This dataset contains borders of the HELCOM MPAs (former Baltic Sea Protected Areas (BSPAs). The dataset has been compiled from data submitted by HELCOM Contracting Parties. It includes the borders of designated HELCOM MPAs stored in the http://mpas.helcom.fi. The designation is based on the HELCOM Recommendation 15/5 (1994). The dataset displays all designated or managed MPAs as officially reported to HELCOM by the respective Contracting Party. The latest related HELCOM publication based on MPA related data is http://www.helcom.fi/Lists/Publications/BSEP148.pdf The dataset contains the following information: MPA_ID: Unique ID of the MPA as used in HELCOM Marine Protected Areas database Name: Name of the MPA Country: Country where MPA is located Site_link: Direct link to site's fact sheet in the http://mpas.helcom.fi where additional information is available MPA_status: Management status of the MPA Date_est: Establishment date of the MPA Year_est: Establishment year of the MPA

Summary Estimated observations of the biotope AB.J2K7 were collected from the Baltic Sea area by expert judgements for HELCOM Red List of biotopes, habitats and biotope complexes. Description Baltic aphotic sand dominated by striped venus (Chamelea gallina)The HELCOM Red List of Baltic Sea underwater biotopes, habitats and biotope complexes (2013) is an updated and improved version of the Red List assessment of marine and coastal biotopes and biotope complexes published in 1998. The classification of the report follows the proposed International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) criteria and assessment principals but with some modifications for the Baltic Sea.Altogether, the HELCOM Underwater Biotope and habitat classification (HELCOM HUB) includes 209 biotopes of which 59 were red-listed. Many of the red-listed biotopes are located in deep areas of the Baltic Sea due to oxygen-free nature as well as in the southwestern Baltic Sea due to the salinity restricted distribution of species in certain biotope. The HELCOM assessment relies heavily on expert judgment and inference, and the questionnaire data represents the estimated presence-absence data not in-situ measured data. This must be taken in account when observing the map presentation. The biotopes are shown on the map using the EEA 100 km grid. This dataset displays estimated presence of AB.J2K7 according to HELCOM RED LIST assessment experts:The biotope is known to occur in the northern Kattegat in Swedish and Danish waters. The distribution map indicates the area in the 100 x 100 km grid where biotope is known to occur.(Data (expert judgements) collected in HELCOM RED LIST project, released in May 2013)

Summary Estimated observations of the biotope AA.J3L3 were collected from the Baltic Sea area by expert judgements for HELCOM Red List of biotopes, habitats and biotope complexes. Description Baltic photic sand dominated by ocean quahog (Arctica islandica)The HELCOM Red List of Baltic Sea underwater biotopes, habitats and biotope complexes (2013) is an updated and improved version of the Red List assessment of marine and coastal biotopes and biotope complexes published in 1998. The classification of the report follows the proposed International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) criteria and assessment principals but with some modifications for the Baltic Sea.Altogether, the HELCOM Underwater Biotop e and habitat classification (HELCOM HUB) includes 209 biotopes of which 59 were red-listed. Many of the red-listed biotopes are located in deep areas of the Baltic Sea due to oxygen-free nature as well as in the southwestern Baltic Sea due to the salinity restricted distribution of species in certain biotope. The HELCOM assessment relies heavily on expert judgment and inference, and the questionnaire data represents the estimated presence-absence data not in-situ measured data. This must be taken in account when observing the map presentation. The biotopes are shown on the map using the EEA 100 km grid. This dataset displays estimated presence of AA.J3L3 according to HELCOM RED LIST assessment experts:The main distribution area of this biotope is the western Baltic Sea. The largest populations of A. islandica are found in Kiel and Mecklenburg Bights (Zettler et al. 2001). The distribution map indicates the area in the 100 x 100 km grid where biotope is known to occur.(Data (expert judgements) collected in HELCOM RED LIST project, released in May 2013)

Summary Estimated observations of the biotope AE.O5 were collected from the Baltic Sea area by expert judgements for HELCOM Red List of biotopes, habitats and biotope complexes. Description Baltic Sea aphotic pelagic below halocline oxicThe HELCOM Red List of Baltic Sea underwater biotopes, habitats and biotope complexes (2013) is an updated and improved version of the Red List assessment of marine and coastal biotopes and biotope complexes published in 1998. The classification of the report follows the proposed International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) criteria and assessment principals but with some modifications for the Baltic Sea.Altogether, the HELCOM Underwater Biotope and habitat classification (HELCOM HUB) includes 209 biotopes of which 59 were red-listed. Many of the red-listed biotopes are located in deep areas of the Baltic Sea due to oxygen-free nature as well as in the southwestern Baltic Sea due to the salinity restricted distribution of species in certain biotope. The HELCOM assessment relies heavily on expert judgment and inference, and the questionnaire data represents the estimated presence-absence data not in-situ measured data. This must be taken in account when observing the map presentation. The biotopes are shown on the map using the EEA 100 km grid. This dataset displays estimated presence of AE.O5 according to HELCOM RED LIST assessment experts:The distribution map indicates the area in the 100 x 100 km grid where biotope is known to occur. The habitat only makes up a section of the pelagic water mass in the area indicated by the map. The map is created based on the bathymetric data of the Baltic Proper. According to the depth contours, the grid indicated on the map include areas deeper than 60-80m.(Data (expert judgements) collected in HELCOM RED LIST project, released in May 2013)

