HELCOM Metadata catalogue
HELCOM Metadata catalogue (Helcom)
Continents, countries, sea regions of the world.
Physical loss pressure layer combines all human activities that cause physical loss of seabed. The pressure is given as area lost in each cell (km2). For the polygon datasets the area was assumed to be the lost area. For line and point datasets spatial extents were calculated with buffers (below in brackets). If no buffer extent is indicated, the data was reported as polygon. The human activities used for the physical loss pressure: Land claim - Area of polygon or 50 m buffer for points, 30m buffer for lines. Area of polygon - buffered line or point data, equals lost area. Watercourse modification - 50 m buffer. Area of polygon, buffered line or point data, equals lost area. Coastal defence and flood protection - 50 m buffer for lines, area of polygon. Area of polygon, buffered line or point data, equals lost area. Extraction of sand and gravel - Area of polygon. Area of polygon equals lost area. Dredging (capital) - Area of polygon or a 25/50 m buffer for <5000 m3 / >5000m3 sites. Area of polygon, buffered line or point data, equals lost area. Oil platforms - 25 m buffer. Buffered point data, equals lost area. Pipelines - 15 m buffer around cables with operational status. Area of polygon, buffered line or point data, equals lost area. Wind farms - 30 m buffer around each turbine with operational status. Buffered point data, equals lost area. Cables - 1.5 m buffer around cables with operational status. Buffered line data, equals lost area. Harbours - Polygon with 200 m buffer. Area of polygon, buffered line or point data, equals lost area. Marinas and leisure harbour - Point with 200 m buffer. Buffered point data, equals lost area. Bridges - 2 m buffer. Buffered line data, equals lost area. Finfish mariculture - 150 m buffer. Buffered point data, equals lost area. Shellfish mariculture - Area of polygon, 150 m buffer for points. Buffered point data, equals lost area. Activities are combined and potentially overlapping areas are removed. Dataset is clipped with coastline. Combined layer is intersected with 1 km grid to calculate % of area lost within a cell.
Use constraints: Data can be used freely given that the source is cited (following creative commons license CC-BY). The source should be cited as: “HELCOM HOLAS 3 Dataset (2023)"
Access constraints: No limitations on public access.
Data source: See separate fact sheet on human activities listed in the description. Data quality: Gaps occurs due to lack of data. See specific details from the human activities fact sheets. Attribute information: Final normalised pressure value (0-1), Value equals also to area (km²) lost in each grid cell. Spatial coverage: Entire Baltic Sea. Spatial resolution: Original data as points, lines or polygons. Finally data converted to 1 km x 1 km grid.
This dataset contains all HBCD in seawater monitoring station locationsas reported to HELCOM secretariat by HELCOM Contracting Parties by 2016.
Use constraints: Data can be used freely given that the source (HELCOM) is used.
This dataset was collected by HELCOM Secretariat by submitting a request to national representatives of HELCOM STATE & CONSERVATION group to supplement the information collected during the HELCOM MORE project.
This dataset describes fishing intensity for Seine mobile bottom contacting gear in 2016 based on VMS/Log book data processed by ICES Working Group on Spatial Fisheries Data (WGSFD). ICES secretariat collected during 2017 relevant VMS and logbook data for 2009-2016 to produce, as a technical service to HELCOM, updated spatial data layers on fishing intensity/pressure. Improved data quality control checks were implemented. Submitted data across the HELCOM area have improved in quality compared to previous data 2009-2013 published in 2015. Standardized methods were used to produce the requested data layers. The code used to create the data products is available here: https://github.com/ices-eg/wg_WGSFD For further technical information on the advice request, see http://www.ices.dk/sites/pub/Publication%20Reports/Advice/2017/Special_requests/helcom.2017.18.pdf HELCOM secretariat did the following processing to the shapefile provided by ICES: - Conversion to ETRS89LAEA coordinate system - Added feature and attribute "Reported" to display unreported areas. Dataset attribute information: c-square: Unique reference of the c-square polygon Year: Year of fishing activity mid_lat: latitude coordinate of the centroid of c-square inWGS84 decimal degrees mid_lon: longitude coordinate of the centroid of c-square inWGS84 decimal degrees SurfaceSAR: Surface area ratio (Swept area, < 2 cm penetration depth of the gear components) Subsurface: Subsurface area ratio (Swept area, subsurface =>2 cm penetration depth of the gear components) totweight: Total Weight (kg) totvalue: Total value (Euros) Kw Fishing Hours: (Kw*h) Fishing hours: (h) Reported: Yes=Reported data. No= No reported data (area that does not contain effort/intensity value due to lack of reported data). Please note that this dataset was updated (v2) in January 2019, see further details below in the lineage section.
