BONUS in Brief, November 2014

Contents Editorial: Science boosting sustainability of the region

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Update on BONUS calls 2014 and 2015

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Latvia EU presidency hosted Baltic Sea events on central stage next June

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Guest column by HELCOM-VASAB Maritime Spatial Planning Working Group: How to make it from theory to practice

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On development of maritime spatial planning in the Baltic Sea region

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BONUS projects build synergies and network in Riga kick-off meeting & new BONUS projects’ website

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News from members of BONUS Steering Committee and Advisory Board

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Interview with the Chair of the BONUS Steering Committee Dr. Leszek Grabarczyk

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BONUS members

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NOvember 2014 Shutterstock

in Brief Science boosting sustainability of the Baltic Sea region

by Kaisa Kononen, Executive Director, BONUS

Editorial through both scientific research and innovations. While, for example, the research project SOILS2SEA determines ways to reduce nutrient loads from agriculture, the innovation projects OPTITREAT, PROMISE and MICROALGAE look for technical solutions to the problem.

Similarly, the research project INSPIRE improves the knowledge basis for sustainable fisheries, while innovation project FISHVIEW develops a tool to help migrations of fish.

The research project CHANGE seeks to alter the antifouling practices of leisure boats, while the innovation projects SWERA, ZEB, ESABALT and ANCHOR look for other ways for environmentally safer maritime activities.

Furthermore, new methods for monitoring, surveillance and assessment are sought by research projects BAMBI and BLUEPRINT, while technical solutions for monitoring will be produced

by AFISMON, HARDCORE, PINBAL, FERRYSCOPE and GEOILWATCH. All this needs fundamental understanding of the ecosystem functioning as regards nutrients’ transformations and fate, as well as functioning of the biological diversity of the system, that will be produced by the research projects COCOA and BIO-C3.

Today we can proudly say that BONUS is not only a set of projects of a short-term effort destined to fade away in a few years’ time – but instead quite the opposite! BONUS has become a true actor in the landscape of

policy networks within the Baltic Sea region and wider. It is sitting around the same table with high level intergovernmental regional policy organisations such as HELCOM, VASAB, and CBSS and acts collaboratively with key partners of the regional crosssectoral events, for example most recently as a co-organiser of a session during the Forum of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region and Baltic Development Forum held in Turku in June and as an invited contributor in a session of the EurOCEAN conference held in Rome last month. Currently BONUS is looking forward also to future cooperation with the EUSBSR Annual Forum 2015 taking place Latvia next June on the very same week when, as a co-organiser, BONUS will be running the jubilee Baltic Sea Science Congress, and furthering the science-policy links of the two events at this unique opportunity presented to the Baltic Sea

community during the Latvian EU presidency. On the BONUS programme level, also the planning of the future cooperation with the North Sea countries continues.

This issue of BONUS in Brief pays special attention to maritime spatial planning During the last decade’s development of BONUS and the simultaneous introduction of maritime issues into VASAB work, it has become more and more obvious that these two processes need to be closely linked. The process is not always fast, but I am sure that history will prove that the change that BONUS is introducing into the way how science should boost sustainability of the Baltic Sea region and the benefits this approach brings to the society, is the right one. BONUS continues to share its experience with other regional seas and their macroregions in Europe and beyond in the months and years to come. 

Kaisa Kononen presenting at the VASAB ministerial meeting on 26 October 2014 in Tallinn.

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ONUS is now in its full operation – 7 viable ecosystem research and 13 innovation projects from the BONUS call 2012 have started their busy first year of research and development, and will continue 2-3 years ahead. Eight more projects to be funded from the BONUS call 2014: Sustainable ecosystem services will be announced in early 2015, and more call(s) are planned.

The kick-off conference held in Riga in August brought all the ongoing projects and their scientists together for the first time – it was fascinating to see how many new groups, disciplines and approaches were present. Have a look of the new BONUS projects website (www.bonusprojects.org) to see how the landscape of Baltic Sea research has become truly interdisciplinary.

BONUS is a unique programme European wide. Upon the request of the European Parliament and Council, it produces fit-for-purpose regulations, policies and management practices to respond to environmental and key societal challenges of the region.

BONUS projects are selected based on their excellence, quality of implementation and their impact to reflect the research needs as defined in the BONUS strategic research agenda.

Although all its themes have not been opened yet, already now there is quite a balanced set of research and innovation projects which complement each other.

BONUS is in a novel way proceeding towards its objectives

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Update on BONUS calls 2014 and 2015

by Meelis Sirendi, Programme Officer, BONUS

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ight project proposals out of 48 submitted to the ‘BONUS call 2014: Sustainable ecosystem services’ are now negotiating with national funding institutions and the BONUS Secretariat the details for implementation and should be ready to start in first half of 2015.

As can be deduced from the title of the call, this time BONUS expected to receive proposals on sustainable use of those goods and services that the marine ecosystem of the Baltic Sea provides us. The call was opened for six topics included in the BONUS strategic research agenda. The funding available totalled EUR 15 million. (For information on the

themes covered and other details, see the BONUS in Brief May 2014 article).

