Article 17 web tool

Information provided in the field 2.7.5: Reported additionnal information: ||
->Range: N/A ||
->Coverage: N/A ||
->HabCondition: N/A ||
->Future: N/A ||
->Conclusion: N/A ||
->JustificationThreshold: N/A ||
->Other: N/A

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Information provided in the field 2.7.5: Reported additionnal information: ||
->Range: More acoustic mapping have been conducted since the last reproting period. In addition The Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) have estimated of reef areas outside the acoustic mapped area based on other data.
Some reef restoration projects have been carried out representing genuine improvements of range and area covered. For the Marine Ranges, we used the Danish cost line to exclude that part of the area that was placed on land in order to only get the marine part of the range. A minor part of the difference in range from last periode is due to a new coastline maps used. ||
->Coverage: More acoustic mapping have been conducted since the last reproting period. In addition The Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) have estimated of reef areas outside the acoustic mapped area based on other data.
Some reef restoration projects have been carried out representing genuine improvements of range and area covered. ||
->HabCondition: The condition of structure and function is based on expert judgement on algal cover data from reefs mainly in the protic zone were further reduction in nutrient load is expected to improve the algal cover below 3-7m water depth. ||
->Future: N/A ||
->Conclusion: Area is judged as inadequate due to intensive exploitation of boulders from many shallow reef areas over 100 years. Some reef restoration projects has been conducted and others planned to improve the area covered with shallow reefs. ||
->JustificationThreshold: N/A ||
->Other: N/A

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Information provided in the field 2.7.5: Reported additionnal information: ||
->Range: N/A ||
->Coverage: N/A ||
->HabCondition: Typical species list: Amphibalanus improvisus, Dreissena polymorpha, Mytilus trossulus, Ceramium spp, Chorda filum, Cladophora spp, Fucus vesiculosus, Furcellaria lumbricalis, Pilayella littoralis, Polysiphonia spp ||
->Future: N/A ||
->Conclusion: N/A ||
->JustificationThreshold: N/A ||
->Other: N/A

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Information provided in the field 2.7.5: Reported additionnal information: ||
->Range: The range area of the habitat was changed due to more accurate distribution data. ||
->Coverage: The distribution area of the habitat is based on field inventory data collated during the VELMU programme in 2004-2018 and spatial modelling (Kaskela, A. & Rinne, H. 2018. Vedenalaisten Natura-luontotyyppien mallinnus Suomen merialueella. Geologian tutkimuskeskus, Tutkimustyöraportti 6/2018, 36 s.). Further, the distribution area has been amended and validated by data collated from, e.g., Åland islands. ||
->HabCondition: The assessment was based on the Water Framework Directive water body status and the distribution of Fucus spp. in the Finnish marine areas, excluding Bothnian Bay where Fucus spp. do not exist (Rinne et al. in prep). The maximum area in not-good condition were assessed based on the areal coverage of the habitat having other than good ecological status as reported under the EU Water Framework Directive. The minimum area for the good condition was assessed similarly using good (or high) ecological status.

Structure and function using Fucus was calculated with VELMU inventory data based on Rinne et al. (in prep.). WFD water bodies were classified in to two classes: 1) Good, water bodies with over 40% occurrence of Fucus on potential substrate, and 2) Not-good, water bodies with less than 40% of Fucus. The area of the habitat within these two classes was calculated to estimate the area in good condition and area in not-good condition, resulting in estimates for maximum area in good condition and minimum area in not-good condition. ||
->Future: N/A ||
->Conclusion: As explained in the reporting guidelines (p. 85) trend magnitudes should be considered. In this case the decreasing trend of structure and functions is so minor that it does not justify the overall trend to be D. ||
->JustificationThreshold: N/A ||
->Other: N/A

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Information provided in the field 2.7.5: Reported additionnal information: ||
->Range: N/A ||
->Coverage: N/A ||
->HabCondition: N/A ||
->Future: N/A ||
->Conclusion: N/A ||
->JustificationThreshold: N/A ||
->Other: N/A