Use constraints: The data products derived from the advice are downloadable from HELCOM Map and Data service and can be used freely given that the source is cited. The correct data product citation is following: ICES. 2017. Spatial data layers of fishing intensity/pressure per gear type for surface and subsurface abrasion, for the years 2009 and 2016 in the HELCOM area. Available as shapefile datasets at: https://doi.org/10.17895/ices.pub.2860.
ICES secretariat collected during 2017 relevant VMS and logbook data for 2009-2016 to produce, as a technical service to HELCOM, updated spatial data layers on fishing intensity/pressure. Improved data quality control checks were implemented. Submitted data across the HELCOM area have improved in quality compared to previous data 2009-2013 published in 2015. Standardized methods were used to produce the requested data layers. The code used to create the data products is available here: https://github.com/ices-eg/wg_WGSFD HELCOM secretariat downloaded the data and did the following processing to the shapefile provided by ICES: - Conversion to ETRS89LAEA coordinate system - Added feature and attribute "Reported" to display unreported areas. After processing, the datasets were published via HELCOM Map and Data service as individual map layers. Dataset corrected in January 2019: Upon request of the data provider outputs have been updated by ICES to better ensure vessel anonymity. Three ICES advice products (associated with sr.2018.14, sr.2017.17, and sr.2017.18) that use VMS and logbook data to describe detailed bottom trawling fishing activity have been updated to better ensure individual vessel anonymity. For these products, the level of gear grouping dis-aggregation at a c-square resolution of (0.05 degrees x 0.05 degrees) over one year were deemed too detailed by the original data provider subsequent to the release of the original advice. For these c-squares (containing 3 vessels or less) the value "-9" has been inserted to indicate that the data value for effort is missing from the c-square, but that the c-square does have a footprint from bottom trawling.
Modelled growth season bottom temp (BALANCE)
Summary This dataset shows model results for the average bottom temperature in the Baltic region in the plant growth season from April to September. Description This dataset shows model results for the average bottom temperature in the Baltic region in the plant growth season from April to September.
Use constraints: Free for non-commercial purposes. Reference to source (BALANCE project) must be given.
This dataset shows model results for the average bottom temperature in the Baltic region in the plant growth season from April to September. The map was developed by NERI/Denmark for the BSR INTERREG IIIB project BALANCE. The salinity and temperature data cover stations from the Bothnian Bay to the Baltic Proper, including the Gulf of Finland and the Gulf of Riga. Also stations in the Danish straits, the Kattegat, the Skagerrak and the German Bight were included in the analysis. Throughout the calculations the modelled temperature was adjusted towards observed average temperature (April-August) and salinity (January-December) values from 1999-2004. In order to be displayed in the HELCOM Map Service, the map coordinate system and projection was changed from original WGS1984_UTM34N to ETRS_1989_LAEA. For details on the model and the data sources, please refer to Bendtsen, J., Söderkvist, J., Dahl, K., Hansen, J.L.S. & Reker, J. (2007): Model simulations of blue corridors in the Baltic Sea. BALANCE Interim Report no. 9. Available at http://balance-eu.org/xpdf/balance-interim-report-no-9.pdf.
