This dataset contains core indicator results developed under the HELCOM Third Holistic Assessment of the Ecosystem Health of the Baltic Sea (HOLAS 3).

In 2010, HELCOM completed the initial assessment (HOLAS I) of the ecosystem health of the Baltic Sea – including the associated costs and benefits to the society. The assessment was based on data from 2003 to 2007. The summary report can be found at: https://helcom.fi/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/BSEP122.pdf and more information about HOLAS I at: https://helcom.fi/baltic-sea-trends/holistic-assessments/2010-initial-holistic-assessment/ All datasets for HOLAS I and associated metadata were here compiled. The datasets are: BaP in mussel BaP in sediment BDE47 Status Benzo[b]fluoranthene status BghiP in mussels BghiP in sediment Bisphenol A in biota Cadmium in fish liver Cadmium in fish muscle Cadmium in mussels CB118 in fish CB118 in mussels CB118 in sediment Chlorophyll a status 2007-2011 Chlorophyll a status confidence 2007-2011 Chlorophyll a status distance to target 2007-2011 Coastal areas chl-a Coastal areas nitrogen Coastal areas overall eutrophication status Coastal areas phosphorus Coastal areas secchi DDE in herring DDE in mussels DDE in sediment DEHP in biota DEHP in sediment Dioxin and PCB in herring Dioxin and PCB in perch Dioxin in herring Dioxin in mussels Dioxin in perch Eutrophication status 2007-2011 Eutrophication status confidence 2007-2011 HCH in sediment HCH in water Interpolated benthic invertebrate status classification Interpolated chemical status Interpolated Chlorophyll a status classification Interpolated DIN status classification Interpolated DIP status classification Interpolated ecosystem health status Interpolated ecosystem health status Interpolated eutrophication status classification Interpolated secchi depth status classification Mercury in fish muscle Mercury in mussels Nitrogen status 2007-2011 Nitrogen status confidence 2007-2011 Nitrogen status distance to target 2007-2011 Nonylphenols Octylphenols Open sea areas benthic invertebrates Open sea areas chl-a Open sea areas nitrogen Open sea areas overall eutrophication status Open sea areas phosphorus Open sea areas secchi Overall biodiversity status coastal area Overall biodiversity status open sea Overall chemical status coastal areas Overall chemical status open sea Overall ecosystem health status coastal area Overall ecosystem health status open sea Oxygen status 2007-2011 Oxygen status confidence 2007-2011 Oxygen status distance to target 2007-2011 PFOS in herring liver PFOS in seal liver Phosphorus status 2007-2011 Phosphorus status confidence 2007-2011 Phosphorus status distance to target 2007-2011 SCCP in fish TBT in fish TBT in mussels TBT in sediment Water clarity status 2007-2011 Water clarity status confidence 2007-2011 Water clarity status distance to target 2007-2011 More information about the HELCOM holistic assessments can be found here: https://helcom.fi/baltic-sea-trends/holistic-assessments/

HELCOM Marine Protected Areas database (HELCOM MPA database) contains following information: The HELCOM MPA database contains information related to each MPA described in MPA fact sheets, which contains general information on the MPA, management plans, species, biotopes, biotope complexes as well as pressures and human activities related to the MPA. The HELCOM MPA database can be access from http://mpas.helcom.fi Spatial data on areas of MPAs, described in a separate shapefile: http://metadata.helcom.fi/geonetwork/srv/eng/catalog.search#/metadata/d27df8c0-de86-4d13-a06d-35a8f50b16fa The designation of HELCOM MPAs is based on the HELCOM Recommendation 15/5 (1994). The data contained in HELCOM MPA database is reported by HELCOM Contracting Parties and has been collected since 2007 to HELCOM BSPA (Baltic Sea Protected Areas) database. The database was updated to Oracle database solution in ECONET project during 2015 and gradually updated as new information becomes available. The content of HELCOM MPA database is verified annually in HELCOM State & Conservation meetings.

This dataset describes fishing effort (hours/c-square) for all gear types in second quarter of 2013 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.

Summary Observations of Phocoena phocoena were collected from the Baltic Sea area for HELCOM Red List species list. Description 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. Phocoena phocoena has two subpopulations that have been placed to different Red List categories. Baltic Sea subpopulation is in the category of Critically Endangered (CR) species whereas Western Baltic subpopulation belongs to the category of Vulnerable (VU) species.

This dataset contains core indicator data developed under the HELCOM Third Holistic Assessment of the Ecosystem Health of the Baltic Sea (HOLAS 3).

The dataset contains the location of shellfish mariculture sites from EMODnet (https://www.emodnet-humanactivities.eu/search-results.php?dataname=Shellfish+Production). Data from HOLAS 2 was used to complement the dataset (https://metadata.helcom.fi/geonetwork/srv/eng/catalog.search#/metadata/21efdecc-2fd7-4bfb-9832-68c995291bf7). Each point has the following attributes (where available): status (active, inactive, licensed) country owner name area name farm type (Mussels, Oysters, Mussels-Oysters, Clams, Specialised (other), Mixed (other)) production method (Beds, Long lines, Rafts, Saltwater closed (recirculation), Saltwater ponds, Saltwater tanks/raceways,Trestles or trays, Other) production stage (Grow out for human consumption, Hatchery, Nursery, Broodstock, Reproduction, Harvest, Other) purpose (Commercial, Research, Education, Display, Other) products detailed (English translation of the information provided on species grown or authorised in the source) point information (Polygon centroid, Original) depending on how the information is provided in the source (polygons or points) site_id distance to coast (meters) position from coastline (At sea, within the coastline) notes: indication of HOLAS 2 data

Observations of Epitonium turtonis 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. Epitonium turtonis has been placed to the Red List category of Data Deficient (DD) 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.

Summary Estimated observations of the biotope 1620 were collected from the Baltic Sea area by expert judgements for HELCOM Red List of biotopes, habitats and biotope complexes. Description Boreal Baltic islets and small islandsThe 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 1620 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 (Naturvårdverket 2011).(Data (expert judgements) collected in HELCOM RED LIST project, released in May 2013)

This dataset describes fishing effort (hours/c-square) for mobile bottom-contacting gear in fourth quarter of 2013 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.