Estuaries (according to Habitats Directive Annex I) are coastal inlets that are strongly influenced by freshwater. The distribution map is based on data submission by HELCOM contracting parties. Most of the submitted data is based on modelling, GIS analysis and/or aerial photos. Data coverage, accuracy and the methods in obtaining the data vary between countries.

Input data for the Ecosystem Services Assessment Analytical Module on ReMAP project, created in 2024 and compiled from different data sources is provided. Below is further information on datasets applied for the module and original metadata. More information about the module and the project can be found at http://www.geoportal.ulpgc.es/remap/ Input data contains the benthic habitat distribution originally available at EUSeaMAP (https://emodnet.ec.europa.eu/en/seabed-habitats).

Input of heat pressure dataset contains delta heat values from warm water discharge of - Discharge of warm water from nuclear power plants - Fossil fuel energy production. Discharge of warm water from nuclear power plants (2016-2021): 1 km buffer with steep decrease around outlet (Type D decline), composed of 4 rings [1]. Average input of heat load (Twh) of discharge of warm water from the nuclear power plant outlets. No data on heat load was available for the Leningrad nuclear power plant; therefore, the average heat load of discharge of warm water from nuclear power plants was given. Fossil fuel energy production (only location available): 1 km buffer with steep decrease around outlet (Type D decline), composed of 6 rings[12]. Heat load 1 (TWh) was given to all production sites, based on the average heat load of an individual production site in Helsinki. Heat load from both layers were summed and the layer was normalized. [1] Extent based on Ilus et al. 1986.

The layer depicts the pressure of eutrophication in the Baltic Sea, based on the data from the HOLAS 3 integrated eutrophication assessment. The methodology utilizes the Eutrophication Quality Ratios (EQRS) available for each HELCOM assessment unit on level 4b. The results of integrated eutrophication assessment combines the information of the three MSFD criteria groups (C1: Nutrient levels, C2: Direct effect, C3: Indirect effect) and use this value as an indication of pressure for each assessment unit. The Spatial Impact and Pressure Assessment is carried out using a 1x1km grid while the Integrated eutrophication status is assessed on vector based HELCOM assessment units, the vector data are rasterized. First, the vector data are rasterized to 100x100m resolution, and after that it is aggregated to a 10x10km grid using a mean value. A 10 km grid is used in order to make the gradients between assessment units slightly smoother and finally the values converted to 1x1 km resolution. The scale for the pressure values in the map (0.26-1) represents the scale in the original source data.

The data set is showing protected areas (Ramsar, UNESCO Biosphere Reserves and Natura2000) in the Baltic Sea area as polygons. This dataset is used 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 has been produced by COWI (http://www.cowi.dk) based on data collected from HELCOM and Baltic Sea countries (Finland: Copyright SYKE). The dataset includes data provided by the BRISK Project Partner organisations. The detailed documentation of what partner provided what data is given in the Annex of the document: 70618-3.1.2.2 Data Collection Report.

Observations of Clelandella miliaris 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. Clelandella miliaris 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.

This indicator evaluates the eutrophication status of the Baltic Sea area based on dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP) concentration. The measured average DIP is based on in-situ PO4 measurements from oceanographic monitoring data for winter period (December-February) 2011-2016 (umol/l), surface water (0-10 m). More detailed description on methodology can be found at http://www.helcom.fi/baltic-sea-trends/indicators/Dissolved-inorganic-phosphorus-(DIP) 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. Attribute information: "HELCOM_ID" = Code of the HELCOM scale 4 assessment unit "Country" = country "level_2" = name of subbasin "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 (Winter = December-February) “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 in 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 (“Achieve”, “Fail”, “Not assessed” or "Not applicable") “Confidence” = Confidence of result based on I-SCORE (“High”, “Moderate”, “Low” or "Not assessed") "AULEVEL" = Assessment unit level used for the indicator

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.

Observations of Halichoerus grypus 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. Halichoerus grypus has been placed to the Red List category of Least Concern (LC) species. Grey seals are found on both sides of the North-Atlantic in temperate and sub-Arctic waters. The actual Baltic Sea population is distinct from the eastern North-Atlantic population.

This dataset describes fishing intensity for OT SPF mobile bottom contacting gear in 2011 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.