Agenda Item / 2 Project Progress during the first six months
Submission date / 30.4.2014
Submitted by / Secretariat
Baltic Sea Pilot Project: Testing new concepts for integrated environmental monitoring of the Baltic Sea (BALSAM) – progress report
This document summarizes the activities carried out in the BALSAM project and gives an overview of the next steps and project deliverables.
Action
The Meeting is invited to:
-discuss the project progress
-plan the next project deliverables, especially on proposals for monitoring programmes
Baltic Sea Pilot Project: Testing new concepts for integrated environmental monitoring of the Baltic Sea (BALSAM) – progress report
Background
The BALSAM project (October 2013 - March 2015) aims to enhance the capacity of the Baltic Sea states to develop their monitoring programmes by increasing and improving cross-border coordination and joint activities, especially related to monitoring of biodiversity. The project is one of the three “New Knowledge” pilot projects, the other two projects being in the North Sea (JMP NS/CS) and Mediterranean and Black Sea (IRIS-SES).
The BALSAM project consortium includes 19 partners (Annex 1) and is coordinated by the HELCOM Secretariat. The project is supervised by HELCOM GEAR and the project steering group, consisting of the Project Coordinator, Professional Secretary and Work Package leaders. The project activities have been organised into six work packages (WP) and the focus areas are on fisheries and environmental monitoring (WP2), seals and seabirds (WP3), non-indigenous species (WP4), benthic habitats (WP6) and coordinated use of research vessels (WP5) in the Baltic (Annex 2).
General activities
The project kick-off meeting was held on 14-15 November 2013 in the HELCOM Secretariat (Annex 3) and most of the work packages have also held internal meetings (Table 1).
The three New Knowledge pilot projects have joint deliverables to the European Commission: a Catalogue of current environmental monitoring (spring 2014) and an assessment of how current monitoring responds to the needs of the MSFD with recommendations for integrated environmental monitoring. In the first progress report to be delivered by the end of May 2014, BALSAM will present a draft Catalogue of current environmental monitoring in the Baltic, which has been gathered in close collaboration with the HELCOM MORE project in order to avoid any duplication of work, as requested by HELCOM GEAR. The monitoring Catalogue will provide input to the on-going revision of HELCOM’s coordinated monitoring system and to the online HELCOM monitoring manual (developed within the MORE project). The next deliverable, the proposals for integrated environmental monitoring, should be presented in a report in November 2014. It was agreed in the HELCOM MORE 9/2014 meeting that since BALSAM has expertise in fisheries and data flows, seals and seabirds, non-indigenous species and benthic habitats, these recommendations could be taken on board in MORE when revising HELCOM’s coordinated monitoring system.
Table 1. Meetings held within the BALSAM project.
Meeting name / Purpose of the meeting / Partners/Stakeholders involved / Location / DatesSteering group meeting / To plan the project and project coordination / HELCOM, AU, BEF, TUT / Skype / 20.9.2013
WP6 kick off meeting / To initiate and plan the activities in WP6 / BEF, Aquabiota, LIAE, EMI, CORPI / Latvia / 4.10.13
WP3 meeting / To plan the activities for WP3 / AU, SMNH, EFN, / Copenhagen / 15.10.13
WP4 technical workshop / To share experiences on port survey methodology and plan the work within WP4 / HELCOM, SYKE, BSH, UT, WMU, LIAE, Geomar / Helsinki / 17.10.13
WP2 coordination call / To initiate the WP2 activities / HELCOM, ICES / WEbex / 1.11.13
BALSAM kick-off meeting / To initiate and coordinate the project activities and to bring the project partners together. / HELCOM, AU, ICES, TUT, SYKE, FGFRI, IOW, BEF, JMP NS/CS, IMGW, SMHI, Russian State Hydrometeorological University / Helsinki / 14-15.11.13
WP2 task force meeting / To plan the WP2 deliverables and activities further / HELCOM, ICES, SYKE, IMGW, SMHI, TI-OF / Copenhagen / 22.1.14
Steering group meeting / To plan the project deliverables, especially the catalogue of monitoring and reporting deadlines / HELCOM, AU, BEF, TUT / Skype / 28.1.2014
WP4 coordination call / To coordinate and plan the work in WP4 / HELCOM, SYKE, UT, LIAE, UG / Skype / 3.2.14
WP6 meeting / To plan the catalogue and collecting information on surveys / BEF, Aquabiota, LIAE, EMI, CORPI, HELCOM / Riga / 7.2.14
Steering group meeting / To plan the work on the catalogue and first reporting / HELCOM, TUT, BEF / Skype / 28.3.14
Steering group meeting / To plan the finalisation of the catalogue and the BALSAM WP1 meeting on 7 May 2014. / HELCOM, TUT, BEF, AU / Skype / 25.4.14
Next steps and project deliverables
The BALSAM WP1 meeting is invited to discuss the progress in the project, the draft catalogue and its finalisation, as well as the next steps and progress in reporting.
