This dataset describes fishing intensity for DRB MOL mobile bottom contacting gear in 2013 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 Hydroprogne caspia 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. Hydroprogne caspia has been placed to the Red List category of Vulnerable (VU) species. The map shows the species range only during breeding season.

This dataset describes fishing intensity for SSC DMF 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.

This dataset contains all dioxinsstations by sub-basin in the Baltic Sea as reported to the HELCOM MORE project.

Data set represents the HELCOM 10x10 km Baltic Sea grid. The grid is based on the European Environment agency (EEA) grid system, and its compatible with other grid sizes. Each grid cell have an unique identifier, that is based on the EEA coding system, where the identifier consists of the cell size and cell coordinates. The grid covers the HELCOM marine area and uses the LAEA projection. HELCOM is making the grid available to offer a standardized and equal area grid system for the Baltic Sea that can be used in different assessments and that is alligned with different grid sizes, such as the "HELCOM 1x1km Baltic Sea grid" or any other EEA based grid system in Europe. The grid is available in two versions: 1. The basic version (HELCOM 10x10km Baltic Sea grid) with full grid cells. This is the version that is visualized in MADS and avaliable for download below as the first link and also as the download link in MADS 2. The second version (HELCOM 10x10km Baltic Sea grid without land areas) where all land areas are removed within the grid cells. This version is not visualized in MADS, but is available for download below. Further details on the 2 different grids can be found in the lineage section below. Attribute information: Unique_ID: Unique ID of the grid cell, based on the EEA coding system Area_km2: Area of the grid cell (for the second version the area is without land areas)

Observations of Macoma calcarea 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. Macoma calcarea has been placed to the Red List category of Vulnerable (VU) species. Dataset for download contains spatial grid of the Baltic Sea. Distribution of the species can be found in corresponding name column. Values are coded: 1 - Present before year 2000 or in 2000, 2 - Present after year 2000, 3 - Present both before and after year 2000.

The dataset contains the extraction of one of the target species, sprat, for the period 2016-2020. The extraction of sprat data set is based on "Fish extraction - commercial fisheries HOLAS 3". Further information about how this dataset was collected and extracted can be found at: https://metadata.helcom.fi/geonetwork/srv/eng/catalog.search#/metadata/a0104cfd-d237-459b-84f8-8e9e21d2df9b Reported per ICES Rectangles, Russian data extracted from ICES annual reports, reported per ICES sub-divisions. Values are redistributed with fishing effort data c-squares (all gears) 2016-2021. Effort values missing from Russia and sub-basin average values given. Extraction of fish species (landings) per ICES c-squares, average of 2016-2020. Landings calculated per km2. Tons/km2 calculated for each species. Log-transformed and normalized.

Essential fish habitat (EFH) map on Potential spawning areas for European flounder was prepared in PanBalticScope project (co-founded by the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund of the European Union) http://www.panbalticscope.eu/ European flounder (Platichthys flesus) is a key species in many coastal areas of the Baltic Sea, mainly in the central and southern sub-basins. Adults feed in shallow, coastal areas during summer and move out to deeper areas in winter, where the spawning takes place in spring. European flounder spawns above the sea floor in deep water, in areas with sufficiently high salinity for fertilization and pelagic egg development. ‘Potential spawning areas’ were initially delineated by a species distribution model (Orio et al. 2017) developed based on years 1993-1997 to consider a period with relatively better oxygen conditions, but applied with more recent data (2011-2014). The area was further delineated to encompass only areas deeper than 30 m in order to represent pelagic spawning habitat. ‘High probability spawning areas’ were identified as the sub-section encompassing salinity > 10. It should be noted that flounders in the Baltic Sea were recently separated into two species, and that spawning areas of the Baltic flounder (Platichthys solemdali) are described separately. The two data layers do not overlap and can be combined to obtain a map on spawning areas for both flounder species taken together. Stock: ICES identifies two stocks of European flounder in the Baltic Sea: ICES subdivisions 22-23 (Belt Sea and the Sound), and 24-25 (West of Bornholm and Southern Central Baltic Sea). EFH type: Spawning areas Approach: Species distribution modelling combined with identification of environmental salinity window and depth conditions for spawning. Variables and thresholds: Depth > 30 m, Salinity > 10 Quality: The data layer is based on species distribution modelling focusing on mature flounder at the spawning stage and should be considered a rough estimation. The data layers on environmental variables are based on modelling. Other variables than those tested in the model may also be influential. The studies from which the thresholds values for environmental variables have been obtained are based on publications conducted before the separation of Baltic flounder from European flounder but have taken the specific characteristics of the separate spawning ecotypes into account. Note: the map on European flounder spawning areas is currently missing information for the western Baltic Sea including the Kattegat. Attribute information: Raster value representing no spawning (0), potential spawning area (0.5) and high probability spawning area (1). References: - Momigliano, P, GP Denys, H Jokinen, and J Merilä (2018) Platichthys solemdali sp. nov. (Actinopterygii, Pleuronectiformes): a new flounder species from the Baltic Sea. Frontiers in Marine Science 5:225 - Nissling, A, L Westin, and O Hjerne (2002) Reproductive success in relation to salinity for three flatfish species, dab (Limanda limanda), plaice (Pleuronectes platessa), and flounder (Pleuronectes flesus), in the brackish water Baltic Sea. ICES Journal of Marine Science 59:93-108 - Orio, A, U Bergström, M Casini, M Erlandsson, R Eschbaum, K Hüssy, A Lehmann, L Ložys, D Ustups, and A-B Florin (2017a) Characterizing and predicting the distribution of Baltic Sea flounder (Platichthys flesus) during the spawning season. Journal of Sea Research 126:46-55 - Seifert, T, F Tauber, and B Kayser (2001) A high resolution spherical grid topography of the Baltic Sea -2nd edition. Baltic sea Science Congress, Stockholm 25-29 November 2001, Poster #147