The independent expert evaluators, who commenced their work in June 2014, ranked the submitted proposals according to one common ranking list which was then used as the basis for the funding decision. The outcome of the evaluation was communicated to the consortia in July 2014 and the eight successful ones were invited to grant negotiations.

The projects’ details will be made available in April 2015 when their implementation is scheduled to start.

Despite the uneven distribution of proposals between topics

(see BONUS in Brief May 2014), the final result is rather satisfying – among funded proposals there is at least one project per topic defining it as key theme of the project. The projects from this BONUS call will definitely provide a significant contribution to shaping different policies – all projects have the theme 4.1. Governance structures, policy performance and policy instruments as a key or at least supplementary theme. Rather novel but not less important themes needing critical consideration - 4.2. Linking ecosystem goods and services to human lifestyles and wellbeing and 4.3. Maritime spatial planning - both are addressed five

times as key or supplementary theme amongst the projects.

From 19 themes identified in the BONUS strategic research agenda, 18 have been now opened for proposals; the only one which has not been included yet, is Sustainable aquaculture in the Baltic Sea (3.5.). This theme will be definitely included in the next BONUS call, and in both activities – research and innovation.

Also the theme Eco-technological approaches to achieve good ecological status in the Baltic Sea (2.4.) will be certainly included in the next call as stated in the BONUS strategic research agenda. However, reopening of other themes (for example themes

which are not covered fully as key themes by any of the so far funded projects) depends on availability of national funds as well as on success of implementing the national in kind infrastructure provisions and success of the now running projects delivering outcomes. Timing of this call – another important issue for potential applicants – is not decided yet and for the time being BONUS can only promise that it will be announced in 2015, probably in autumn time.  For further updates, visit the BONUS website at www.bonusportal.org and subscribe to the BONUS e-bulletin.

Latvia EU presidency hosted Baltic Sea events on central stage next June The tenth Baltic Sea Science Congress and the fifth Annual Forum of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region are to convene in Latvia during the week prior to midsummer 2015

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for future of the Baltic and the European regional seas’.

The programme will feature seven broad, problem-oriented themes: 1. Coastal seas – towards a better understanding 2. A healthy marine ecosystem: how to measure it?

3. Keeping climate change in focus: ecosystem impacts, mitigation and adaptation measures 4. Observation, monitoring and forecasting of the Baltic Sea’s status: The new generation 5. Spatial marine ecology in support of ecosystem-based management

6. Just ice and stones? – Updates of geological research in the Baltic Sea area 7. A viable ecosystem for a sustainable society The theme ‘A viable ecosystem for a sustainable society’ will be built around a dedicated ’policy day’ on 17 June. This will be a direct continuation from the two-day EU strategy for the Baltic Sea Region Annual Forum (to be held on 15-16 June 2015 in Jurmala) and continue the science-policy dialogue began there with discussions between scientists and the key policy makers and management experts. The

day will be integrating results of interdisciplinary studies on array of innovative tools and welcome presentations by scientists on topics around critical issues of the marine ecosystem services and their socioeconomic relevance and value as well as the efficient governance and management efforts in ensuring long-term ecosystem based management of our fragile sea.

It is expected that many of the BONUS research and innovation projects will be represented at this congress.

Submission of abstracts is open until 15 January 2015.

More information on BSSC 2015 is available at www.bssc2015.lv/.

BONUS will contribute also to the Annual Forum of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region which together with the Baltic Sea Science Congress 2015 will be one of the central events during the Latvian European Council presidency.

More information on the EUSBSR Annual Forum 2015 will be published soon at www. balticsea-region-strategy.eu  AA, MS

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he 10th Baltic Sea Science Congress to be held 15-19 of June in Riga, will be also the fourth Congress co-organised with BONUS. The founding partners of the Congress, the Baltic Marine Biologists, the Baltic Marine Geologists and the Conference of Baltic Oceanographers will be joined this time also with the Estuarine Coastal Sciences Association, which is anticipated to attract papers also beyond the Baltic Sea region.

Broader discussion on the issues of the coasts and the regional seas will be in the core of the congress titled ‘Science and innovation

Hakaniemenranta 6 00530 Helsinki, Finland Tel. +358 40 040 4011 Fax +358 9 4780 0044 Email: bonus@bonuseeig.fi Website: www.bonusportal.org/inbrief

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Editor-in-Chief: Maija Sirola Editor: Tiina Tembe Editorial board: Andris Andrusaitis, Kaisa Kononen, Pankaj Pant, Markku Ranta, Meelis Sirendi, Minna Ulvila Layout: Oy Graaf Ab / Jani Osolanus Printing: Uusimaa, Porvoo 2014

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BONUS is a joint Baltic Sea research and development programme producing knowledge to support development and implementation of regulations, policies and management practices specifically tailored for the Baltic Sea region. It issues calls for competitive proposals and funds projects of high excellence and relevance based on its strategic research agenda.

BONUS is funded jointly from the national research funding institutions in the eight EU member states around the Baltic Sea and the European Union’s Seventh Programme for research, technological development and demonstration by a total of EUR 100 million for the years 2011–2017. Russia participates in BONUS through bilateral agreements.

BONUS in Brief is published by the BONUS Secretariat to keep the BONUS community, including partners and supporters, informed about current views and news about BONUS activities and accomplishments.

