HELCOM indicators provide information that is considered to be critical in mitigating environmental problems. The indicators try to simplify complex reality. They are mainly based on data obtained by HELCOM PLC and COMBINE monitoring programmes.
The indicators are presented in HELCOM Indicator Fact Sheets. The fact Sheets are compiled by responsible institutions and approved by HELCOM Monitoring and Assessment Group. The names of the authors and institutes are shows in every Fact Sheet.
Information on the long-term varaitions in the Baltic marine environment can be found:
The Baltic Marine Environment 1999-2002 (2003)
Radioactivity in the Baltic Sea 1992-1998 (2003)
Fourth Periodic Assessment of the State of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area, 1994-1998 (2003)
Fourth Periodic Assessment of the State of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea, 1994-1998; Executive Summary (2001)
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The following Indicator Fact Sheets provide detailed information on:
- hydrology and hydrography
- emissions of nutrients and heavy metals to the air and their subsequent deposition into the sea
- distribution of phytoplankton and intensity of spring blooms and summer blue-green algal blooms
- hazardous substances
The key message of the Fact Sheet is presented in boxed paragraph. To open the Fact Sheet, click the blue heading.
Runoff to the Baltic Sea Regions and total runoff
In all sub-regions of the Baltic Sea, a strong seasonal, annual and decadal variability in the runoff can be distinguished. Especially wet and dry periods are characterising the runoff.
Water exchange between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea and conditions in the deep basins
The stagnation period which lasted since 1995 was terminated by the strong major Baltic inflow from January 2003.
Hydrographhy and oxygen in the deep basins
The Autumn 2002 – Spring 2003 saline inflows have had a posive effect on the oxygen conditions in the deep basins of the Southern and Eastern Baltic. In the Southern Baltic Proper, oxygen levels are close 1995, shortly after the last inflow. Hydrogen sulphide is still present in the East Gotland Basin, though in smaller amounts than in 2000 – 2002. The Western Baltic Proper is still badly affected by hydrogen sulphide.
Atmospheric Emissions of Nitrogen
In all HELCOM Contracting Parties emissions are lower in 2001 than in 1991
Atmospheric deposition of nitrogen
No significant temporal pattern in nitrogen depositions to the Baltic Sea and its sub-basins can be detected.
Emissions of cadmium, mercury and lead to the air in period 1990-2001
Annual emissions of heavy metals from HELCOM countries have decreased during the period from 1990 to 2001.
Atmospheric depositions of cadmium, mercury and lead on the Baltic Sea in 1990-2001
Total annual atmospheric depositions of heavy metals to the Baltic Sea have substantially decreased in period 1990-2001.
Chlorophyll a concentrations from satellite remote-sensing of ocean colour
The maps produced from SeaWiFS satellite images show the July-August mean concentration of chlorophyll-like pigments in the Baltic Sea.
Summer concentrations of chlorophyll-like pigments reveal clear regional differences but no trends in 1998-2002.
The spring bloom in 2003 was in all areas the most intense since 1992. However, no rising trend can be detected from 1992 to 2003
Wide spread cyanobacterial surface accumulations were observed in July-August in the northern Baltic Proper and in the Gulf of Finland.
Total amounts of the artificial radionuclide caesium -137 in Baltic Sea sediments
The most significant source of artificial radioactivity in the Baltic Sea is the fallout from the Chernobyl accident.
Illegal discharges of oil in the Baltic Sea (3 September 2003)
In 2002, 344 deliberate illegal oil discharges from ships were observed within the Baltic Sea.
Trace metals in the Baltic Sea waters(15 October 2003)
Since 1993 the trace metal concentrations in Baltic Sea surface waters are still in the same order of magnitude.
The following documents are not Indicator Reports but give information on harmful substances in herrings and sea surface temperature
Contaminants in the different age classes of the Baltic Herring (7 October 2003)
PCB, DDT compounds and Hg have a clear dependence on the age in the female Baltic Herrings.
Sum parameters of presented seven PCBs and three DDTs have a decreasing trend as a result of banning the use of PCBs and DDT’s.
Development of Sea Surface Temperature in the Baltic Sea in 2002
The assessment of the sea surface temperature of the Baltic Sea in 2002 was made on the basis of data of the NOAA weather satellites.