This dataset describes fishing intensity for Seine mobile bottom contacting gear in 2009 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 Lota lota 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. Lota lota has been placed to the Red List category of Near Threatened (NT) species. The map shows the sub-basins in the HELCOM area where the species is known to occur regularly and to reproduce (HELCOM 2012).

This core indicator evaluates the status of the marine environment based on concentrations of radioactive substances (Cs-137) in seawater and biota. Quantitative thresholds are used to evaluate if core indicators status is "Achieve", "Fail" or "Not assessed". Good status is achieved when concentrations reach levels measured before the Chernobyl accident in 1986. This dataset displays the result of the indicator in HELCOM Assessment Scale 2 (Division of the Baltic Sea into 17 sub-basins) for flatfish. Attribute information: "HELCOM_ID" = Code of the HELCOM scale 2 assessment unit "level_2" = Name of the HELCOM scale 2 assessment unit (subbasin) "Indicator" = Name of HELCOM Core indicator "Type" = Type of indicator "Threshold value" = Threshold value for specific assessment unit "Indicator value" = Value of indicator calculated for specific assessment unit "Status" = Status of the indicator (“Achieve”, “Fail” or “Not assessed”)

This dataset contains all PAH in biota monitoring station locations, observed matrix, biota matrix and monitored species as reported to HELCOM secretariat by HELCOM Contracting Parties by 2016.

This dataset represents the underlying data on core indicator Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD). The core indicator evaluates the status of the marine environment based on concentrations of Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD) in sediment. Quantitative threshold values are used to evaluate if core indicators status is Achieve, Fail or Not assessed. The threshold value is an environmental quality standard (EQS), derived at EU level as a substance included on the priority list under Directive 2008/105/EC. This dataset displays the result of the indicator in HELCOM Assessment Scale 4 (Division of the Baltic Sea into 17 sub-basins and further division into coastal and off-shore areas and division of the coastal areas by WFD water types or water bodies) Attribute information: "region" = name of region "country" = country "station" = Unique code for station "stationNam" = name for the station "determinan" = determinant parameter "detGroup" = the grouping of determinants used to display the results "_shape" = shape used to map assessment results "colour" = colour used to map assessment results "l3area" = HELCOM assessment unit on scale 3 "l4area" = HELCOM assessment unit on scale 4 "nyall" = total number of years of data "nyfit" = number of years of data used in the assessment "nypos" = number of years with at least one measurement above the limit of detection "lastyear" = most recent year of data "prtrend" = the significance of the change over the most recent 20 years; for the assessment conducted in November 2017 and published in June 2018, this is the period 1996-2016 "rtrend" = annual ‘linear’ change over the most recent 20 years "meanLY" = fitted value in last monitoring year "clLY" = upper one-sided 95% confidence limit on fitted value in last monitoring year "EQS" = Threshold value "EQSdiff" = difference between clLY and EQS "EQSbelow" = whether the mean value in the last monitoring year is significantly below EQS

This dataset represents the underlying data on core indicator Zooplankton mean size and total stock (MSTS). The core indicator evaluates zooplankton community structure to determine whether it reflects good environmental status. The dataset contains following attributes: "Country" = Country "Assessment" = Name of HELCOM Level 2 assessment unit "Year" = Year of observation "Station" = Sampling station name "Latitude" = Latitude (WGS84 deicmal degrees) "Longitude" = Longitude (WGS84 deicmal degrees) "Sampling_t" = Sampling date and time "Mean_size" = Mean size (microg / individual) "Total_biom" = Total biomass (mg/m3) "Data_origi" = Data source organization "National_m" = National monitorig data (Yes/No) "Use_restri" = Data use restrictions (Yes/No)