BONUS EEIG is the legal management organisation of BONUS. © 2014 BONUS Baltic Organisations’ Network for Funding Science EEIG

BONUS guest column

In this column we publish invited opinion articles by experts of their fields, featuring particular perspectives on a freely chosen topic relevant to the BONUS community and the knowledge-based governance of the regional seas.

Maritime spatial planning, how to make it from theory to practice in the Baltic Sea area Maritime spatial planning (MSP) is the basis for sustainable development and blue growth of the European sea areas, including the Baltic Sea. After the EU´s MSP framework directive was finalised and adopted last summer, we are now facing the moment when we need to put theory of MSP into practice. We have now several years of discussions behind us on the needs of MSP, negotiations on EU´s MSP framework directive and planning of how to implement MSP, especially in the cross border areas.

Anita Mäkinen

Andrzej Cieslak

by Dr. Anita Mäkinen and Mr. Andrzej Cieslak, co-chairs of the HELCOM-VASAB Maritime Spatial Planning Working Group

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he role of the joint HELCOM-VASAB MSP Working Group (WG) is essential in making the theory and goals of MSP in the Baltic Sea concrete. The WG was first established in 2010, and its mandate was continued in 2013 for another three years. The group, which represents ministries responsible for environment and/or maritime spatial planning, meets 2–3 times per year either in Helsinki or Riga where the secretariats of HELCOM and VASAB are located, respectively.

The start of the joint WG was a bit challenging owing to the totally different backgrounds and expertise of these two intergovernmental organisations. However, over

the past four years, the joint WG has evolved into one entity and, without any doubt, we can say that this is a happy marriage!

The WG report of the work completed in the first three years of operation was introduced to the HELCOM Ministerial Meeting in October 2013 and VASAB Ministerial Meeting in September 2014. The report was quite comprehensive: a total of ten Baltic Sea tailor-made principles for MSP had been developed, adopted as well as tested in practice in several projects, such as BaltSeaPlan, Plan Bothnia and PartiSEApate. The WG had considered also the fundamentally important legal basis and ecosystem approach in MSP as

well as the important issue of land-sea interaction. Furthermore, the HELCOM and VASAB Ministerial Meetings adopted the regional Baltic Roadmap for MSP for the period 2013-2020 and a new work plan for the WG, both also developed by the joint WG. All these documents were, with some amendments, also supported by the VASAB Ministerial meeting.

In each WG meeting, all HELCOM and VASAB member states and EU update each other with the most recent national and the EU Commission’s MSP development. In effect, we have developed a good network of professionals who are working on MSP and are quite advanced in comparison to

the other European sea areas. It is quite fair to say that the Baltic Sea area is a forerunner in MSP in Europe, if not globally as well.

The work of our joint WG was introduced also e.g. in the latest CBD Maritime Spatial Workshop in Montreal, Canada in September 2014.

In the Baltic Sea, we have one advantage compared to the other sea areas in the European Union: the whole sea area is covered by a regional convention, the Helsinki Convention, wherein EU and all the Baltic Sea coastal states are active members. In addition, the Republic of Belarus in the drainage area of the Baltic Sea and Norway are members to VASAB. All coastal countries

except for the Russian Federation are EU-member states. Thus, developments in the Russian Federation are very important to ensure comprehensive implementation of MSP in the Baltic Sea area. Particularly, in order to encourage the Russian Federation to develop national legislation on MSP, we have organised several seminars and roundtable discussions e.g. during the Baltic Sea Days in St. Petersburg in 2013 and 2014, and the Baltic Sea Summit in 2013. According to the present information, the Russian Federation will have the concept for MSP legislation in place by the end of 2014.

Regional Baltic Maritime Spatial Planning Roadmap 2013–2020 4. Information and data for MSP with the goals to: (a) identify by 2013 competent contact points for MSP for the purpose of transboundary consultation and joint planning. And (b) prepare a future oriented report by 2015 on marine and maritime activities and developments of Baltic Sea regional importance.

5. Education for MSP with the aim (a) to promote the education and professional development of MSP planners and (b) initiate and draw lessons from practical sub-regional experiences of coherent MSP to try out guidelines and joint regional working practices.

6. National and Baltic Sea regional frameworks for MSP in place with the goals to a. have national frameworks for coherent MSP in place in all Baltic Sea countries by 2017. b. apply by 2018 Baltic Sea regional ‘Guidelines on

transboundary consultations and cooperation in the field of MSP’. c. apply by 2018 Baltic Sea regional ‘Guidelines on public participation for MSP with transboundary dimensions’. d. apply by 2018 Baltic Sea regional ‘Guidelines on the application of Ecosystem Approach in transnationally coherent MSP’.

7. Evaluation and follow-up with the goals to a. take further steps related to regular monitoring and evaluation needs of MSP. b. update the Roadmap, if necessary, in 2014 after HELCOM and VASAB ministerial meetings and assess its implementation in 2016, 2018 and 2020.

for the Territorial Development of the Baltic Sea Region (LTP), the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive, the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region and of the EU Integrated Maritime Policy and its goals of blue growth as well

as the Directive of the European Parliament and the Council on a framework for MSP. The roadmap with summary timetable can be found on the HELCOM website www.helcom.fi

The Roadmap takes also into account implementation of the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan, VASAB Long Term Perspective

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The goal of the Baltic Maritime Spatial Planning Roadmap is to apply by 2020 coherent maritime spatial plans that are based on ecosystem approach across the Baltic Sea region.