Summary Estimated observations of the biotope 1110 were collected from the Baltic Sea area by expert judgements for HELCOM Red List of biotopes, habitats and biotope complexes. Description Sandbanks which are slightly covered by sea water all the timeThe HELCOM Red List of Baltic Sea underwater biotopes, habitats and biotope complexes (2013) is an updated and improved version of the Red List assessment of marine and coastal biotopes and biotope complexes published in 1998. The classification of the report follows the proposed International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) criteria and assessment principals but with some modifications for the Baltic Sea.Altogether, the HELCOM Underwater Biotope and habitat classification (HELCOM HUB) includes 209 biotopes of which 59 were red-listed. Many of the red-listed biotopes are located in deep areas of the Baltic Sea due to oxygen-free nature as well as in the southwestern Baltic Sea due to the salinity restricted distribution of species in certain biotope. The HELCOM assessment relies heavily on expert judgment and inference, and the questionnaire data represents the estimated presence-absence data not in-situ measured data. This must be taken in account when observing the map presentation. The biotopes are shown on the map using the EEA 100 km grid. This dataset displays estimated presence of the biotope 1110 according to HELCOM RED LIST assessment experts:Sandbanks are widely spread throughout the whole Baltic Sea area, and occur in all HELCOM sub-regions. The Distribution map indicates the area in the 100 x 100 km grid where biotope is known to occur (Naturvårdverket 2011, EUNIS Database).(Data (expert judgements) collected in HELCOM RED LIST project, released in May 2013)

Summary Estimated observations of the biotope AA.H1B4, AA.I1B4, AA.J1B4 and AA.M1B4 were collected from the Baltic Sea area by expert judgements for HELCOM Red List of biotopes, habitats and biotope complexes. Description Baltic photic muddy or coarse sediment, sand or mixed substrate dominated by Charales The HELCOM Red List of Baltic Sea underwater biotopes, habitats and biotope complexes (2013) is an updated and improved version of the Red List assessment of marine and coastal biotopes and biotope complexes published in 1998. The classification of the report follows the proposed International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) criteria and assessment principals but with some modifications for the Baltic Sea.Altogether, the HELCOM Underwater Biotope and habitat classification (HELCOM HUB) includes 209 biotopes of which 59 were red-listed. Many of the red-listed biotopes are located in deep areas of the Baltic Sea due to oxygen-free nature as well as in the southwestern Baltic Sea due to the salinity restricted distribution of species in certain biotope. The HELCOM assessment relies heavily on expert judgment and inference, and the questionnaire data represents the estimated presence-absence data not in-situ measured data. This must be taken in account when observing the map presentation. The biotopes are shown on the map using the EEA 100 km grid. This dataset displays estimated presence of AA.H1B4, AA.I1B4, AA.J1B4 andAA.M1B4according to HELCOM RED LIST assessment experts:The Charales biotopes are distributed along the whole Baltic Sea coastline. The biotope covers largeareas in the comparatively large, shallow and sheltered erman Bodden areas, the Polish and LithuanianLagoons, the Latvian Bay ofRiga and Estonian, and along the coasts of Finland and Sweden especially inflads. The higher the salinities, the higher the diversity of the biotope withrespect to accompanyingplant species and inhabiting invertebrate and fishcommunities. The diversity of Charales and relatedgenera can howeverincrease with decreasing salinity, as the charophytes are brackish andfreshwatermacrophytes. The distribution map indicates the area in the 100 x100 km grid where biotope is knownto occur.AA.H1B4, AA.I1B4, AA.J1B4 andAA.M1B4have been placed in the Red List classification to the category of Near Threatened (NT) biotopes. (Data (expert judgements) collected in HELCOM RED LIST project, released in May 2013)

Summary Estimated observations of the biotope AA.I3L10, AA.J3L10, AB.I3L10 and AB.J3L10 were collected from the Baltic Sea area by expert judgements for HELCOM Red List of biotopes, habitats and biotope complexes. Description Baltic photic or aphotic coarse sediment or sand dominated by multiple infaunal bivalve species: Macoma calcarea, Mya truncata, Astarte spp., Spisula spp. The HELCOM Red List of Baltic Sea underwater biotopes, habitats and biotope complexes (2013) is an updated and improved version of the Red List assessment of marine and coastal biotopes and biotope complexes published in 1998. The classification of the report follows the proposed International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) criteria and assessment principals but with some modifications for the Baltic Sea.Altogether, the HELCOM Underwater Biotope and habitat classification (HELCOM HUB) includes 209 biotopes of which 59 were red-listed. Many of the red-listed biotopes are located in deep areas of the Baltic Sea due to oxygen-free nature as well as in the southwestern Baltic Sea due to the salinity restricted distribution of species in certain biotope. The HELCOM assessment relies heavily on expert judgment and inference, and the questionnaire data represents the estimated presence-absence data not in-situ measured data. This must be taken in account when observing the map presentation. The biotopes are shown on the map using the EEA 100 km grid. This dataset displays estimated presence of AA.I3L10, AA.J3L10, AB.I3L10 andAB.J3L10according to HELCOM RED LIST assessment experts:Kiel bight to Isle of Fehmarn, might occasionally occur in Mecklenburg Bight to Darss sill, South-westernBaltic Sea. The distribution map indicates the area in the 100 x 100 km grid where biotope is known tooccur.AA.I3L10, AA.J3L10, AB.I3L10 andAB.J3L10have been placed in the Red List classification to the category of Near Threatened (NT) biotopes. (Data (expert judgements) collected in HELCOM RED LIST project, released in May 2013)

