Visit the website:
mpasymposium2007.eu

Download invitation and programme:
european_symp_mpa_25-28_9_07.pdf

Second Circular

BALANCE – project (WWF Finland and Finnish Environment Research Institute, SYKE) together with HELCOM Secretariat will organise a workshop on practical criteria to assess ecological coherence of networks of MPAs in the Baltic Sea on 25 -27 October 2006 in Helsinki, Finland.

The workshop also aims to exchange knowledge with similar process going on in the North East Atlantic.

The objectives of the workshop are:

1. To develop practical criteria for assessment of ecological coherence in MPA-networks
2. On the basis of these practical criteria discuss how to assess the ecological coherence of the existing MPA network in the Baltic Sea.
3. Consider the data available for assessment of ecological coherence and evaluate it's suitability for the analysis and identify data gaps. Apply the criteria to a test dataset.

Targeted groups:

* BALANCE partners

* Scientists/Experts

* HELCOM/OSPAR experts on marine protected areas

DRAFT AGENDA

Day 1: Overview on ecological coherence of MPA networks

Helsinki Commission (Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission), Katajanokanlaituri 6 B, 00160 Helsinki.

TIME
9.00-9.10	Welcome	Organizers
9.10-9.30	Presentation of the BALANCE-project including aim of the day.	Johnny Reker, SNS
9.30-10.00	Ecological basis of habitats and species - connectivity, representativity and ecological coherence of a network of protected areas?	Dr. Atte Moilanen, University of Helsinki
10.00-10.30	Are terrestrial protection measures adaptable to the marine environment?	Prof. Erik Bonsdorff, Åbo Akademi University
10.30-10.55	Coffee
11.00-11.10	Introduction to existing MPA criteria in HELCOM and OSPAR areas.	HELCOM and OSPAR representatives
11.10-12.00	Discussion
12.00-13.30	Lunch
13.30-13.50	BALANCE literature review: Developing practical criteria for assessing ecological coherence in marine environment.	SYKE and WWF Finland
13.50-14.10	From theory to practice – identification of practical criteria to assess ecological coherence.
14.10-15.00	Panel discussion on the criteria for ecological coherence in the Baltic Sea and NE Atlantic.
15.00-15.30	Coffee
15.30-17.00	Discussion continues
17.00-	Dinner at HELCOM Secretariat

Day 2: BALANCE approach to ecological coherence of MPAs:

SYKE, Finnish Environment Institute, Address: Mechelininkatu 34 a, 00251 Helsinki.

TIME
9.00-9.05	Welcome	Organizers
9.05-9.15	Presentation of participants
9.15-9.30	Aims of the day -Developing practical criteria for assessment of ecological coherence of the MPA network in the Baltic Sea at the landscape level (Baltic Sea scale)	WWF Finland & SYKE
9.30-10.30	Marine landscape maps: What are the Baltic marine landscapes and how have they been developed? Discussion: How can the maps be used in assessing ecological coherence in the Baltic Sea?	Jørgen Leth / Zyad Al-Hamnadi, GEUS
10.30-11.00	Coffee break
11.00-12.00	Connectivity in the Baltic Sea (1) The potential of blue corridors in the Baltic Sea – recommendations and guidelines. (2) The reality of blue corridors? Modelling surface currents and species drifting – results and maps (3) Discussion: How can this be applied in assessing ecological coherence in the Baltic Sea	Dr. Georg Martin, EMI
12.00-13.00	Lunch break
13.00-14.00	Representativity of the MPA network. (1) Representativity of the Baltic Sea MPA network – method and criteria for assessment. (2) Discussion: How can this be applied in assessing ecological coherence in the Baltic Sea?	Åsa Andersson, WWF Sweden
14.00-14.30	Coffee
14.30-16.30	Further development of criteria to be used for the assessment of ecological coherence of MPA network at the marine landscape level (based on day 1 and the presentations above).	Discussion lead by Per Nilsson
16.30-17.00	Conclusions	Per Nilsson

Day 3: Practical workshops

SYKE, Finnish Environment Institute, Address: Mechelininkatu 34 a, 00251 Helsinki.

TIME
9.00-9.15	Welcome and the aim of the day	Organizers
9.15-10.30	The workshop will be divided into two parallel sessions (A+B), one for BALANCE Project members one for other participants A. BALANCE Project Meeting Summing up of criteria identified on day 2 Practical steps for BALANCE milestone 4 Division of work and agreement on deadlines B. Parallel Meeting Content of the HELCOM BSPA Database: What do we have and what do we need for the analysis of ecological coherence of the BSPA network? Future co-operation between HELCOM BIO and BALANCE.
10.30-11.00	Coffee
11.00-12.00	Parallel sessions continue
12.00-13.00	Lunch break
13.00-15.00	Conclusions: gaps and future steps needed, co-operation between BALANCE and HELCOM	Facilitator + Organizers