The necessary steps in implementing the MSP Roadmap deal with the following seven topics: 1. Intergovernmental cooperation on MSP with the goal to draft and adopt by 2015 Baltic Sea regional ’Guidelines on transboundary consultations and cooperation in the field of MSP’.

2. Public participation with the goal to draft and adopt by 2015 Baltic Sea regional ’Guidelines on public participation for MSP with transboundary dimensions’.

3. Ecosystem approach in MSP with the goal to draft and adopt by 2015 procedurally oriented Baltic Sea regional ’Guidelines on the application of Ecosystem Approach in transnationally coherent MSP’.

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On development of

maritime spatial planning in the Baltic Sea region

by Professor Jacek Zaucha, University of Gdańsk and Maritime Institute in Gdańsk

The future of the maritime spatial planning (MSP) in the Baltic Sea region depends on addressing two crucial strategic choices, says Professor Jacek Zaucha. The first choice is between active and passive MSP and the other one is related to the degree of the trust perceived, that is, the trade-off between Baltic and national (regional/local) benefits from MSP. The answers to these will determine the practical ways of MSP implementation and the way forward of transboundary MSP in the Baltic Sea region – regardless of the EU directives and the HELCOM-VASAB Roadmap. Professor Zaucha takes a considered look of recent developments around MSP in the Baltic Sea region.

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aritime spatial planning in the Baltic Sea region has moved leaps and bounds forward and amazed us all. The growing recognition among key decision makers in the Baltic Sea countries, especially on how MSP can act as a tool for alleviation of various conflicts among sea users as well as how it can help to manage sea resources sustainably, has

had an important role. Another important contributing factor has been the successful Baltic Sea regional level cooperation amongst policymakers, planners, scientists and NGOs that has enabled an increased understanding of methodology and legal foundation of MSP in the region.

Furthermore, the determination of the EU Commission to enhance MSP as a cross-cutting

tool of an integrated maritime policy in particular in a format of issuing the recently introduced MSP directive has added to the accelerating effect.

In order to properly portray this unprecedented dynamism, it is useful to bring together all important facts and initiatives related to MSP in the region in recent years. These are all interlinked with clear synergies with

BOX 1

one another and include such as the extensive maritime spatial plans that are in place or being developed currently in all countries around the Baltic Sea (Box 1), the highest political level support gained for MSP (Box 2), the strong cooperation across the region (Box 3), as well as the research effort acknowledged to provide MSP tools for sustainable use of marine space (Box 4).

Also some challenges remain (Box 5), many posed by different planning cultures, financial constraints and, in places, nonintegrated programming and policy developments.

The worldwide recognition of the Baltic Sea region achievements in the field of MSP are clear and attempts have been made even to conceptualise a Baltic specific MSP model. In the coming months and years, hopefully the overall result will be that the individual Baltic Sea countries’ plans will fit together seamlessly across the region with the overall macroregional coherence improved. It is now in our region’s hands how the critical strategic choices that shape the future of the MSP in the region are made. 

BOX 2

Maritime spatial plans have been developed or are under development in all coastal countries around the Baltic Sea

Maritime spatial planning has support from the highest political level in the Baltic Sea region

• Sweden, the country with the longest

The Regional Baltic Maritime

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sea border in the region, has recently started its pre-planning (stocktaking) phase. This will affect all other countries that are sea neighbours of Sweden. Sweden actively seeks bi- and multilateral cooperation with them in order to ensure harmony between its maritime planning and their efforts.

• Poland has reached the same phase of the planning cycle as Sweden. A document on conditions of marine areas and the coastal strip will be ready in December 2014.

• Lithuania has almost finished preparation of the marine part of its national spatial plan.

• Latvia and Estonia have officially launched their MSP processes.

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• Finnish counties have extended their

spatial plans off-shore, thus regional spatial plans are in place in the Finnish territorial waters.

• In Russia, some maritime pilot plans have been started as an initiative of responsible public authorities while the work on preparation of the MSP legislation has been continued.

• In Denmark, the initial steps to start MSP have been commenced. Ministries responsible for sea issues have agreed on how to deal with MSP in Danish waters.

• In Germany, where maritime plans have existed for many years, a new project with the aim to advance environmental approaches for further development of MSP in the European Economic Zone was initiated in 2013. 

Spatial Planning Roadmap 2013–2020 was adopted by the HELCOM Ministerial Meeting in October 2013 and by the VASAB Ministerial Meeting in September 2014. The Roadmap encourages coastal countries to make every effort possible to draw up and implement coherent maritime spatial plans that apply the ecosystem approach throughout the Baltic Sea region by 2020.

