Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission Baltic Sea Pilot Project: Testing new concepts for integrated environmental monitoring of the Baltic Sea, WP1 Tallinn, Estonia, 7 May 2014 BALSAM 2/2014, 2- 1 Document title 2-1 Progress report of BALSAM 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
Transcript
Baltic Marine Environment Protection CommissionBaltic Sea Pilot Project: Testing new concepts for integrated environmental monitoring of the Baltic Sea, WP1
Tallinn, Estonia, 7 May 2014
BALSAM 2/2014, 2-1
Document title 2-1 Progress report of BALSAMAgenda Item 2 Project Progress during the first six monthsSubmission date 30.4.2014Submitted 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.
ActionThe 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 Dates
Steering 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 To initiate the WP2 activities HELCOM, ICES WEbex 1.11.13
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.
Page 3 of 17
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
Annex 1. The project consortium consists of 19 partners and is coordinated by the HELCOM Secretariat
Page 5 of 17
Project consortium
1. HELCOM Secretariat (Coordinator)2. Aquabiota, Sweden3. Baltic Environment Forum Latvia (BEF LV), Latvia4. Estonian Fund for Nature (ELF), Estonia5. Estonian Marine Institute (EMI), Estonia6. Bundesamt für Seeschiffahrt und Hydrographie (BSH), Germany7. Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE), Finland8. Finnish Game and Fisheries Research Institute (FGFRI), Finland9. Instytut Meteorologii I Gospodarki Wodnej – Państwowy Instytut Badawczy (IMGW-PIB), Poland10. Klaipeda University (KUCORPI), Lithuania11. Latvian Fund for Nature (LFN), Latvia12. Latvian Institute of Aquatic Ecology (LIAE), Latvia13. Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research Warnemünde (IOW), Germany14. Sveriges Meteorologiska och Hydrologiska Istitut (SMHI), Sweden15. Swedish Museum of Natural History (SMNH), Sweden16. Tallinn University of Technology (TUT), Estonia17. University of Gdansk (UG), Poland18. WWF Suomi, Finland19. Aarhus University (AU), Denmark
Annex 2. Organogram of the project structure and partners involved in each work package
Page 6 of 17
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 ..........................................................................................................................7Agenda Item 1 Adoption of the Agenda......................................................................................7Agenda Item 2 General introduction to BALSAM project.............................................................7Agenda Item 3 Overview of work packages.................................................................................8Agenda Item 4 Information on relevant HELCOM activities........................................................11Agenda Item 5 Development of technical deliverables..............................................................11Agenda Item 6 Administrative issues........................................................................................12Agenda Item 7 BALSAM timetable and reporting deadlines.......................................................12Agenda Item 8 Project communication activities – logo competition..........................................13Agenda Item 9 Coordination with other two Pilot projects for the North Sea and Mediterranean13Agenda Item 10 Any other business............................................................................................14Agenda Item 11 Closing of the Meeting......................................................................................14Annex I List of Participants.............................................................................................15
Page 7 of 17
MINUTES OF THE KICK-OFF MEETING OF
BALTIC 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
Page 8 of 17
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.
Page 9 of 17
The first task force meeting is planned to be held in January. This WP will be closely linked to relevant ICES working groups.
WP3 –monitoring of marine mammals and seabirds (Anders Galatius, Aarhus University)
Anders Galatius from Aarhus University presented the WP3, which will focus on compiling a catalogue of existing monitoring activities of seals and seabirds, developing databases of integrated monitoring (to be hosted by HELCOM) as well as distribution maps of at-sea distribution. These will be important for the MSFD implementation, since currently there are knowledge gaps in these areas. The work will also include updating the framework and methodology for coordinated monitoring that lives up to current challenges (e.g. climate change), developing correction factors for seal census data, building a coordination platform for water bird monitoring with a possible bird experts meeting and guidelines for coordinated cost-effective future monitoring. The seal part of the work is well incorporated into the HELCOM decision-making processes and the work of the HELCOM SEAL expert group. The bird part will be more challenging, since there is currently no official bird cooperation platform within HELCOM, although there has been loose cooperation within HELCOM CORESET project.
The meeting discussed cooperation between different WPs, e.g. possible cooperation between WP3 and WP6.
WP4 Invasive Alien Species (Marta Ruiz, HELCOM and Maiju Lehtiniemi, SYKE)
Marta Ruiz, HELCOM, presented the background to HELCOM/OSPAR cooperation on invasive alien species (IAS) and the Ballast Water Management Convention (BWMC). A joint task group between HELCOM and OSPAR was established in 2012 and a proposal for joint guidelines for A-4 exemptions was adopted in 2013 that will be kept under continuous review.
