title: HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan--a regional programme of measures for the marine environment based on the Ecosystem Approach.
abstract: The Helsinki Commission (HELCOM) Baltic Sea Action Plan, adopted by the coastal countries of the Baltic Sea and the European Community in November 2007, is a regional intergovernmental programme of measures for the protection and management of the marine environment explicitly based on the Ecosystem Approach. The Action Plan is structured around a set of Ecological Objectives used to define indicators and targets, including effect-based nutrient input ceilings, and to monitor implementation. The Action Plan strongly links Baltic marine environmental concerns to important socio-economic fields such as agriculture and fisheries and promotes cross-sectoral tools including marine spatial planning. Due to complementarities with the European Union (EU) Marine Strategy Framework Directive, the Action Plan is in essence a pilot for this process without neglecting the important role of the Russian Federation - the only Baltic coastal country not a member of the EU.
authors.affiliation: HELCOM Secretariat, Katajanokanlaituri 6 B, FI-00160 Helsinki, Finland. hermanni.backer@helcom.fi
authors.forename: Hermanni
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Backer
authors.forename: Juha-Markku
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Leppänen
authors.forename: Anne Christine
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Brusendorff
authors.forename: Kaj
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Forsius
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stankiewicz
authors.forename: Jukka
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mehtonen
authors.forename: Minna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pyhälä
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Laamanen
authors.forename: Hanna
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Paulomäki
authors.forename: Nikolay
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Vlasov
authors.forename: Tarja
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Haaranen
mesh_terms: D001454:Baltic States; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000379:methods*; D017753:Ecosystem; D005062:European Union; D005398:Fisheries / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000379:methods; D005843:Geography; D007391:International Cooperation; D008386:Marine Biology / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000379:methods*; D009792:Oceans and Seas; D010865:Pilot Projects