Proposal for saving the Baltic Sea: 34 actions to strengthen the network of marine protected areas

The key action of the Roadmap relate to how existing protected areas can safeguard underwater biodiversity more effectively and how the network of protected areas could be expanded to cover the most valuable marine areas. The plan also contains proposals for establishing the first strict marine nature reserve in Finland as well as for protecting fish breeding areas and paying particular attention to geological diversity.

Protected areas support the conservation of marine nature

The most serious threats to the Baltic Sea are eutrophication, pollution and climate change. They impair the ecological status of the sea and cause large-scale biodiversity loss. While key measures for improving the status of the sea include reducing emissions of nutrients and harmful substances, measures taken in the catchments alone are not enough.

The sea is also affected by additional pressures, which include construction and other types of seabed interventions. In this regard, regional protection is the most effective way of safeguarding biodiversity. The current legislation does not sufficiently protect underwater nature. This is why the Roadmap also proposes legislative amendments and new solutions that to better account for ecological integrity, connectivity and functional diversity.

Key actions presented

• Expanding the current network of protected areas and strengthening the protection of existing areas
• Establishing Finland’s first strict marine nature reserve
• Creating a conservation programme for privately owned marine areas based on voluntary protection
• Addressing issues of fairness in the planning of protection
• Putting in place tailored fishing restrictions to protect breeding areas
• Restoring habitats and safeguarding underwater biodiversity, including geological diversity

The Roadmap is based on an extensive assessment of the current state of marine conservation and over 200,000 observations from the Finnish Inventory Programme for Underwater Marine Diversity (Velmu).

Benefits for humans and nature

“Preventing degradation of nature is always cheaper than restoring the environment afterwards. This is why marine conservation must also be proactive,” says Markku Viitasalo, Research Professor at the Finnish Environment Institute.

Currently, only 11% of Finland's marine areas have been protected. The EU Biodiversity Strategy and the objectives of the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission (HELCOM) require a significant increase in marine protected areas.

"To achieve the targets, the share of protected areas needs to be increased to 30% of the sea area. One third of this must be strictly protected,” says Lasse Kurvinen, Senior Conservation Specialist at Metsähallitus Parks & Wildlife Finland.

More protected areas are essentially needed to create an ecologically comprehensive and well-connected conservation network. Marine conservation is an investment in both biodiversity and human well-being.

"Conservation is not just for nature. Improving the status of the marine environment also benefits people, as it builds up fish stocks and improves opportunities for recreation,” points out Penina Blankett, Ministerial Adviser at the Ministry of the Environment, who led the Roadmap preparation.

The Roadmap was produced in cooperation between experts from several organisations as part of the Biodiversea LIFE IP project, which is Finland’s largest cooperation project on safeguarding Baltic Sea biodiversity. The Roadmap was drawn up by the Ministry of the Environment, Finnish Environment Institute, Metsähallitus Parks & Wildlife Finland, Government of Åland, Geological Survey of Finland, Natural Resources Institute Finland, Turku University of Applied Sciences, Åbo Akademi University and Baltic Sea Action Group.

Publication about the roadmap has been published in Finnish and Swedish (Links to the publications below). 

Biodiversea LIFE IP – Finland’s largest project focusing on marine nature

Biodiversea LIFE IP (2021–2029) is the largest collaborative project carried out in Finland to safeguard biodiversity in the Baltic Sea. It is co-funded by the European Union's LIFE programme and coordinated by Metsähallitus Parks & Wildlife Finland. Other participants are Ministry of the Environment, Finnish Environment Institute, Natural Resources Institute Finland, Åland Islands Regional Government, Turku University of Applied Sciences, Åbo Akademi University, Geological Survey of Finland and Baltic Sea Action Group. The project has a budget of about EUR 20 million.