Maiju Lehtiniemi, SYKE, presented the BALSAM WP4. Monitoring data is needed for the early detection and possible eradication of IAS, for the MSFD reporting purposes, for HELCOM fact sheets and for the BWM Convention. In Finland SYKE and Finnish Game and Fisheries Research Institute have carried out a gap analysis for monitoring and they found that only 2 non-indigenous species (NIS) out of 29 can be observed and their abundance estimated in current monitoring programmes. Therefore further monitoring and development would be needed.
WP4 will also test sampling methods for NIS. Port sampling will take place in Poland, Latvia and possibly Estonia. Target species work will continue from the HELCOM ALIENS3 project and the web tool/database will be developed by the consultants further and moved to the HELCOM Secretariat. SYKE will also write a report on monitoring needs for MSFD and BWMC with recommendations.
The first WP4 workshop took place on 17 October 2013 in the HELCOM Secretariat in association with the HELCOM ALIENS3 project. An online workshop is planned to be held on 3 February 2014 and a final workshop is planned for early 2015.
WP4 also has linkages to the ICES working group WGITMO, where they are writing an article on scientific advice on NIS monitoring. The wider scientific community could also be used in this aspect.
WP5 Coordinated use of research vessels (Urmas Lips, TUT)
The WP5 will focus on optimizing the use of research vessels in the Baltic to enable coordinated planning and cost-effectiveness. The aims are to ensure cross-country use of vessels, coordinated planning, enhancing joint and shared use of vessels and automated monitoring devices.
Page 10 of 17
The work will include updating information on available monitoring vessels in the Baltic and the idea is to build on information gathered in BONUS, Eurocean database and Eurofleet projects. The aim is to also build an online system that should automatically collect information from the scientific institute’s home pages and show where vessels are on the map (online tools on HELCOM website). TUT will have a master student working on this part.
WP5 could also provide recommendations for updating the HELCOM Recommendation 12/1 “Procedures for Granting Permits for Monitoring and Research Activities in the Territorial Waters and Exclusive Economic Zones, Fishing Zones or Continental Shelves”1, since currently receiving permissions to take samples in other countries waters does not work out in an optimal way.
WP5 will be closely linked to the work of HELCOM MORE, since Urmas is also the chair of the MORE project. The first meeting will be held sometime early next year, where the update on available research vessels in the Baltic could be presented.
WP6 Benthic habitats (Heidrun Fammler, BEF)
First meeting of the WP6 was held on 4 October 2014 in Latvia, in association with the MARMONI project2 that has focused on biodiversity indicators and that has also contributed to the HELCOM CORESET project. WP4 deliverables include: a catalogue of existing monitoring and research activities on biotopes, evaluation of monitoring methods, a manual for habitat monitoring in the Baltic sea, recommendations on monitoring programs for typical Baltic biotopes and habitats and data input for the HELCOM CORESET II project . The Catalogue template will be ready by the end of the year and the assessment will be presented in the MARMONI spring conference in May 2014. The WP6 Catalogue will be slightly different from the other WPs, since there is no current monitoring of benthic habitats, it will focus on current activities and techniques which would be then beneficial for assessment.
It was discussed whether to stay on a technical level focusing on methods in the assessments, or whether to take a higher goal and go for a more strategic level. It was agreed that more strategic thinking will be needed, since for cost-effectiveness we need to first know what monitoring is needed for and then how this would be carried out. The core indicators (and MARMONI indicators) should be the basis for this work as well as the initial assessments and the MSFD needs. It would be good to first look at the Impact assessments and metadata collected by WG DIKE. It would also be good to take into account the HELCOM underwater habitat classification3 and the HELCOM RED LIST products4.
WP1 Coordination, Facilitation and Administration (Johanna Karhu, HELCOM)
Johanna Karhu presented the WP1, which takes care of the project coordination, facilitation and administration and brings together the joint deliverables from the five other work packages. The Project Coordinator will compile the progress and final reports to the European Commission and will make sure that these are submitted on time. The WP1 will report on the project progress to HELCOM working groups and projects as well as the EC MSFD working groups and will coordinate with the other two New Knowledge pilot projects in the North Sea and in the Mediterranean-Black Sea. The WP1 will also coordinate project communication activities.
Maria Laamanen, HELCOM, gave an overview on how the BALSAM project links and supports other on-going HELCOM work.
