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)"

The national survey data is compiled annually by the HELCOM Seal Expert Group. A regional database has been developed and is hosted at the HELCOM Secretariat. The new database will include detailed spatial information and is to be updated annually prior to HELCOM Seal Expert Group meetings. The database will be managed by the HELCOM Secretariat having responsibility for updating and storing data provided by the HELCOM Seal Expert Group. The data collected and used in the indicator are based on national aerial surveys. The survey methodology is described in Galatius et al. (2014). This data covers only haul-out sites and not areas used e.g. as foraging grounds.

This core indicator uses three different parameters for evaluating the distribution of the three species of seal that occur in the Baltic Sea. These parameters are:

1. distribution during breeding

2. distribution during moulting, which occurs on land or ice, where data is achieved by surveys from land and air in both cases

3. area of occupancy, which is the area used for foraging and transport. Data is given by satellite- and GSM tagging data

All three components are evaluated for each species in the applicable areas. Good status is achieved if a species in a given area achieves the threshold values for all three parameters. If one parameter does not achieve the threshold value, then the result for the evaluation for the given species and area is not good status i.e. the OOAO approach

Additional information:

http://www.helcom.fi/baltic-sea-trends/indicators/distribution-of-baltic-seals/

Link to metadata of dataset used for indicator calculation: