This policy statement represents WWF views at the time of writing and may change to reflect updated thinking over time given the dynamic nature of this policy area.

WWF believes that a truly integrated, coordinated planning and management of all uses of the Sea, based on the ecosystem approach, is essential to solve the urgent problems of the Baltic Sea.

The current situation of overlapping and often conflicting interests and uses of the Sea and the lack of common understanding, communication and coordination have led to a desperate status for the Baltic Sea. The unfortunate state of the Sea today can only be abated through coordinated, cross-sector and trans-boundary planning, management and action.

WWF is seeking partners in all sectors in order to trigger a truly dynamic joint process to save the Baltic Sea. WWF regards the Baltic Sea as multi-use sea area that should be managed as a whole in an ecologically and economically sustainable manner. Our goal is to get the Baltic Sea back to a healthy state and onto the track of sustainability.

In November 2007, all contracting parties to HELCOM adopted the Baltic Sea Action Plan with agreed actions to render the Baltic Sea to a good environmental status. However, the action plan lacks integration between different segments and actions are carried out separately by individual sectors, without any clear coordination or integration.

Current and future uses of the Sea need coordination in planning and day-to-day management with all sectors involved so as to avoid conflicts between different uses.

Furthermore, we need to allocate the most suitable locations for each of the various uses and consider the best timing for each activity. This creates a need for spatial planning and management of uses and for agreement on regulations of intensity of use (or non-use) of sea areas.

WWF sees now a perfect window of opportunity to merge the various Baltic Sea planning processes ongoing at the European and Member State level to create a more integrated sea use management. A joint process of the various key players could be greatly fostered by a joint set of underlying principles for planning and management of the Sea.

WWF sees Integrated Sea Use Management (ISUM) as a long term, strategic, inclusive and transparent process to minimize environmental impacts from resource use and to maximize benefits to society. In the following paragraphs, WWF presents the essential principles to achieve a process of planning, decision-making and implementation of an integrated sea use management.

1. General principles for planning and management

• Apply the ecosystem-based approach - the key underlying principle

The needs and limitations of the Baltic Sea ecosystem can not be negotiated. Securing ecosystem health, including ecological processes and ecosystem services, should therefore be the underlying principle for the management of the Sea. This requires a holistic view, where the entire Baltic Sea ecosystem is considered as well as the cumulative impacts of different uses on the ecosystem.

• Start with a clear pragmatic vision, agreed objectives and targets

Formal agreement on a common regional pragmatic vision, clearly defined ecological, social and economic objectives and measurable targets are the necessary basis for ecosystembased management, planning and sustainable use.

• Use the best available data, science, and knowledge

All management decisions, including defining targets and management measures, should be based on the best available data, science and knowledge. Spatial planning and management require coherent and harmonized spatial data for the entire Baltic Sea, both ecological and
socio-economic.

• Apply adaptive management and the precautionary principle

Management measures and regulations should be regularly reviewed based on monitoring and assessment showing the progress towards the defined objectives and targets. When an activity raises threats of harm to human health or the environment, precautionary measures should be taken even if some cause and effect relationships are not fully established scientifically.

• Use spatial planning and zoning

The existing and future uses of the Sea (including conservation needs) and their desired intensities should be laid down in a spatial plan that includes zoning. This plan should be forward-looking and continuously adapted to new information and changing circumstances.

2. Socio-economic principles

• Assess and map all current and future human uses as drivers and pressures
All terrestrial and marine anthropogenic activities and processes that impact on nature and economy, such as climate change, eutrophication, shipping, and air emissions, as well as their cumulative effects should be considered in the plan. Such assessments are also required in the Water Framework Directive and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive.

• Assess socio-economic costs and benefits
A socio-economic cost-benefit analysis of the spatial plan, and of doing nothing, should be presented. Progress in meeting the socio-economic targets should be regularly assessed.

• Ensure sustainable and equitable use
When planning and managing the uses of the sea, consideration must be given so that there is a just balance between the different user groups, between individual users and those of the international community. Consideration must also be given to the needs of present and future generations, minimizing negative environmental impacts from resource use and maximizing long-term benefits to society.

• Minimize negative impacts on socio-economic interests
Any negative impacts on socio-economic interests caused by the need to protect the ecosystem, should be minimized as long as these do not compromise the ecological objectives and targets.