The driving policy documents behind the project are the HELCOM BSAP5 and the Ministerial Declaration from 20136, which agreed to start implementing the revised HELCOM Monitoring and Assessment Strategy7 immediately. The Strategy is based on a joint coordinated monitoring system, a common data pool, regularly updated core indicators and assessments and is carried out in six year cycles. The Attachment 4 in the Strategy lists the sub-divisions of the Baltic, which should also be used in the BALSAM project, e.g. in maps.
The project should coordinate closely with the HELCOM MORE and CORESET II projects and give input to their work. The MORE project8 develops a new comprehensive monitoring manual for the joint coordinated monitoring system for the Baltic Sea, including updated guidelines and has compiled an overview of marine environmental monitoring in the Baltic Sea. The BALSAM project can use this overview as the basis for the monitoring catalogue to avoid any duplication or work. Manuel Frias, MORE project Coordinator, presented the map service9 , where all the monitoring programmes are illustrated and can be downloaded from, and the excel sheets that were used to compile the information for the MORE overview.
The CORESET II project will develop the HELCOM core indicators further and they are available on the HELCOM website10. BALSAM can provide data for these core indicators, especially for mammals, seabirds, invasive alien species and benthic habitats. There will be a joint MORE-CORESET workshop on 13-14 January 2014 back-to-back with a CORESET II kick-off meeting on 14-15 January 2014, where the BALSAM experts are also invited to participate.
Most BALSAM deliverables and products can also be published on the HELCOM website, in the HELCOM map and data system and in the Baltic environment proceedings.
Development of technical deliverables
Documents: None
The project has three joint deliverables that link the six work packages: 1) Catalogue of all environmental monitoring activities, 2) Gap analysis of how well the current monitoring supports the needs of the MSFD and 3) Final report.
The Meeting agreed that the Monitoring overview, which has been compiled in the HELCOM MORE project, will be used as the basis of the BALSAM Catalogue to avoid any duplication of work. Manuel Frias, Project Coordinator of the HELCOM MORE project, presented the MORE overview and the Excel files that were used to compile the data. The excel files also contain information (coordinates) to produce the GIS maps. It was agreed that BALSAM work packages should check the excel files for any missing information. Currently data is included for marine mammals, seabirds, phytobenthos and zoobenthos. Therefore, data for WP2 (fisheries), WP4 (invasive alien species), and WP5 (research vessels) is not yet included and will need to be added. The WP6 on benthic habitats will also provide new information on research methods. It will need to be seen how information and coordinates could be collected for benthic habitats, e.g. on a HELCOM sub-basin level. Heidrun Fammler, WP6 Lead, will discuss with the WP6 experts and inform the Project Steering Group on this.
The project Coordinator presented the EC reporting format for the progress reports, where activities and deliverables and their progress, timetable and possible problems, will need to be listed in tables. The project summary document 3/1 can be used as the basis for filling this in. The Project Coordinator will compile the deliverables and activities in the reporting form (with coding) during autumn 2013 and will circulate the filled in reporting form to the experts. The project partners will need to fill in their information (to be coordinated by WP leaders) by the end of April 2014 for the first progress report that covers the first six months of the project. The aim is to carry out the reporting by using online tools and the upcoming HELCOM SharePoint. The secretariat will then compile the progress report during May 2014 since the deadline to submit the report to the EC is the end of May 2014.
The gap analysis will be delivered in the second progress report that is due to the EC by end of November 2014. The gap analysis should look into how the current monitoring responds to the MSFD needs and the core indicators should be used as a basis for the assessment.
Administrative issues
Documents: None
Satu Raisamo, HELCOM, gave a presentation on the project financial reporting requirements. The internal contracts between HELCOM as the coordinator and the project partners are being signed, and the first payments will be made to the partners as soon as the signed contracts have been received. For the final payment (from the EU) at least 70% of the previous payments must have been spent and reported. The Secretariat will send the EU guidelines and financial excel file to the BALSAM contacts.
BALSAM timetable and reporting deadlines
Documents: None
The Meeting noted that further meetings of WP1 are needed and agreed to arrange the next meeting on the week of 5-11 May 2014 back-to-back with the MARMONI project, since this would reduce travel costs for the two projects and would ensure cost-efficiency.
The following deadlines were agreed for the first progress report:
End of January 2014 Excel files for monitoring data filled in and sent to Project Coordinator (from MORE project)
End of March 2014 First draft of monitoring Catalogue ready with maps
End of April 2014 Final version of monitoring Catalogue ready
Partners send their financial reports to HELCOM Administrative Officer
Partners send their input to technical reports to Project Coordinator (coordinated by WP leaders)
End of May 2014 Project Coordinator submits the first progress report to the European Commission (technical report, financial report and Catalogue of
Page 13 of 17
Monitoring).
