant data including conflicts should be produced.

3. General aim of management

Baltic Sea Protected Areas have been chosen as examples of typical biotopes of ecological significance occurring in each of the Baltic Sea sub-regions. The general aim of management of these areas is to ensure the conservation and/or restoration of a representative set of biotopes and habitats in order to preserve biodiversity and sustainable use of natural resources where appropriate.

4. Specific aims of management

To reach the general aim in an area, it is necessary to focus on a number of specific aims, depending on the conservation needs of the area. Zoning could be a useful tool to reach the specific aims. Elements in need of specific protection within a BSPA must be described comprehensively.

5. Required administrative elements

An assessment of the arrangements including financial, human and physical resources required to establish the BSPA and to manage it effectively could cover the following items, including budget and timetables:

staffing
equipment and facilities
training
interpretation and education
monitoring and research
maintenance and/or restoration
surveillance
enforcement
evaluation and review of effectiveness

One nature conservation authority should be responsible for the management of each BSPA or for BSPAs.

6. Management options in BSPAs

In compliance with the guidelines for designating BSPAs, the aim of protection should be described and, when appropriate, assigned to IUCN categories for protected areas. When a zoning system with different protection categories is appropriate, separate regulations should apply for each zone.

Specific forms of sustainable land use should be regulated when appropriate. Scientific research should be controlled by the management authority that should be responsible for eduction and public awareness too.

The following options exist to regulate or compensate harmful human activities:

a. Restriction of activities in extent;
b. Restriction of activities in space (including zoning);
c. Restriction of activities in time (ban of certain activities for a specific period, e.g.,
during breeding seasons or spawning periods);
d. Maintenance of sustainable and traditional use when appropriate;
e. Alteration of procedures (e.g., reintroduction of traditional land and sea use practices);
f. Substitution of materials or substances (e.g., to avoid contamination);
g. Total ban of activities or demolition of construction (e.g., demolition of dykes);
h. Restoration, reintroduction.

The following activities and threats should be regulated:

1. Extraction of sand, stone and gravel;

2. Oil and gas exploration and exploitation (incl. accidental spillage of oil) and of other natural resources like amber;

3. Dumping of solid waste and dredged spoils;

4. Constructions (including coastal defence measures and infrastructure);

5. Waste water (from industry, municipalities and households) and other harmful emissions;
a. emission of nutrients and biodegradable organic substances,
b. emission of heavy metals and other hazardous substances such as pesticides, antifouling
agents, chemicals and radioactive substances;

6. Aquaculture;

7. Transport of hazardous substances by ship through these areas;

8. Military activities;

9. Installation of wind-farms (including offshore wind-farms);

10. Submarine cables.

The following activities and threats should be regulated, where appropriate:

1. Agriculture and forestry incl. water regulation;
2. Fishing and hunting;
3. Tourism and recreational activities.

7. Outline structure for a management plan for an MPA of the HELCOM network

Management plans are valuable tools to help achieve the objectives of the HELCOM network of marine protected areas. The following provides guidance on the outline structure of a management plan for a BSPA, based on the IUCN model[1]. The outline was adapted to the needs of HELCOM and OSPAR maritime areas in collaboration with the OSPAR Commission and consequently, harmonized with the outline structure presented in the "Guidelines for the Management of Marine Protected Areas in the OSPAR Maritime Area". Detailed practical guidance on establishing management plans, including an annotated outline structure is introduced in Section 1 of the HELCOM report "Manual and tools for BSPA planning and management".

The outline is meant to be used as a checklist for all possible information that could or should be included in the HELCOM management plans, while the final structure of the plan depends on the country, site, responsible agency and available information. Proper management is required for all sites, however, when management plans are used, these should be customized for the site and not all the information below is necessary for each site.

The NATURA 2000 and EMERALD networks are of great value for the establishment of the Joint OSPAR and HELCOM Network of marine protected areas. EU Member States are obliged to implement the regulations in the Birds and Habitats Directives by nominating and managing, inter alia, marine protected areas within the NATURA 2000 network. Where NATURA 2000 sites are also reported as HELCOM BSPAs, Contracting States should be under no obligation to take any further action. Where management plans for NATURA 2000 sites exist, they will be sufficient.

Chapter headings written in regular font are recommended for all plans, while information under the headings written in italics is needed if it exists and/or is of relevance to the site in question.

Outline for HELCOM and OSPAR MPA management plans

Title

Table of contents

1. Executive Summary

2. Introduction

2.1. Purpose and scope of the plan

2.2. Legislative authority for the plan (national and international)

3. Description of the site and its features

3.1. Regional setting: location, access

3.2. Conservation values of the site

3.3. Features

3.3.1. Physical

3.3.2. Biological

3.3.3. Cultural

3.4. Existing uses

3.4.1. Recreational

3.4.2. Commercial

3.4.3. Research and education

3.4.4. Traditional uses

3.5. Existing legal and management framework

3.6. Threat and conflict analysis

3.7. Existing gaps in knowledge

4. Management

4.1. Goals and objectives (general and specific)

4.1.1. General goals and objectives

4.1.2. Specific goals and objectives

4.2. Management tactics

4.2.1. Advisory committees

4.2.2. Interagency agreements or arrangements with private organizations, institutions or individuals

4.2.3. Boundaries

4.2.4. Zoning plan

4.2.5. Regulations

4.2.6. Natural resources

4.2.7. Social, cultural and resource studies plan

4.2.8. Education and public awareness

4.3. Administration

4.3.1. Staffing

4.3.2. Training

4.3.3. Facilities and equipment

4.3.4. Budget and business plan

4.4. Surveillance and enforcement

4.5. Monitoring and evaluation of plan effectiveness

4.6. Timetable for implementation

5. Appendices

6. References and information sources

[1] R.V. Salm, John Clark, and Erkki Siirila (2000). Marine and Coastal Protected Areas: A guide for planners and managers. IUCN. Washington DC. xxi+ 371pp.

Kelleher, G. (1999). Guidelines for Marine Protected Areas. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. xxiv +107pp.