• Ensure stakeholder involvement and public participation
All sectors of sea use should be integrated into the management and planning at an early stage of the process. Consultation and integration with all major stakeholders should be a permanent process. High level public participation is needed to gain the public support.

3. Ecological principles

• Ensure coherent mapping of the marine environment

Characterizing the environment on the basis of the best available information is the basis for protecting the ecosystem and managing human use. Mapping should be done at various spatial scales and include the seafloor, water column (both in coastal and open water areas) and the coastal ecosystems. In order to accomplish this, spatial data for the entire Baltic Sea must be harmonized.

• Consider the variety of marine landscapes and habitats as a part of the Baltic biodiversity

Defining marine landscapes or habitats with specific characteristics helps define targets and management measures for biologically distinct areas of the Baltic Sea. The marine landscape maps should be used on the Baltic Sea level, whereas more detailed knowledge is required on a more local scale. The whole range of biodiversity in the region, including commercial fish stocks, should be considered.

• Establish networks of marine protected areas as a key component of spatial planning

A coherent and representative network of well-managed marine protected areas (MPAs) is an integral part of a sustainable ISUM and should be used in combination with other conservation tools. In order to function as an ecologically coherent network, MPAs need to:

- cover a proportion of all biotopes, habitats, and marine landscapes in the region
- be of adequate size, shape and quality to support the protected features
- be close enough to each other to ensure dispersal of species between the areas
- contain replicates of protected features to provide insurance against catastrophic events and to ensure natural variation of the features.

Moreover, the site selection should secure an even geographical distribution between countries and regions and build on existing MPA networks.

• Systematically evaluate and select sites for protection

A regional systematic approach to selection and assessment of a regional network of marine protected areas should be used instead of selecting site by site or country by country.

4. Governance principles

To be operational and relevant, an Integrated Sea Use Management (ISUM) scheme for the Baltic Sea area will have to be built upon existing political structures and frameworks - in the relevant EU Directives, HELCOM and other regional or global conventions, regional processes, or modifications of these. Moreover, structures, agreements, commitments and WWF Principles for Integrated Sea Use Management for the Baltic Sea coordination among the Baltic Sea governments are needed and should be developed and implemented.

• Ensure comprehensive governance
Access to the sea should be twinned with responsibility and accountability, assured through comprehensive governance that includes effective regulation, monitoring, sanctioning and enforcement.

• Secure high level leadership
High level political and administrative leadership is needed to support effective planning and management and its implementation. Only if the Baltic Sea is regarded as a priority issue for our leaders at the highest levels (i.e., Heads of States), can we expect decisions that will make a difference and help the recovery of the Baltic Sea.

• Agree upon one regional process

A joint ISUM process for the Baltic Sea should be formally agreed upon by all heads of states in the frame of the Baltic Sea Action Plan implementation and the future EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea and EU Integrated Maritime Policy.

• Give one regional platform the responsibility to coordinate and integrate regionally

The Baltic Sea states should give a regional body the mandate to facilitate and ensure cooperation and integration of sea use planning and management between the responsible national bodies (see below) and with international bodies. The body should also allow states to resolve arising conflicts, prepare decisions and trade-offs between interests and assist single states with technical knowledge for their planning processes. It should also foster the regional and transboundary alignment of the planning beyond national competencies. The regional body should include a permanent body of experts, including non-governmental organizations,
that recommends and prepares the detailed strategy for the implementation of integrated sea use management.

• Give one national body the responsibility to coordinate and integrate nationally

In every Baltic Sea state there should be one national body that has the overarching responsibility and mandate to coordinate and balance between different interests as well as to coordinate complex policies and jurisdictional arrangements (i.e., in cases where policies and jurisdiction overlap or are contradictory). Institutional mechanisms ensuring cooperation and integration have to be secured, both vertically within sectors, agencies and ministries, and horizontally between sectors, agencies and ministries with different mandates, nations, regions and local areas. National ISUM processes should be organized in a way that they
guarantee:

- A cross-sectoral approach within the country
- A consistent approach among all government and administrative levels as well as between territorial waters and the exclusive economic zones (EEZ)
- A transboundary approach between neighbouring states.

• Adapt structure and plans to the scale of activity and solution

Responsibility for management and planning of different human activities should be placed at the relevant administrative level depending on the geographical scale and impact of the activity (subsidiarity).

• Ensure full availability of data and information

Data and information on the Sea and the use of its resources should be exchanged and made freely and publicly available amongst all Baltic Sea states.