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Information provided in the field 2.7.5: Reported additionnal information: ||
->Range: All territorial waters are not yet fully maped. Additional territories of habitat type are expected in the EEZ region. ||
->Coverage: Reef habitats can be expected only where the stone and boulder substrate is available. If reefs occupy all available substrate, this is the maximum surface area and also favourable reference area. As some habitat areas are expected on EEZ, the FRV might be larger. ||
->HabCondition: Typical species have not changed, however the changes of their proportions has been observed, mainly due to predation effects of invasive species- round goby Neogobius melanostomus on the mussels Mytilus trossulus. ||
->Future: The distribution of the habitat is determined only by the presence of a suitable substrate, i.e. stones. While performing additional mapping, new reef areas may be discovered, but their functional status is currently unstable. It is affected by both eutrophication and invasive species round goby Neogobius melanostomus. During the assessment period, significant changes of the habitat stucture and composition has been noticed by influence of the round goby. The invasive species population increase have led to a significant decrease of the Mytilus trossulus stands, but the macrophytic algae have an unstable increase. Meanwhile, in the Gulf of Riga, the mussel stands have decreased, but the macrophyte groves are losing depth, pushing closer to the shore due to reduced water clarity and increasing number and intensity of storms. ||
->Conclusion: During the reporting period, additional information on habitat distribution has been obtained, so the area has increased. At the same time, the ecological status is currently unstable and under the influence of the invasive species and therefore considered to be poor. When situation will start to stabilise and some balance will occur between invasive species and indigenous species, it will be possible to evaluate improvement or deterioration of the habitat. ||
->JustificationThreshold: N/A ||
->Other: N/A

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Information provided in the field 2.7.5: Reported additionnal information: ||
->Range: N/A ||
->Coverage: N/A ||
->HabCondition: N/A ||
->Future: N/A ||
->Conclusion: N/A ||
->JustificationThreshold: N/A ||
->Other: N/A

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Information provided in the field 2.7.5: Reported additionnal information: ||
->Range: The favourable reference range is expected to be the same as the current value and the trend stable. The same data on national occurrence is used as in the last reporting period, updated with the new data from Nature 2000 areas (NNK). The changes in NNK data are very small and therefore no changes are expected on biogeographical level. However, the new range tool calculate the range differently and the national boarders used in the tool are slightly different from last reporting resulting in new numbers of range. ||
->Coverage: Favourable reference area is set to be the same as current area and the trend as stable. There is no change from last reporting due to lack of new data. There are ongoing work on new models for improved interpretation and maps of the habitat area, however the results are not finalized in time for the reporting. ||
->HabCondition: Several of the typical species of fish is not commercial and are therefore not targeted within the ongoing national monitoring of commercial fish stocks. However, the population of Anguilla anguilla is and is considered to not be sustainable managed which is complicated by reduced recruiting capacity. The Baltic populations of Clupea harengus are skinny due to food competition and high numbers of individuals due to low predation (no cod). The coastal Gadus morhua (cod) western Baltic population are heavily exploited and the individuals are very small and the reproducing stock is small in size indicating bad conditions with severe implications on juvenile abundance and coastal food web. Also the Baltic Salmo trutta is considered to have a positive trend despite recruitment limitations by migration barriers, hydropower, eutrophication and climate change (Havs- och vattenmyndigheten, 2018; Olsson, 2019).
Despite that the data from outer coastal areas are a bit weak, recent studies on coastal fish populations and composition indicate that in large areas, of especially the outer coast, the predation by sticklebacks on pike and perch are high (Bergström et al. 2015). This findings, together with new information indicating a considerable local predation from seals and cormorants, might have significant effects on the fish populations and by extension considerable effects on ecological functions (Hansson et al, Bergström et al 2016), but more knowledge are needed especially in outer coastal areas..

The national monitoring of fish health status (Mustamääki et al, 2018a-c) with long time series (1992-2017) on Zoarces viviparous and Perca fluvitalis health indicators from the three different areas in along the Swedish Baltic coast (Holmöarna, Torhamn, Kvädö), reveals significant increase in EROD and GR activity this together with affected metabolism, lower fat content in muscle (lower bodyweight and condition) and an elevated rate of dead juveniles in females do clearly indicate an overall negative trend in health status. The cause of this deteriorating status is still unclear but unknown contaminants have been suggested, despite decreased concentrations of monitored contaminants.
Of the typical species for the reef 1170 are three red listed; Somateria mollissima (VU), Anguilla anguilla (CR see above), Gadus morhua (VU see above) (ArtDatabanken, 2015). Except for the Somateria mollisima who is showing decreasing numbers with up to 3% per year and the winter observations of the Clangula hyemalis that has decreased over a long period, other birds do not show any significant pattern (Svensk fågeltaxering, 2018).