Risk of oil spills from collisions on route 2020 (BRISK)
This dataset depicts risk of oil spill from overtaking and head-on collisions. The modeled risk is calculated for the scenario year 2020 based on predicted shipping traffic density. The area of the bubbles corresponds to the risk of spill of oil and hazardous substances. The unit of the risk is average tonnes per year. This dataset has been produced by Albrecht Lentz, COWI (http://www.cowi.dk) for the BRISK project (Sub-regional risk of spill of oil and hazardous substances in the Baltic Sea, http://www.brisk.helcom.fi/). The dataset is a model result from a software code owned and operated by COWI. BRISK and BRISK-RU provide information on spatial distribution of risks of pollution from ships in the six sub-regions of the Baltic Sea, according to different types of accidents and spill sizes. The assessment takes into account the existing risk control measures as well as the prognosis for future maritime traffic. Groundings and ship-to-ship collisions are by far the most likely types of accidents resulting in pollution. Other kinds of incidents, such as fire, collisions with fixed objects, spills from offshore platforms, as well as illegal discharges have minor contribution to the risks. Further, the oil impact has been modelled. The oil impact can be described as the amount of spilled oil that is expected on the sea surface. The effects of oil drift, weathering and fate, as well as the oil recovery are taken into account. Field descriptions: LON: Longitude (center of ellipse) LAT: Latitude (center of ellipse) SPILLALL: Risk [average tonnes per year], sum of all spills. Used for visualization. SPILL12: Risk [average tonnes per year], small size spills. SPILL34: Risk [average tonnes per year], medium size spills. SPILL123: Risk [average tonnes per year], small & medium size spills. SPILL4: Risk [average tonnes per year], medium size spills. SPILL1234: Risk [average tonnes per year], small & medium size spills. SPILL567: Risk [average tonnes per year] large spills.
Use constraints: Data can be used freely given that the source is cited.
This dataset has been produced by Albrecht Lentz, COWI (http://www.cowi.dk) for the BRISK project (Sub-regional risk of spill of oil and hazardous substances in the Baltic Sea, http://www.brisk.helcom.fi/). The dataset is a model result from a software code owned and operated by COWI.
This dataset describes fishing intensity for Seine mobile bottom contacting gear in 2012 based on VMS/Log book data processed by ICES Working Group on Spatial Fisheries Data (WGSFD). ICES secretariat collected during 2017 relevant VMS and logbook data for 2009-2016 to produce, as a technical service to HELCOM, updated spatial data layers on fishing intensity/pressure. Improved data quality control checks were implemented. Submitted data across the HELCOM area have improved in quality compared to previous data 2009-2013 published in 2015. Standardized methods were used to produce the requested data layers. The code used to create the data products is available here: https://github.com/ices-eg/wg_WGSFD For further technical information on the advice request, see http://www.ices.dk/sites/pub/Publication%20Reports/Advice/2017/Special_requests/helcom.2017.18.pdf HELCOM secretariat did the following processing to the shapefile provided by ICES: - Conversion to ETRS89LAEA coordinate system - Added feature and attribute "Reported" to display unreported areas. Dataset attribute information: c-square: Unique reference of the c-square polygon Year: Year of fishing activity mid_lat: latitude coordinate of the centroid of c-square inWGS84 decimal degrees mid_lon: longitude coordinate of the centroid of c-square inWGS84 decimal degrees SurfaceSAR: Surface area ratio (Swept area, < 2 cm penetration depth of the gear components) Subsurface: Subsurface area ratio (Swept area, subsurface =>2 cm penetration depth of the gear components) totweight: Total Weight (kg) totvalue: Total value (Euros) Kw Fishing Hours: (Kw*h) Fishing hours: (h) Reported: Yes=Reported data. No= No reported data (area that does not contain effort/intensity value due to lack of reported data). Please note that this dataset was updated (v2) in January 2019, see further details below in the lineage section.