This dataset describes fishing intensity for subsurface 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.

Dataset description: The dataset reflects spatial delineation of monitored and unmonitored sub-catchments used to compile data on inputs of nutrients and hazardous substances to the Baltic Sea sub-basins in the HELCOM Pollution Load Compilation. The sub-catchments are the smallest entities for which inputs of nutrients and hazardous substances to the Baltic Sea are reported. The sub-catchments are always located within borders of a single country and drain into a single Baltic Sea sub-basin. Sub-catchments may correspond to either monitored or unmonitored areas. Unmonitored sub-catchments may represent either unmonitored parts of river catchments or aggregated unmonitored areas (depending on the reporting format of each Contracting Party). Polygonal features in the dataset have attributes indicating whether a sub-catchment represents monitored or unmonitored area. A specific attribute indicates that the sub-catchment is in the upstream country of a transboundary river catchment. The data is reported to the HELCOM Map and Data Service (MADS) and quality assured by Contracting Parties to HELCOM in accordance with the HELCOM Guidelines for the annual and periodical compilation and reporting of waterborne pollution inputs to the Baltic Sea (HELCOM PLC-Water Guideline). Dataset content: Polygonal feature class contains the following attributes: Sub-catchment code (subc_code): unique HELCOM PLC code Sub-catchment name (subc_name): sub-catchment name corresponds to the name of the river or coastal area River code (r_code): unique HELCOM PLC code. Country code (c_code): DK; EE; FI; DE; LV; LT; PL; RU; SE; BY; UA; CZ; SK. Sub-basin code (subb_code): ARC; BAP; BOB; BOS; GUF; GUR; KAT; SOU; WEB. Monitoring (monitoring): monitored (M), unmonitored (U) Transboundary (transboundary): Field values are: TRANS (for downstream parts of transboundary rivers and border rivers), a country code (indicates the downstream country for upstream parts of transboundary rivers), or N/A (river is non transboundary). Area km2 (area_km2): sub-catchment area in km2 Year (year). Country codes used in the dataset correspond to: BY-BELARUS, CZ-CZECH REPUBLIC, DK-DENMARK; EE-ESTONIA; FI-FINLAND; DE-GERMANY; LV-LATVIA; LT-LITHUANIA; PL-POLAND; RU-RUSSIA; SK-SLOVAKIA; SE-SWEDEN; UA-UKRAINE. The Baltic Sea sub-basin codes used in the dataset are: ARC-ARCHIPELAGO SEA; BAP-BALTIC PROPER; BOB-BOTHNIAN BAY; BOS-BOTHNIAN SEA; GUF-GULF OF FINLAND; GUR-GULF OF RIGA; KAT-KATTEGAT; SOU-SOUND; WEB-WESTERN BALTIC. Visualization: Map layer of monitored and unmonitored areas. Map layer of transboundary and border rivers. Catchment areas of Baltic Sea sub-basins. Data update: Metadata is updated by HELCOM Secretariat annually by 1 April. The dataset is updated by HELCOM Secretariat annually by 1 April.