This indicator evaluates the eutrophication status of the Baltic Sea area based on annual total nitrogen concentration. The measured average total nitrogen is derived from in-situ measurements from oceanographic monitoring data for 2011-2016 (µmol/l), surface water (0-10 m). More detailed description on methodology can be found at http://www.helcom.fi/baltic-sea-trends/indicators/total-nitrogen-(tn)/ and http://www.helcom.fi/Documents/Eutrophication%20assessment%20manual.pdf This dataset displays the result of the indicator in HELCOM Assessment Scale 4 (Division of the Baltic Sea into 17 open sea sub-basins and division of coastal areas to WFD water types or water bodies). The open sea areas have been assessed based on HELCOM Monitoring data and results for coastal areas are based on national WFD results. Some of the open sea areas have not been assessed due to lack of commonly agreed threshold value. Attribute information: “HELCOM_ID” = Code of the HELCOM scale 4 assessment unit "Country" = Country/ Opensea "level_2" = Name of the HELCOM scale 2 assessment unit "Name" = Name of the HELCOM scale 4 assessment unit” "Area (km2)" = Area of the HELCOM scale 2 assessment unit "Indicator" = Name of indicator “Season” = Season of the indicator “Period” = Assessment unit period (20112016 = 2011 – 2016) "Indicator value (ES)" = Indicator value calculated for the assessment unit "Standard deviation (STD)" = Standard deviation of data used for calculating ES "Number of samples " = Number of samples per assessment unit "Thershold value (ET)" = Commonly agreed thershold value "Ratio between ES and ET (ER)" = Ratio between ES and ET (in case of indicator with positive response to eutrophication) "ES_SCORE” = Confidence based on the data used for calculating ES "ET_SCORE” = Confidence of target-setting procedure "I_SCORE” = Confidence (%) = average of ES-Score and ET-Score "Indicator Weight" = Indicator Weight in integrated eutrophication assessment “Status” = Status of the indicator (“Good”, “Not good”, “Not assessed” or "Not applicable") “Confidence” = Confidence of result based on I-SCORE (“High”, “Moderate” or “Low”) "AULEVEL" = Assessment unit level used for the indicator "ET_wint" = Commonly agreed thershold value in winter "ER_winter" = Ratio between ES and ET (in case of indicator with positive response to eutrophication) in winter "Winter status" = Status of the indicator (“Achieve”, “Fail” or “Not assessed”) in winter

This dataset contains integrated eutrophication status assessment 2011-2016, visualized for direct effects (C2_ER). The assessment is done on HELCOM Assessment Unit level 4: HELCOM Subbasins with coastal WFD water type or water bodies. The HEAT 3.0 has been applied for open sea assessment units using HELCOM core indicators and for coastal areas using national WFD indicators. For more information about the methodology, see State of the Baltic Sea report and HELCOM Eutrophication assessment manual. Attribute information: "HELCOM_ID": ID of HELCOM Level 4 Assessment unit "Country": Country / opensea "level_2": Name of HELCOM Level 2 Assessment unit "Name": Name of HELCOM Level 4 Assessment unit "Area_km2": Area of assessment unit Descriptio: Name of assessment unit "C1_N": Criteria 1, number of indicators used for calculating Eutrophication ratio (ER) "C1_ER": Criteria 1, ER "C1_SCORE": Criteria 1, Confidence of ER "C2_N": Criteria 2, number of indicators used for calculating ER "C2_ER": Criteria 2, ER "C2_SCORE": Criteria 2, Confidence of ER "C3_N": Criteria 3, number of indicators used for calculating ER "C3_ER": Criteria 3, ER "C3_SCORE": Criteria 3, Confidence of ER "N": Number of criteria used for calculating overall ER "ER": Overall ER "SCORE": Status confidence "STATUS": Status classification (Good (classes 0-0.5 & 0.5-1.0), Not Good (classes 1.0-1.5, 1.5-2.0 & >2.0), Not assessed) "CONFIDENCE": Final confidence rating (< 50% = low, 50-74 % = Moderate, = 75 % = High) "AULEVEL": Level of assessment units

This dataset describes fishing effort (hours/c-square) for all gear types in 2009 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.

This dataset represents the underlying biota data on core indicator TBT and imposex. The core indicator evaluates the status of the marine environment based on concentrations of the tributyltin (TBT) and its breakdown products dibutyltin (DBT) and monobutyltin (MBT) in the Baltic Sea; in water, biota (mussels, marine gastropods) and sediments. Imposex effects of TBT on marine gastropods are used as another source of data on TBT. Quantitative thresholds are used to evaluate if core indicators status is Achieve, Fail or Not assessed. Good status is achieved when the concentrations of TBT are below the threshold value. This dataset displays the result of the indicator in HELCOM Assessment Scale 4 (Division of the Baltic Sea into 17 sub-basins and further division into coastal and off-shore areas and division of the coastal areas by WFD water types or water bodies). Attribute information: "region" = name of region "country" = country "station" = Unique text that identifies the station "stationNam" = name for the station "determinan" = determinant parameter (VDS = Vas deference Sequence) "detGroup" = the grouping of determinands used to display the results "species" = species of measurement "_shape" = shape used to map assessment results "colour" = colour used to map assessment results "l3area" = HELCOM assessment unit on scale 3 "l4area" = HELCOM assessment unit on scale 4 "nyall" = total number of years of data "nyfit" = number of years of data used in the assessment "nypos" = number of years with at least one measurement above the limit of detection "lastyear" = most recent year of data "prtrend" = the significance of the change over the most recent 20 years; for the assessment conducted in November 2017 and published in June 2018, this is the period 1996-2016 "rtrend" = annual ‘linear’ change over the most recent 20 years "meanLY" = fitted value in last monitoring year "clLY" = upper one-sided 95% confidence limit on fitted value in last monitoring year "HQS" = Threshold value "HQSdiff" = difference between clLY and HQS "HQSbelow" = whether the mean value in the last monitoring year is significantly below HQS