This will require continuation of the joint work of the Baltic Sea countries particularly on following issues:

• Ecosystem approach in MSP – prepa-

ration of joint regional ‘Guidelines on the application of Ecosystem Approach in transnationally coherent MSP’ • Information and data sharing for MSP • Cross-border consultations and cooperation – preparation of joint regional ‘Guidelines on trans-boundary consultation and cooperation in the field of MSP’ • Public participation – preparation of joint regional ‘Guidelines on public participation for MSP with transboundary dimensions’ 

BOX 3

BOX 4

Cooperation among maritime spatial planners increases common understanding of methodological results

Research providing tools for sustainable use of marine space and integration

In 2011, maritime spatial planners

updated the vision of the MSP in the region with information about what should be done together by the Baltic Sea countries and according to what principles. This update was also acknowledged by the VASAB Committee. In a broader sense, over the recent times planners have been able to create a coherent regional level community to which different initiatives and projects have contributed.

The ‘Maritime Spatial Planning Course for Professionals’ organised in 2013 at the initiative of VASAB (Baltic University Programme in cooperation with Maritime Institute in Gdansk, Åbo Akademi, Blekinge Institute of Technology, Gothenburg University, Swedish Institute for the Marine Environment and World Maritime University) saw 20 participants, mainly professionals, representing eight Baltic Sea countries come together and establish mutual understanding and trust between one another and bring closer together the methodological aspects of MSP in the region.

Practical work with stakeholders has been enhanced under a project called

PartiSEApate. Completed in September 2014, this represented the first broadscale effort to enhance Baltic dialogue between maritime spatial planners and other stakeholders including sectoral authorities, businesses and NGOs. PartiSEApate brought transnational, national and regional stakeholders together in a series of workshops fostering holistic thinking for MSP across the region. The topics discussed in a series of multi-cultural events organised included: shipping and port development, offshore wind energy, underwater cultural heritage and tourism, aquaculture and new uses of marine resources, research and environmental protection, climate change and also data network building.

Through these workshops, stakeholders gained an understanding of what MSP means to them and why it is important to treat certain topics on a transnational level. Planners in turn got an insight into their priorities, objectives, expectations, fears and hopes, and what is the stage a given sector should be involved in the MSP process. As a result, a handbook on multi-level consultations in MSP was produced. 

Research on MSP has also progressed

in the region. The results obtained have been communicated in various books published by authors from different countries and with different planning background and experience – to mention here only such contributions as Backer and Frias (2012), Schultz-Zehden and Gee (2013), Zaucha (2014). First attempts have also been made to mainstream MSP into the spatial planning literature.

New tools for MSP are being developed, and, for instance, the BONUS call 2014: Sustainable ecosystem services included maritime spatial planning as a key topic open for funding proposals (currently in negotiation stage). The successful transnational and multidisciplinary projects will be announced in time for April 2015 start. Any MSP project funded by BONUS is envisaged to provide science-based approaches and tools to clarify and improve the capacity of MSP as a policy integrator and enhance the capabilities of society to respond to current and future challenges of the governance of the Baltic Sea region. Also, any BONUS funded MSP project would be interested in all different forms of integration (e.g. across

policies, sectors, stakeholder inputs, knowledge, ecological and (geo)political scales, scientific disciplines etc.).

The seed money funded BALTWISE project will integrate MSP and blue growth but also support concrete planning efforts and transboundary collaboration of the planners. The project will cover Central Baltic and Gulf of Finland area and reduce east-west gap in MSP in the region. An ambitious goal is to help the planners to reach an agreement on cross-border planning procedures (in line with HELCOM-VASAB Roadmap and its forthcoming guidelines).

There are some other projects and initiatives in the pipeline as well. Among them is the joint planning of the Baltic electricity grid together with offshore wind farms. Also the project on practical cross-border collaboration has been recently prepared under the leadership of Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management (SWAM). The result of the work will be that participating countries will adopt jointly, or develop their own plans and take decisions separately, but nevertheless based on common solutions resulting from the joint discussions. 

BOX 5

Challenges for the MSP also exist

in the Baltic Sea region, despite all the advancements made, and the fact that for instance some of the current projects (as listed in Box 4) offer also good ways forward. Areas of concern include: • Transnational cooperation and collaboration in the field of MSP is still weak and needs strengthening in some (mainly eastern) parts of the Baltic Sea • Integration of MSP within various policies still remains in conceptual phase e.g. Marine Strategy Framework Directive, energy policy, fisheries policy, blue growth and some other • Planning process differ among existing maritime plans which in turn makes the entire picture slightly patchy regarding the quality of planning materials used for preparation of the plans, detail level of different plans and engagement of stakeholders in the planning process

Suggested literature for further reading • Baltic wide agreement on the use of

the sea resources and their protection is missing in various fields (e.g. it is not obvious how much wind energy should be produced from the sea or how to deal with underwater cultural heritage in the exclusive economic zone or what type of marine landscapes should be protected) • Baltic planners are more inclined to think in terms of problems and conflicts than synergies (for instance there is no ‘synergy know-how’ prompting co-existence of different uses) • Despite ongoing international efforts, the willingness of various actors and entities to share relevant information to MSP is limited and the research enhancing information base has been poorly coordinated within the region (among countries and sectors) 

• Backer H., Frias M.(eds.) 2012. Plan-

ning the Bothnian Sea –key findings of the Plan Bothnia project. Finepress Turku 154p.

