Data can be used freely given that the source is cited.

Data can be used freely given that the source is cited.

The Baltic Sea Impact index (BSII) was first applied in the Initial HELCOM Holistic Assessment of Ecosystem Health

(HELCOM 2010a), building on concepts described by Halpern et al. (2008). The concepts were subsequently developed

further for the eastern parts of the North Sea by the HARMONY project (Andersen et al. 2013), which has developed

a HARMONY Pressure & Impact Mapper software (Stock 2016). The "summing method" used in BSII gives an overview of the areas which can be expected to be under high impacts based on that there are several ecosystem components being impacted.

It was agreed during the HOLAS II process that the input pressure layers should be in numerical balance between different types of anthropogenic pressures, and therefore, human activity data layers being proxies for pressures should be aggregated when they reflect the same pressure. Temporal characteristics of the pressures are taken into account in the data processing, by designing the spatial data sets so that they more accurately represent cumulating or temporary pressures. These aggregated pressure layers follow the indicative list given in the Table 2a of the revised the Marine Strategy Framework Direction (MSFD) Annex III. More detailed information how these aggregation are made is available in the metadata of invidual datasets.

Baltic Sea Impact Index has been calculated with a ArcGIS toolbox, developed at the HELCOM Secretariat, following the concepts described by Helpern et al. (2008).

Aggregated pressure layers used in the calculation:

- <a href=" http://metadata.helcom.fi/geonetwork/srv/eng/catalog.search#/metadata/50a19d2e-bc8a-40f3-a786-9e26274778a6" target="_blank">Changes to hydrological conditions</a>

- <a href=" http://metadata.helcom.fi/geonetwork/srv/eng/catalog.search#/metadata/8e1389bc-ba28-480f-b7a6-f55fc43dde16" target="_blank">Disturbance of species due to human presence</a>

- <a href=" http://metadata.helcom.fi/geonetwork/srv/eng/catalog.search#/metadata/b836a414-bf41-4c6b-858b-e17794c8674e" target="_blank">Extraction of fish - Cod extraction (landings)</a>

- <a href=" http://metadata.helcom.fi/geonetwork/srv/eng/catalog.search#/metadata/3136cb2c-34da-4d10-be58-84a8af796123" target="_blank">Extraction of fish - Herring extraction (landings)</a>

- <a href=" http://metadata.helcom.fi/geonetwork/srv/eng/catalog.search#/metadata/eb068fd4-b4db-4b1e-9958-106ca19ccccd" target="_blank">Extraction of fish – Sprat extraction (landings)</a>

- <a href=" http://metadata.helcom.fi/geonetwork/srv/eng/catalog.search#/metadata/9026c20f-eac0-4d51-adcc-db9034c3ec49" target="_blank">Extraction of mammals – Seal hunting</a>

- <a href=" http://metadata.helcom.fi/geonetwork/srv/eng/catalog.search#/metadata/e31c435c-0603-43d9-8d28-c61b04343e89" target="_blank">Extraction of seabirds – Bird hunting</a>

- <a href=" http://metadata.helcom.fi/geonetwork/srv/eng/catalog.search#/metadata/8e73d7ab-d683-41f5-87ad-e97445e8eee5" target="_blank">Input of continuous anthropogenic sound</a>

- <a href=" http://metadata.helcom.fi/geonetwork/srv/eng/catalog.search#/metadata/5e407922-40c9-4844-9c77-ca86e086d491" target="_blank">Input of hazardous substances</a>

- <a href=" http://metadata.helcom.fi/geonetwork/srv/eng/catalog.search#/metadata/eab6ba26-4914-4a22-b217-e8ff6173019f" target="_blank">Input of heat</a>

- <a href=" http://metadata.helcom.fi/geonetwork/srv/eng/catalog.search#/metadata/763adb5c-ece6-4cb7-8379-b9b1e65a6a83" target="_blank">Input of impulsive anthropogenic sound</a>

- <a href=" http://metadata.helcom.fi/geonetwork/srv/eng/catalog.search#/metadata/dff023a4-ad42-4a38-ade9-b4fd1194c79d" target="_blank">Introduction of non-indigenous species and translocations</a>

- <a href=" http://metadata.helcom.fi/geonetwork/srv/eng/catalog.search#/metadata/dbb81716-6cc0-4f41-8103-2f06dfb17b6c" target="_blank">Introduction of radionuclides</a>

- <a href=" http://metadata.helcom.fi/geonetwork/srv/eng/catalog.search#/metadata/65deb854-a296-4ee2-97f7-ec59b0500dcb" target="_blank">Oil slicks and spills</a>

- <a href=" http://metadata.helcom.fi/geonetwork/srv/eng/catalog.search#/metadata/05e325f3-bc30-44a0-8f0b-995464011c82" target="_blank">Physical disturbance or damage to seabed (temporary or reversible effects)</a>

- <a href=" http://metadata.helcom.fi/geonetwork/srv/eng/catalog.search#/metadata/ea0ef0fa-0517-40a9-866a-ce22b8948c88" target="_blank">Physical loss (permanent effects on the seabed)</a>

- <a href=" http://metadata.helcom.fi/geonetwork/srv/eng/catalog.search#/metadata/5e982b25-8110-4095-b6db-619947f52f4e" target="_blank">Relative distribution of nutrient concentration - Total Nitrogen</a>

- <a href=" http://metadata.helcom.fi/geonetwork/srv/eng/catalog.search#/metadata/bbf73bb1-38b0-45af-928a-17635dbd8c51" target="_blank">Relative distribution of nutrient concentration - Total Phosphorus</a>

For use in the BSII method, 36 ecosystem component layers have been developed and agreed through the Contracting Parties’ data approval process.The final sensitivity scores used for the BSII are a combination of the results of the expert survey and results of a literature review. Browse through the <a href=" http://metadata.helcom.fi/geonetwork/srv/eng/catalog.search#/search?facet.q=keyword%2Fecosystem%2520component&resultType=details&any=ecosystem%20component&fast=index&_content_type=json&from=1&to=20&sortBy=title&sortOrder=reverse" target="_blank">Ecosystem components</a> datasets used in the BSII calculation.

Step-wise description of the working phases of the BSII method:

1. Definition of the assessment area

2. Listing and defining human activities and consequent pressures in the Baltic Sea

3. Listing and defining ecosystem components in the Baltic Sea

4. Decisions on time scales

5. Collecting the spatial data for Baltic Sea

6. Preparation of the GIS files

7. Aggregation of pressure data layers

8. Definition of the assessment unit

9. Estimation of the habitat and species sensitivity

10. Estimation of confidence

11. Calculating the index

12. Outcomes of the index

13. Validation

Additional info on developing the BSII can be found <a href=" http://stateofthebalticsea.helcom.fi" target="_blank">here</a>.

INSPIRE Metadata Implementing Rules

Technical Guidelines based on EN ISO 19115 and EN ISO 19119 (Version 1.2)