The second progress report to the EC will be due in the end of November 2014 and the final technical implementation report will be due in the end of May 2015.
Project communication activities – logo competition
Documents: None
The Project Coordinator presented the plans for project communication activities. A website11 for the project has been created within the new HELCOM website and this could be elaborated further and pages could be created for all the work packages. The website should also be kept up-to-date with information on meetings, project progress and outcomes. The Project Coordinator will be in touch with the WP leaders to develop the website further.
The Meeting agreed to use the HELCOM Meeting Portal as an internal working platform, as needed, for the project until the new HELCOM SharePoint is functional, most likely in February 2014.
The Meeting voted and agreed on the project logo (on the front page). The BALSAM logo and the HELCOM and EU logos should be used in all project communications activities. The logos are available for download in the HELCOM Meeting Portal.
Coordination with other two Pilot projects for the North Sea and Mediterranean
Documents: None
Hans Ruiter from the JMP North Sea - Celtic Sea project gave a presentation of their activities. The project involves OSPAR and 18 partners in 9 countries from the North Sea. They had a kick off meeting in the end of October and are developing case studies for the project. Work packages A and B include cataloguing current monitoring programmes and their methods and assessing their contribution to meeting MSFD needs. These packages are the same for all the New Knowledge pilot projects.
The meeting discussed ways to cooperate with the North Sea project and it was discussed that it could be interesting to link the work for benthic invertebrates (WP6) and also with ship owners (WP5).
Maria Laamanen, HELCOM, gave a presentation on the Integrated Regional monitoring Implementation Strategy in the South European Seas (IRIS-SES) project that was prepared by the Project Coordinator Popi Pagou from the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research. The project objectives include to develop decision-making tools to design efficient and cost effective monitoring programs, consider possibilities for the integration of techniques and determine the required spatial and temporal resolution, assess through pilot sampling actions within existing monitoring programs the feasibility of proposed integrated monitoring strategies, elaborate guidelines for sampling across the various disciplines (biological, chemical, physical) to meet the MSFD requirements and development of cooperation among research institutions within selected regions in the implementation of pilot projects. The project includes 9 partners and the kick off meeting was held on 5 November 2013 in Athens, where the HELCOM Secretariat as the BALSAM project coordinator also participated.
Maria Laamanen also gave information on the Project Coordination Group (PCG) meeting under the MSFD Common Implementation Strategy, which was held on 12-13 September 2013 in Brussels, and which oversees a number of potentially MSFD supportive research projects, e.g. STAGES and PERSEUS. The PCG 11 http://helcom.fi/helcom-at-work/projects/balsam/
meeting received presentations from all three New Knowledge Pilot Projects, including the BALSAM project that was presented by her. The meeting was followed by a kick-off meeting of the three Pilot Projects, which discussed potential areas for cooperation and how to arrange coordination between the projects. In general the Project Coordination Group (PCG) will be informed about the project progress and outcomes.
Any other business
Documents: None
The next BALSAM WP1 meeting will be held on the week of 5-11 May after the MARMONI project seminar in either Riga or Tallinn. The exact dates, agenda and possibly joint workshops with the MARMONI seminar will be communicated later.
Tatjana Eremina from the Russian State Hydrometeorological University gave a presentation on monitoring activities in Russia. Seasonal monitoring on hydrology, chemistry, contaminants and biology is taking place in the Neva bay, Eastern Gulf of Finland and the Kaliningrad shelf and the RSHU has carried out monitoring activities in the Gulf of Finland for over 15 years. Joint monitoring activities with Finland and Estonia is planned in the Gulf of Finland in 2014.
The participants were also informed on the monitoring activity in the Russian part of the Vistula Lagoon and an agreement on data exchange between IMGW-PIB (Poland) and KCHEM (Kaliningrad Oblast).
Closing of the Meeting
Documents: Minutes of the Meeting
The Meeting documents and presentations will be available in the HELCOM Meeting portal (PROJECTS > BALSAM) for the BALSAM contacts. The minutes of the meeting will be finalised by the Project Coordinator and sent to the participants for a quick round of comments, after which the minutes will be adopted. The minutes will be available on the project website and will be presented by the Secretariat to relevant HELCOM working groups, e.g. HELCOM GEAR, MONAS and HABITAT.
Mr. Seppo Kaitala Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE)Marine Research Centre/State of the Marine EnvironmentErik Palménin aukio 1P.O. Box 140FI - 00251 HELSINKI, FINLAND