The work packages have also specific deliverables, which will be finalized during the project. For example, WP2, led by the HELCOM Secretariat with ICES as sub-contractor, will compile an action plan with recommendations and examples for increased accessibility and compatibility of environmental and fisheries monitoring data / data flows and will also arrange a workshop on improving and advancing existing environmental and fisheries survey capabilities in autumn 2014.
WP3 seal experts, led by Aarhus University and being closely linked to HELCOM SEAL EG, will compile a common database for seal monitoring data for the HELCOM area containing abundance data from year 2000-present. They will also collect integrated seal distribution data from available telemetry studies and update the framework and methodology for coordinated monitoring of the seals throughout the Baltic Sea. The seal experts have also produced a document on “Methods for seal abundance monitoring in the HELCOM area 2014”, which is to be finalised by the end of the project. The first seal work package meeting was held back-to-back with HELCOM SEAL EG 7/2013, where the document was discussed and the next one is planned to be held back-to-back with the next HELCOM SEAL meeting on 21-23 October 2014.
WP3 bird experts, coordinated by Latvian Fund for Nature (LFN), will create a coordination platform for waterbird monitoring in the Baltic Sea, arrange a seabird monitoring expert meeting in autumn 2014, build a metadatabase for existing seabird surveys in the Baltic Sea since 1991 and give recommendations for harmonising national seabird monitoring across the Baltic, while providing a platform for future seabird monitoring. The first bird work package meeting will be held on 8 May in Tallinn, Estonia. The HABITAT Meeting is invited to discuss the creation of the coordination platform and how it could be used in the future for monitoring and providing data for HELCOM core indicators.
WP4, led by HELCOM Secretariat, continues the work from the HELCOM ALIENS3 project and has arranged a workshop on port survey methodology for non-indigenous species in October 2013. They will also carry out field trials/tests of the HELCOM-OSPAR port survey protocol for alien species during summer 2014 in Latvia (by Latvian Institute of Aquatic Ecology, 1-2 ports), Estonia (Estonian Marine Institute) and Poland (by University of Gdansk, 1 port), test and fine-tune the Ballast Water Management Convention (BWMC) risk assessment tools and compile a report with recommendations for adjusting existing marine environmental monitoring schemes in order to obtain reasonable data for indicators to link with pressure-related monitoring in harbours of non-indigenous species.
WP5, led by Tallinn University of Technology, will update information on research vessels used for monitoring in the Baltic Sea, build an automated system for collecting information on planned monitoring cruises, off-shore monitoring devices and platforms that could need joint service etc., create an on-line information sharing platform on planned and completed cruises and actual positions of research vessels, and aim to enhance cooperation streamlining the administrative issues related to international monitoring cruises. The first meeting of WP5 is planned for 15 May 2014 in Tallinn, Estonia.
Finally, WP6, led by Baltic Environment Forum, has made an assessment of existing monitoring programs on benthic habitats (Annex 5) and analysed different monitoring methods (Annex 6 and Excel file in the Meeting Portal) and their application against different MSFD criteria. They will also compile best practices in biotope monitoring, carry out an assessment of monitoring methods cost-effectiveness and build a manual with recommendations for habitat monitoring in the Baltic Sea. The next WP6 meeting will take place on 9 May 2014 in Tallinn Estonia.
Table 2. Upcoming BALSAM meetings.