The analysis of the physical disturbances during the reporting period (Törnqvist et al. In prep; Törnqvist personal com/PM.), show that 0 % of the area of the reef within the Swedish marine Baltic region is significantly or highly (sum of the two highest classes of disturbance within the analysis class 3 (significant) and class 4 (high)) effected by physical disturbances (e.g. exploitation, dredging, swelling etc.). The choice of using only the highest classes of disturbance is due to the need for further analysis on the actual impact on habitat biota (Näslund and Nyström Sandman. Pers. com (PM)). If all three classes indicating some or higher disturbances, 0.5 % of the habitat area are affected. This indicate, despite the insufficient maps used as basis for the analysis that physical disturbances is not impacting on the habitat.

As about 70% of the habitat area are situated in the Bothnian Sea or Bothnian Bay, the assessment of the water quality parameters is set regarding this situation due to the habitat geographical distribution. Due to WISS and Havsmiljöinstitutet (2017) the condition is therefore set to high or good for several parameters (e g. DIN, Tot N, transparency) and good to moderate for DIP and tot-P. The trend is negative with increase in DIP, tot-P and transparency while the trend for nitrogen is generally positive decreasing. The improvement in nitrogen concentrations are a significant effect and result of the measures taken decreasing the nutrients from e.g. agriculture and residential load. For phosphorous such measures have cut the external load with halved, but unfortunately these measures are consumed by the immense internal load of phosphorus being released from deeper sea bottom sediments during anoxic conditions (for more information on internal load and its cause and effects see Conley et al. 2002; Stigebrandt et al. 2014, Hall et al 2017). Therefore is the assessment of the habitat quality is set as inadequate with a decreasing short time trend. ||
->Future: -The future prospects of structure and functions for 1170 MBAL is set as: Bad
The assessment is set due to continuous pressure from recreational and professional harvesting of marine fish and the predation of native species causing shortage of big carnivorous fish. Also the unknown cause of fish health deterioration is considered as well as the pressure from shipping and the internal load of phosphorous and the medium pressure from agricultural, residential or recreational activities causing nutrient load and pollution. ||
->Conclusion: Despite initiative taken for the development of monitoring methods (e.g. visual monitoring with underwater video; fish recruitment; physical disturbance) and a program for biogeographical data collection it has, except for the physical disturbance, so far not been implemented. No monitoring data except for the analysis of physical disturbances has therefore been biogeographically generated within the reefs 1170 in MBAL. Therefore the conservation status of the structures and functions has been set mainly by expert assessment and extrapolation based on a limited amount of data.
Overall assessment:
- The condition of habitat is assessed mainly on extrapolation from a limited amount of data.
- The condition of habitat has not been classified by the county boards.
- The short-term trend of habitat condition is set as: decreasing
- The condition status of habitat structure and functions is set as: inadequate U1
- The assessment is set due to the condition of the typical species their population status and development and their health conditions as an indicator on the ecological condition of the habitat. The assessment is also set in line with habitat quality conditions. In addition the assessment for the reef 1170 MBAL is partly due to the impact on water quality from the internal load and the effects of the loss of carnivorous fish. The assessment for the trend is also in line with the worrying unknown pressures impacting on fish health.
-The future prospects of structure and functions for 1170 MBAL is set as: Bad
The assessment is set due to continuous pressure from recreational and professional harvesting of marine fish and the predation of native species causing shortage of big carnivorous fish. Also the unknown cause of fish health deterioration is considered as well as the pressure from shipping and the internal load of phosphorous and the medium pressure from agricultural, residential or recreational activities causing nutrient load and pollution.
-In comparison with last reporting there is a change in the guidelines for the Conservation Status assessment according the definition and assessment of pressures and threats, which have had significant impact on the assessment. ||
->JustificationThreshold: N/A ||
->Other: N/A

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