Observations of Molva molva were collected from the Baltic Sea area for HELCOM Red List species list. The HELCOM Red List of Baltic Sea species in danger of becoming extinct (2013) is the first threat assessment for Baltic Sea species that covers all marine mammals, fish, birds, macrophytes (aquatic plants), and benthic invertebrates, and follows the Red List criteria of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Almost 2800 species were considered in the Red List assessment and about 1750 were evaluated according to the IUCN Red List criteria. Molva molva has been placed to the Red List category of Endangered (EN) species. The map shows the sub-basins in the HELCOM area where the species is known to occur regularly and to reproduce (HELCOM 2012).
Use constraints: Data can be used freely given that the source (HELCOM, 2012) is cited.
This dataset displays distribution of Molva molva according to HELCOM RED LIST assessment based on the following data sources: (Data from the Checklist of fish and lamprey species (Excel sheet) in 2012)
Fishing effort mobile bottom-contacting gear third quarter 2013
This dataset describes fishing effort (hours/c-square) for mobile bottom-contacting gear in third quarter of 2013 based on VMS/Log book data processed by ICES Working Group on Spatial Fisheries Data (WGSFD). HELCOM requires spatially explicit information on fishing activity affecting the Baltic Sea marine ecosystem for policy purposes. In order to obtain this information a joint ICES/HELCOM/OSPAR data call was issued to relevant authorities of contracting parties to deliver information on fishing activity based on VMS/Log book data. The raw data was submitted to ICES and processed to advice data products by ICES Working Group for Spatial Fisheries (WGSFD) as requested by HELCOM. Processing of the raw data requires specific resources, knowledge and guarantee of anonymity for specific vessels, thus the process was done by ICES WGSFD following Conditions for VMS data use. In 2015 ICES collated Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) and logbook data received; data from Russia were not received. ICES provided to HELCOM advice as fishing abrasion pressure maps as well as fishing effort maps. HELCOM secretariat did the following processing to the data: - Conversion to ETRS89LAEA coordinate system - Added feature and attribute "Reported" to display unreported areas. Dataset attribute information: c-square: Unique reference of the c-square polygon mid_lat: latitude coordinate of the centroid of c-square inWGS84 decimal degrees mid_lon: longitude coordinate of the centroid of c-square inWGS84 decimal degrees Year: Year of fishing activity quarter: Quarter of the year, if applicable geargroup: Fishing gear group (Effort maps) SubsurfSAR: Subsurface swept area ratio (Intensity maps) SurfSAR: Surface swept area ratio (Intensity maps) Fishing_ho: Total fishing effort in hours within c-square (Effort maps) Reported: Yes=Reported data. No= No reported data (area that does not contain effort/intensity value due to lack of reported data.
Use constraints: The data products derived from the advice are downloadable from HELCOM Map and Data serviceand can be used freely given that the source is cited. The correct data product citation is following: ICES. 2015. Fishing abrasion pressure maps for mobile bottom-contacting gears in HELCOM area. http://ices.dk/sites/pub/Publication%20Reports/Data%20outputs/HELCOM_mapping_fishing_intensity_and_effort_data_outputs_2015.zipWhen using the data for analysis/assessments the following caveats need to be taken into consideration:The methods for identifying fishing activity from the VMS data varied between countries; therefore there may be some country-specific biases that ICES cannot evaluate. Additionally, activities other than active towing of gear may have been incorrectly identified as fishing activity. This would have the effect of overestimating the apparent fishing intensity in ports and in areas used for passage.The data for 2012 and 2013 is not directly comparable to the data of previous years in the data call (2009–2011) due to the gradual increase in VMS-enabled vessels in the range of 12–15 m. This is likely to be most relevant when examining trends in effort for inshore areas.Many countries have substantial fleets of smaller vessels that are not equipped with VMS (The fishing abrasion pressure methodology is based on very broad assumptions in terms of the area affected by abrasion. A single speed and gear width was applied across each gear category in most cases, which can lead to both underestimates and overestimates in actual surface and subsurface abrasion.
