Designation of marine Natura 2000 sites – experience from Poland

1. Designation of marine Natura 2000 sites – experience from Poland Andrzej Ginalski General Directorate for the Environmental Protection Natura 2000 Department Marine Natura 2000 sites – experience from PolandBrussels,17.09.2010

2. Current state Nearly complete network: SPA – complete, SCI – not yet 2010: 8 SPA, 7 SCI, 1 SPA=SCI 16 sites altogether, covering: 8 097 km2 low number but vast area Marine Natura 2000 sites – experience from PolandBrussels,17.09.2010

3. Completion of designating the network Marine Baltic Seminar, 23-25 November 2009, Sopot – conclusions: Minor changes: extension of 2 sites and designating 1 new site Sci Res: Petromyzon marinus (sea lamprey), Lampetra fiuviatilis (river lamprey), Phocoena phocoena (harbour porpoise) Phocoena phocoena – LIFE+ SAMBAH project results will deliver sufficient data. What about sea lamprey and river lamprey? Lack of sufficient data. Extensive research of the Polish coast would cost around 1 mln EUR and last at least 2-3 years. Solution? Prepare a comprehensive study research based on all currently available data and wait for the results of the monitoring being carried out for the needs of the Water Framework Directive? Marine Natura 2000 sites – experience from PolandBrussels,17.09.2010

4. Helsinki Convention Other international obligations – Helsinki Convention HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan (adopted in 2007): „we decide to designate by 2009 already established marine Natura 2000 and Emerald sites, where appropriate, as HELCOM Baltic Sea Protected Areas (BSPAs)” Discussion with the HELCOM Secretariat – lack of uniform approach among Contracting States in regards to which exactly sites should be nominated as BSPAs (SPAs, SCIs, both?) In this case: Poland nominated all marine Natura 2000 sites encompassing as much of the sea as possible. Marine Natura 2000 sites – experience from PolandBrussels,17.09.2010

5. Helsinki Convention - BSPAs Polish BSPAs: 4 SPAs 4 SCIs 1 SPA=SCI Covering: 7 936 km2 Marine fraction: 7 175 km2, including 1 668km2 in EEZ which constitutes 24,3% of Poland’s marine area Protection regime within BSPAs still not clear. Marine Natura 2000 sites – experience from PolandBrussels,17.09.2010

6. Management – who should be in charge? • Polish Nature Conservation Act: • Bodies in charge of the management of marine N2000 sites: • if a site is situated at least partially within the National Park area – Director of the NP is in charge of the whole N2000 site (PN) • on marine waters – Director of the Maritime Office (UM) • other cases (majority, in fact) – Regional Directors of the Environmental Protection (RDOŚ) Marine Natura 2000 sites – experience from PolandBrussels,17.09.2010

7. Management – who should be in charge? The above results in the following facts: Directors of the two coastal NPs are in charge of extensive N2000 sites, much bigger than their NP sea waters: Marine Natura 2000 sites – experience from PolandBrussels,17.09.2010

8. Management – who should be in charge? • The above results in the following facts: • Most marine N2000 area is under supervision of the Maritime Offices. • Regional Directorates of the Environmental Protection: • - regional branches of our institution, supervised by the Minister of the Environment • well prepared to perform nature conservation tasks BUT • no administration competencies on the sea • no possibility (equipement, staff, finances) to perform tasks (e.g. control) on the sea • Maritime Offices: • full administration competencies on the sea • have sufficient resources to perform tasks on the sea BUT • may have not necessary „nature conservation sensitivity” which in turn may result in inappropriate work in terms of the management of the N2000 sites • supervised by the Minister of the Infrastructure, which means we have hardly any control on their job • Amendment of law needed? Marine Natura 2000 sites – experience from PolandBrussels,17.09.2010

9. What should be protected? Data gaps, insufficient information etc. But also: divergent interpretation of the same data by different scientists. General agreement – list of marine habitat types and especially species protected by the HD should be updated. Example: * Posidonia beds (Posidonion oceanicae, protected) and their northern equivalent Zostera marina beds (not protected) To make use of the HELCOM Red List Project? Due to finish in 2013 – lists for macrophytes, benthic invertebrates, fish and lamprey species,waterbirds, marine mammals, as well as forhabitats/biotopes will be prepared. Marine Natura 2000 sites – experience from PolandBrussels,17.09.2010

10. Stakeholders’ attitude • In 2010 bodies supervising marine N2000 sites applied for financial support to produce management plans for nearly all of them – they should be ready in 2013/2014. • Strong opposition from many stakeholders, especially fishermen (even though no restrictions were imposed on them due to N2000) and those making profits of tourism because of (inter alia): • general poor public perception of N2000 in Poland • weak ability to distinguish between restrictions imposed by the EC in terms of commercial fishery (e.g. cod limits) and nature conservation activities: Natura 2000, Helsinki Convention, national nature conservation forms. Marine Natura 2000 sites – experience from PolandBrussels,17.09.2010

11. Conclusions – marine N2000 in Poland • Transition from designation process to the management phase • Serious problems with the data, its availability, credibility, exactness, costs and workload needed to gain new information, as well as with scientific interpretation of the collected data • Streamlining marine N2000 with HELCOM BSPAs would be recommended in terms of managing the sites • Marine habitat types and species listed in HD should be updated – the HELCOM Red List Project could be useful • Management of the sites by appropriate bodies needs clarification • Active participating of stakeholders during preparation of the management plans is needed – change of their negative attitude is necessary first. • Thank you for your attention andrzej.ginalski@gdos.gov.pl Marine Natura 2000 sites – experience from PolandBrussels,17.09.2010