• European Commission, 2014. Directive 2014/89/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 July 2014 establishing a framework for maritime spatial planning. Official Journal of the European Union L 257/135.

• Gee K, Kannen A, Heinrichs B., 2011.

BaltSeaPlan Vision 2030: Towards the sustainable planning of Baltic sea space. Hamburg, BaltSeaPlan, 46p.

• Jay S., Flannery W., Vince J., Liu W.H., Xue J., Matczak M., Zaucha J., Janssen H., van Tatenhove J., Toonen H., Morf A., Olsen E., Vivero J., Mateos J., Calado H., Duff J. & Dean H., 2013. International progress

• •

•

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in marine spatial planning w: A. Chircop, S. CoffenSmout i M. McConnel (red). “Ocean Yearbook 27”. Leiden, Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, s. 171212.

Schultz-Zehden A., Gee K., 2013.

BaltSeaPlan Findings – Experiences and Lessons. Berlin: S. Pro Zaucha J., 2012. Offshore Spatial Information – Maritime Spatial Planning in Poland “Regional Studies” vol.

46, issue 4, s. 459-473.

Zaucha J., 2014a. The Key to governing the fragile Baltic Sea. Maritime Spatial Planning in the Baltic Sea Region and Way Forward. Riga, VASAB, 110p.

Zaucha J., 2014b. Sea basin maritime spatial planning: A case study of the Baltic Sea region and Poland. „Marine Policy” vol. 50, pp. 34–45. 

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Key challenges

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BONUS projects build synergies and network in Riga kick-off meeting

by Pankaj Pant, Trainee, BONUS

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ver a two-day period 26-27 August 2014, over 80 participants representing 19 BONUS projects currently being implemented under the ’Viable Ecosystem’ and ’Innovation’ themes, as well as members of the BONUS Steering Committee and the BONUS Advisory Board gathered in Riga, Latvia for the BONUS kick-off meeting.

The programme started with welcoming words by Kaisa Kononen, Executive Director of BONUS who then introduced the story behind BONUS to the new members of our community.

She then introduced Andris Andrusaitis, Programme Manager of BONUS, who presented the BONUS strategic research agenda and would later moderate the opening plenary session as well as

the Forum of Project Coordinators. Ulla Li Zweifel, Professional Secretary at the HELCOM Secretariat, took the stage next and gave a guest lecture on the ’Knowledge needs for implementation of the Baltic Sea Action Plan’ which aims to restore the good ecological status of the Baltic marine environment by 2021. Following the guest lecture, the stage was then set for the project presentations divided in four thematic sessions over the two days. Since this was the first time all the BONUS projects were gathered together, the aim of these presentations was to provide a brief 10 minute overview which would cover the scope and the implementation of the project.

The first session titled ’Catchment basin and coasts’ saw SOILS2SEA (determines ways to reduce nutrient loads from

agriculture - Jens Christian Refsgaard), OPTITREAT (optimises small wastewater treatment facilities - Helene Ejhed), PROMISE (improves phosphorus recycling of mixed waste - Minna Sarvi), MICROALGAE (develops emission controls by algal cultivation - Arvo Iital) and FISHVIEW (improves migrations of fish in barraged rivers - Maarja Kruusmaa) introducing themselves. In the second session ’Marine ecosystem’ presentations were given

by COCOA (analyses pathways of nutrients in coastal zones - Jacob Carstensen), INSPIRE (improves knowledge basis for sustainable fisheries - Henn Ojaveer), BIOC3 (finds out how biodiversity functions and how it can be managed - Thorsten Reusch) and PINBAL (develops new ways for monitoring marine acidification

- Bernd Schneider). ’Monitoring and surveillance’ was the theme of the third session during which BAMBI (looks for new ways how to assess biodiversity - Kerstin Johannesson), BLUEPRINT (develops novel gene based monitoring methods - Lasse Riemann), AFISMON (creates improved tools for new generation monitoring - Matthias Labrenz), HARDCORE (harnesses coastal radars for environmental monitoring - Mikko Lensu) and GEOILWATCH (improves oil spill recognition in sea water - Siemon Smid) presented their projects. The final session titled ’Maritime activities’ saw CHANGE (seeks to alter antifouling practices of leisure boats - Mia Dahlström), SWERA (reduces environmental risks from sunken wrecks - Jorma

Rytkönen), ZEB (finds ways to clean oily water onboard ships - Fredrik Noren), ESABALT (improves maritime safety by efficient situational data handling Robert Guinness) and ANCHOR (helps captains to operate their ships safely in harbours - Karol Brzostowski & Carsten Hoelper) introducing themselves.

At the end of the plenary sessions, many of the participants cited how useful they found to listen and to be able to network with new found peers in their research spheres. During the breaks, participants from several projects also expressed that they wanted to keep abreast with the developments of other projects, as the research being performed was relevant to them as well and could potentially lead to collaborations further down the road.