This dataset reflects spatial distribution of nutrients load and load of selected hazardous substances on the Baltic Sea from land based sources. The data, obtained through national monitoring programmes in 2014, were reported by Contracting Parties to HELCOM in the frame of HELCOM PLC-6 project and collected in the HELCOM Pollution Load Compilation (PLC-water) database (http://apps.nest.su.se/helcom_plus/). The reporting was organized in accordance with the HELCOM Guidelines for the annual and periodical compilation and reporting of waterborne pollution inputs to the Baltic Sea (PLC-Water, http://www.helcom.fi/Lists/Publications/PLC-Water%20Guidelines.pdf). The dataset has been produced based on guidance by HELCOM PRESSURE and REDCORE Drafting Group. The dataset contains following attributes: Source code: unique code of the sub-catchment Name: sub-catchment name Sub-basin: Baltic Sea PLC sub-basin Country: country in the BS catchment area Monitoring: monitoring status Length: length of the sub-catchment Area: sub-catchment area Transboundary: sub-catchments with transboundary load

Summary Estimated observations of the biotope AA.E1C4 were collected from the Baltic Sea area by expert judgements for HELCOM Red List of biotopes, habitats and biotope complexes. Description Baltic photic shell gravel dominated by kelpThe HELCOM Red List of Baltic Sea underwater biotopes, habitats and biotope complexes (2013) is an updated and improved version of the Red List assessment of marine and coastal biotopes and biotope complexes published in 1998. The classification of the report follows the proposed International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) criteria and assessment principals but with some modifications for the Baltic Sea.Altogether, the HELCOM Underwater Biotope and habitat classification (HELCOM HUB) includes 209 biotopes of which 59 were red-listed. Many of the red-listed biotopes are located in deep areas of the Baltic Sea due to oxygen-free nature as well as in the southwestern Baltic Sea due to the salinity restricted distribution of species in certain biotope. The HELCOM assessment relies heavily on expert judgment and inference, and the questionnaire data represents the estimated presence-absence data not in-situ measured data. This must be taken in account when observing the map presentation. The biotopes are shown on the map using the EEA 100 km grid. This dataset displays estimated presence of AA.E1C4according to HELCOM RED LIST assessment experts:The kelp biotopes are common from Kattegat to the Bornholm Basin. The spatial restriction to the Western and Southern Baltic Sea is due to the salinity requirements of the dominant kelp species. The higher the salinities, the higher the diversity of the biotope with respect to accompanying plant species and inhabiting invertebrate and fish communities. The distribution map indicates the areas where the biotope can occur in a 100x100 km grid.(Data (expert judgements) collected in HELCOM RED LIST project, released in May 2013)

Summary Estimated observations of the biotope AA.H3L6 were collected from the Baltic Sea area by expert judgements for HELCOM Red List of biotopes, habitats and biotope complexes. Description Baltic photic muddy sediment dominated by UnionidaeThe HELCOM Red List of Baltic Sea underwater biotopes, habitats and biotope complexes (2013) is an updated and improved version of the Red List assessment of marine and coastal biotopes and biotope complexes published in 1998. The classification of the report follows the proposed International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) criteria and assessment principals but with some modifications for the Baltic Sea.Altogether, the HELCOM Underwater Biotope and habitat classification (HELCOM HUB) includes 209 biotopes of which 59 were red-listed. Many of the red-listed biotopes are located in deep areas of the Baltic Sea due to oxygen-free nature as well as in the southwestern Baltic Sea due to the salinity restricted distribution of species in certain biotope. The HELCOM assessment relies heavily on expert judgment and inference, and the questionnaire data represents the estimated presence-absence data not in-situ measured data. This must be taken in account when observing the map presentation. The biotopes are shown on the map using the EEA 100 km grid. This dataset displays estimated presence of AA.H3L6according to HELCOM RED LIST assessment experts:The biotope is known to occur in the eastern parts of the Curonian lagoon in Lithuania. Mussel species of the family Unionidae occur in the whole Baltic Sea region and can occur in densities high enough to be habitat forming in estuaries. The distribution map indicates the area in the 100 x 100 km grid where biotope is known to occur.(Data (expert judgements) collected in HELCOM RED LIST project, released in May 2013)