HELCOM requires spatially explicit information on fishing activity affecting the Baltic Sea marine ecosystem for policy purposes. In order to obtain this information a joint ICES/HELCOM/OSPAR data call was issued to relevant authorities of contracting parties to deliver information on fishing activity based on VMS/Log book data. The raw data was submitted to ICES and processed to advice data products by ICES Working Group for Spatial Fisheries (WGSFD) as requested by HELCOM. Processing of the raw data requires specific resources, knowledge and guarantee of anonymity for specific vessels, thus the process was done by ICES WGSFD following Conditions for VMS data use. In 2015 ICES collated Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) and logbook data received; data from Russia were not received. ICES provided to HELCOM advice as fishing abrasion pressure maps as well as fishing effort maps. HELCOM secretariat did the following processing to the data: - Conversion to ETRS89LAEA coordinate system - Added feature and attribute "Reported" to display unreported areas. Dataset attribute information: c-square: Unique reference of the c-square polygon mid_lat: latitude coordinate of the centroid of c-square inWGS84 decimal degrees mid_lon: longitude coordinate of the centroid of c-square inWGS84 decimal degrees Year: Year of fishing activity quarter: Quarter of the year, if applicable geargroup: Fishing gear group (Effort maps) SubsurfSAR: Subsurface swept area ratio (Intensity maps) SurfSAR: Surface swept area ratio (Intensity maps) Fishing_ho: Total fishing effort in hours within c-square (Effort maps) Reported: Yes=Reported data. No= No reported data (area that does not contain effort/intensity value due to lack of reported data.
Observations of Larus melanocephalus were collected from the Baltic Sea area for HELCOM Red List species list. The HELCOM Red List of Baltic Sea species in danger of becoming extinct (2013) is the first threat assessment for Baltic Sea species that covers all marine mammals, fish, birds, macrophytes (aquatic plants), and benthic invertebrates, and follows the Red List criteria of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Almost 2800 species were considered in the Red List assessment and about 1750 were evaluated according to the IUCN Red List criteria. Larus melanocephalus has been placed to the Red List category of Endangered (EN) species. The map shows the species range only during breeding season.
This dataset displays distribution of Larus melanocephalus according to HELCOM RED LIST assessment based on the following data sources: (Data from Herrmann / bird expert team of the HELCOM Red List project 2009-2013, published in 2012)
Fishing effort mobile bottom-contacting gear 2012
This dataset describes fishing effort (hours/c-square) for mobile bottom-contacting gear in 2012 based on VMS/Log book data processed by ICES Working Group on Spatial Fisheries Data (WGSFD). HELCOM requires spatially explicit information on fishing activity affecting the Baltic Sea marine ecosystem for policy purposes. In order to obtain this information a joint ICES/HELCOM/OSPAR data call was issued to relevant authorities of contracting parties to deliver information on fishing activity based on VMS/Log book data. The raw data was submitted to ICES and processed to advice data products by ICES Working Group for Spatial Fisheries (WGSFD) as requested by HELCOM. Processing of the raw data requires specific resources, knowledge and guarantee of anonymity for specific vessels, thus the process was done by ICES WGSFD following Conditions for VMS data use. In 2015 ICES collated Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) and logbook data received; data from Russia were not received. ICES provided to HELCOM advice as fishing abrasion pressure maps as well as fishing effort maps. HELCOM secretariat did the following processing to the data: - Conversion to ETRS89LAEA coordinate system - Added feature and attribute "Reported" to display unreported areas. Dataset attribute information: c-square: Unique reference of the c-square polygon mid_lat: latitude coordinate of the centroid of c-square inWGS84 decimal degrees mid_lon: longitude coordinate of the centroid of c-square inWGS84 decimal degrees Year: Year of fishing activity quarter: Quarter of the year, if applicable geargroup: Fishing gear group (Effort maps) SubsurfSAR: Subsurface swept area ratio (Intensity maps) SurfSAR: Surface swept area ratio (Intensity maps) Fishing_ho: Total fishing effort in hours within c-square (Effort maps) Reported: Yes=Reported data. No= No reported data (area that does not contain effort/intensity value due to lack of reported data.