New website to serve as a first stop station for information from BONUS projects

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ne of the major points stressed while introducing BONUS to the participants as well as during the Forum of Project Coordinators meeting was the development of the ’BONUS approach’, presented by Maija Sirola, Communications

Manager of BONUS. The BONUS approach is based on the vision which emphasises stakeholder involvement and end-user engagement to be one of the key priorities of the BONUS programme throughout the project cycle. To support this vision two new measures, one in the form

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of a joint online platform called the BONUS projects’ website (accessible at www.bonusprojects. org), and the other being the continuation of the BONUS public engagement award, were introduced. The idea behind the BONUS projects’ website is to serve as a ’first stop and at a

glance’ platform where visitors can quickly get information from all projects. The website will also inform and engage stakeholders – as well as other BONUS projects – of the news, events and views of the 20 BONUS projects. The other two key elements of the website is that it features a blog section as well as a practices & resources database (the latter accessible by the projects only).

The blog section is a personal section, where early career researchers such as PhD’s and PostDocs (as well as other interested BONUS projects’ participants!), within the 20 BONUS projects (in 2015 to increase to 28 when the projects from the sustainable ecosystem services call commence their implementation), are given a platform to share their experiences (on a wide variety of topics ranging from their own research - fieldwork- life/work balance- starting new collaborations, current scientific trends, applying for funding, etc.).

The benefits derived from a simple undertaking such as the blogs, are manyfold. A channel of regular feeds and updates related to the projects activities becomes readily available, for instance.

The topics posted will always be diverse given the breadth of the BONUS projects both thematically and geographically speaking. Such a circle of bloggers

can also be potentially nurtured into a young scientist club on the Baltic regional level, setting the foundation for networking and collaborations in the future (for instance in the previous BONUS+ programme, a total of 60 new doctorates were conferred). Last but not least, such a steady stream of posts regarding experiences as a PhD/PostDoc will provide invaluable guidance to undergraduate/graduate students hoping to follow the same scientific path. All in all, the uniqueness of the BONUS projects’ blogs, lies in the fact that it will bring projects together and share knowledge and experiences from diverse research fields.

As part of the ’BONUS approach’, the continuation of the BONUS public engagement award is also announced on the website with an encouragement of stakeholders to actively suggest nominations to the BONUS projects. The awards were first initiated in 2011 at the end of the BONUS+ cycle, and the competition will continue to celebrate the best public engagement activity/ product developed by the BONUS projects to facilitate successful knowledge transfer from the project to the end-user audiences.

The activity/product can fall under a broad criteria ranging from presentations/talks – exhibitions – media related work – interactive

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From the members of the BONUS Steering Committee and Advisory Board: BONUS Steering Committee members Swedish Research Council

for Environment, Agricultural Sciences and Spatial Planning (FORMAS: The ERA-Net Marine Biotechnology announced its first joint call on “The development of biorefinery processes for marine

biomaterials” on October 20.

Transnational consortia from academia, research institutes and industry are welcome to submit proposals that address research within this area. Submission of proposals follow a two-step procedure where pre-proposals

must be submitted no later than 10 December 2014. Projects are expected to start in late 2015 or early 2016.  Link: www.marinebiotech.eu/ news-and-events/era-news/callannouncement-first-transnationalcall-research-projects

Meeting participants networking during the coffee break.

HELCOM Monitoring Manual now online web based compilation of what Coordinated monitoring of the Baltic marine environment takes a major leap forward as the HELCOM Monitoring Manual is now available, particularly assisting in the regionally coordinated implementation of both HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan and the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive. The Manual is a

Participants interacting in the plenary session, SOILS2SEA project coordinator Jens Christian Refsgaard speaking.

is monitored, where, when and how, enabling access to timely information on the state of the sea thus providing basis for the best decisions on environmental measures and policies. Moreover, the new Manual makes a link to HELCOM indicators developed to assess the progress towards Good

Environmental Status as well as supports directly the reporting of Monitoring programmes to the EU. 

Link: helcom.fi/action-areas/monitoring-and-assessment/monitoring-manual/

Action on marine litter The work to develop the

Regional Action Plan for marine litter in the Baltic Sea moves ahead as planned. The expert workshop in October created a more defined draft which has entered national consultation rounds. All the HELCOM

Jenny Gustafsson

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Advisory Board members

members - the nine coastal countries as well as the EU - have agreed to develop the action plan by 2015 and the deadline is still realistic. The aim is to achieve a significant quantitative reduction of marine litter by 2025 compared to 2015. 

Link: helcom.fi/action-areas/waste-water-litter/marine-litter-action-plan/

New assessment on dumped hazardous objects environmental risks of hazardous In the view of the increasing utilization of the seafloor for economic purposes – e.g., offshore wind farms, sea cables, pipelines – the risk of encountering hazardous submerged objects is growing.

The new HELCOM expert group has started preparing a HELCOM thematic assessment on

submerged objects, expanding on the completed outcomes on dumped chemical munitions. The product will be a one off report covering contaminated wrecks, lost or dumped dangerous goods – e.g. containers – and other objects. 

Link: helcom.fi/helcom-at-work/groups/response/submerged

discussions, etc. Each project batch will compete within their own category and the winner of the award (up to EUR 5000) will be announced during the final stakeholder event organised for each project implementation cycle.

The practices and resources database section of the BONUS projects’ website is yet another tool aimed at the members of the projects. This section, however, is for internal use only, as this is where projects can share with each other useful training practices, industry/public engagement, cruise log books, work management and other. 