Meeting / Topic / Time and place / ContactWP2 task force meeting / Fisheries and environmental monitoring / 6 May 2014, Tallinn, Estonia /
WP3 seabirds meeting / Seabird monitoring, planning the platform / 8 May 2014, Tallinn, Estonia /
WP6 benthic habitats meeting / Monitoring of benthic habitats / 9 May 2014, Tallinn, Estonia /
WP5 first meeting / Coordinated use of research vessels / 15 May 2014, Tallinn, Estonia /
WP2 stakeholder workshop / Fisheries and environmental surveys, data flows / Autumn 2014 /
Annex 1. The project consortium consists of 19 partners and is coordinated by the HELCOM Secretariat
Annex 2. Organogram of the project structure and partners involved in each work package
Annex 3. Minutes of the BALSAM kick-off meeting
MINUTES OF THE KICK-OFF MEETING OF BALTIC SEA PILOT PROJECT: TESTING NEW CONCEPTS FOR INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING OF THE BALTIC SEA (BALSAM)
Introduction 7
Agenda Item 1 Adoption of the Agenda 7
Agenda Item 2 General introduction to BALSAM project 7
Agenda Item 3 Overview of work packages 8
Agenda Item 4 Information on relevant HELCOM activities 11
Agenda Item 5 Development of technical deliverables 11
Agenda Item 6 Administrative issues 12
Agenda Item 7 BALSAM timetable and reporting deadlines 12
Agenda Item 8 Project communication activities – logo competition 13
Agenda Item 9 Coordination with other two Pilot projects for the North Sea and Mediterranean 13
Agenda Item 10 Any other business 14
Agenda Item 11 Closing of the Meeting 14
Annex I List of Participants 15
MINUTES OF THE KICK-OFF MEETING OFBALTIC SEA PILOT PROJECT: TESTING NEW CONCEPTS FOR INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING OF THE BALTIC SEA (BALSAM)
Introduction
The BALSAM kick-off meeting was held in the HELCOM Secretariat in Helsinki, Finland, on 14-15 November 2013, as a lunch-to-lunch meeting. The objective of the Meeting was to start the activities of the pilot project and plan and structure the work ahead.
Maria Laamanen, HELCOM Professional Secretary, acted as the Chair of the Meeting. The minutes of the meeting were compiled by Johanna Karhu, BALSAM Project Coordinator. The list of participants is included in Annex 1.
Adoption of the Agenda
Documents: 1/1
The Meeting adopted the agenda.
General introduction to BALSAM project
Documents: None
Johanna Karhu, BALSAM Project Coordinator, presented the BALSAM project and the project structure. The project started on 1 October 2013 and will run for 18 months until the end of March 2015. The project objective is to support the development of coordinated and joint environmental monitoring in the Baltic Sea in order to implement the Baltic Sea Action Plan (BSAP) and the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD).
The project consortium includes 19 partners and the project is coordinated by the HELCOM Secretariat. All the HELCOM Contracting Parties that are also EU Member States are involved in the project. Russian experts are also invited to the meetings.
The project consists of six work packages. WP1, which coordinates and is responsible for the project administration, is led by the HELCOM Secretariat. The project will coordinate and communicate with other HELCOM working groups and projects to ensure linkage to policy. The project will be supervised by the HELCOM GEAR group, which also links the project to national authorities that are responsible for MSFD implementation. The project will also keep the HELCOM MONAS and HELCOM HABITAT groups informed of its activities and will coordinate closely with the HELCOM MORE and CORESET II projects. Additionally BALSAM will coordinate with the other two New Knowledge pilot projects in the North Sea and in the Mediterranean-Black Sea (IRIS-SES) as well as with the EU MSFD working groups (WG DIKE and GES).
Figure 1. Overview of the project structure and linkages to other processes.
Overview of work packages
Documents: 3/1
The Project Coordinator presented document 3/1 “Summary of the BALSAM project”, which summarizes information from the Grant Agreement. The Summary document includes information on project objectives, activities, deliverables and timelines, and it can be used as a basis to fill in the progress report form for the European Commission (EC). The summary document also collects information on responsible experts, stakeholders, timetables and progress so far, which the Meeting was invited to check and update.
The work package leaders / leading experts presented their Work Packages in further detail:
WP2 – fisheries and environmental monitoring (Joni Kaitaranta, HELCOM)
Joni Kaitaranta from HELCOM presented the WP2, the objective of which is to integrate fisheries and environmental data collection and processing. ICES has been subcontracted for the work. The activities include cataloguing of current environmental and fisheries monitoring, which is to be completed by ICES by the end of February 2014. The work will also include development of an action plan with recommendations and expansions for harmonising environmental and fisheries data collection and processing and arranging a larger joint HELCOM/ICES workshop for improving and advancing existing environmental and fisheries survey capabilities. The workshop is planned to be arranged in the middle of the project, either in the ICES headquarters or back-to-back with another conference, such as STAGES in August (possibly in Brussels). A task force will be created for all partners that are involved in WP2 to oversee and participate in the work. The first task force meeting is planned to be held in January. This WP will be closely linked to relevant ICES working groups.