Access the BONUS projects’ website at www.bonusprojects.org Further information about the BONUS kick-off meeting, and the held presentations of each BONUS project can be found under the events page at: www.bonusportal.org/riga2014

Build a bridge from science to practical implementation: Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme’s Managing Author Interreg Baltic Sea Region provides co-financing to bring scientific results into practice. The funding Programme offers the framework for scientists to cooperate internationally with authorities, associations and enterprises – all around the Baltic Sea. Water management, renewable energy, Blue growth – thematically, the Programme is open to a broad array of project ideas. The

ity/ Joint Secretariat (MA/JS) is currently out and about to present the Programme objectives and technicalities at numerous events, e.g. in Copenhagen, Stockholm and Helsinki. 

Scientific think tank “Baltic Eye” at Stockholm University Formed in 2013, the Stock-

holm University Baltic Sea Centre has employed a team of international researchers and skilled communicators that will work together to meet the need of accessible knowledge for the public and policymakers in order to improve the Baltic Sea environment.

The aim for the Baltic Eye team is to • Gather, analyse and synthesise scientific knowledge about the Baltic Sea ecosystem and make it relevant to the society • Supply accurate, relevant and intelligible knowledge basis before important political decisions about the Baltic Sea environment • Maintain continuous dialogue with decision makers  Link: www.su.se/ostersjocentrum/ english/baltic-eye

Link: www.interreg-baltic.eu/about-the-programme.html

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Interview with the Chair of the BONUS Steering Committee

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n 1 July 2014, Dr. Leszek Grabarczyk, from the National Centre for Research and Development, Poland was appointed as the Chair of the BONUS Steering Committee. Dr. Mats Svensson from the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management acts as the current vice-chair. The BONUS Steering Committee chairmanship rotates and changes 1 July of each year.

As the highest decision making body of BONUS, the BONUS Steering Committee consists of representatives from the national funding institutions that are members of BONUS. The Steering Committee convenes approximately three times a year

and decides on the budget and strategic activities.

Dr. Leszek Grabarczyk, could you tell us about your professional background?

My entire professional background is connected with management and funding of research and development. I started my career in the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education, first focusing on strategies dedicated to development of science and high technologies in Poland, then I moved to implementation of governmental policies. Since 2011 I have been working as Deputy Director of the National Centre for Research and Development – a public agency investing

yearly about 1,6 billion euro in applied research and technological development in both public research organisations and business companies.

Poland has been a member of BONUS EEIG since 2007, what have been some of the most rewarding accomplishments since then?

I think the most rewarding accomplishments are intangible.

One should realise that the most important, and some time urgent, societal and economic challenges connected to Baltic Sea ignore political borders. That means the most efficient and wise way to address them is to take joint actions of the scientific and

business groups coming from all of the Baltic countries. Having said that I would like to stress that consciousness is growing in large part due to the BONUS programme, which has the ability to mobilise scientific communities from all of the Baltic Sea countries to tackle common problems.

How do you see the strengths of BONUS evolving in the future?

I believe the most important assets of BONUS in the future lie in its potential to create synergies and added value arising from its ability to join research teams and companies from various Baltic countries around common challenges. That is why I am absolutely convinced that

the continuation of the BONUS programme is necessary for sustainable development of Baltic Sea ecosystem.  For the full list of representatives of the BONUS members in the BONUS Steering Committee, visit www.bonusportal.org/steering pp

BONUS in stakeholder conferences 2014: Visit www.bonusportal.org/ events to find out more about the active role BONUS has played in organising and chairing sessions and running exhibitions in different stakeholder conferences this year:

Season’s greetings 2014/2015 from the BONUS Secretariat!

EurOCEAN 2014 conference, Rome, Italy, 7–9 October 2014

Annual Forum of the

Kaisa, Andris, Maija, Markku, Meelis, Minna, Pankaj and Tiina

EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region and the Baltic Development Forum, Turku, Finland, 3–4 June 2014

European Maritime Day 2014, Bremen, Germany, 19–20 May 2014

BONUS VISION rous Baltic Sea region ecologically prospe Economically and ably and where goods are used sustain where resources and is based on ement of the region h. the long-term manag isciplinary researc derived from multid sound knowledge

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Order your copies of the BONUS brochure autumn 2014 update by emailing bonus@bonuseeig.fi

BONUS members Denmark • Danish Agency for Science, Technology and Innovation & Danish Council for Strategic Research

Germany • Forschungszentrum Jülich Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH & Federal Ministry of Education and Research

Poland • National Centre for Research and Development & Ministry for Science and Higher Education

Estonia • Estonian Research Council

Latvia • Latvian Academy of Sciences & Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Latvia

Sweden • Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management • Swedish Research Council for Environment, Agricultural Sciences and Spatial Planning FORMAS • Swedish Environmental Protection Agency

Finland • FiRD Coop & Academy of Finland

Lithuania • Research Council of Lithuania & Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Lithuania

BONUS is funded jointly from the national research funding institutions in the eight EU member states around the Baltic Sea and the European Union’s Seventh Programme for research, technological development and demonstration by a total of EUR 100 million for the years 2011–2017.