Baltic SCOPE Topic Paper - Environment by Magdalena Wesolowska, Maritime Office in Szczecin, Poland, at Baltic SCOPE Southwest Baltic case stakeholder meeting on 27 January 2016 in Malmo, SWEDEN www.balticscope.eu * The information presented is the working exercise of the cross-border maritime spatial planning discussions and can not be treated as the official opinion of the European Commission and the Member States involved in the consortium of the Baltic SCOPE project.

1. Topic Paper - Environment
Cross border workshop with institutional stakeholders
Southwest Baltic
27-28 January 2016, Malmö
Magdalena Wesolowska,
Maritime Office in Szczecin, Poland

2. Role of MSP in environmental protection
• The environmental aspect is one of the most important elements affecting the spatial
planning process. Protecting the environment is the basis for spatial development
policy and the development of spatial plans.
• Environment protection consists in particular of rational use of the environment and
management of environmental resources in accordance with the principle of
sustainable development, pollution prevention leading to maintaining or restoring the
natural elements to good environmental status.
• Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) is a key tool for sustainable management in
coastal and marine areas by balancing between economic, environmental, social and
other interests in spatial allocations, by managing specific uses and coherently
integrating sectoral planning, and by applying the ecosystem approach.
• Ecosystem approach – is defined as cross-sectoral and sustainable management
of human activities, which will ensure that the pressure exerted by human activity can
not prevent the achievement of good environmental status of the marine environment
/ which aims at achieving a Baltic Sea ecosystem in good status

3. Recognized need
• Development of a mechanism for exchanging information on investment
involving potential threats to the marine environment, enabling anticipation
of these hazards in the course of preparation of spatial plans drawn up by
the neighboring countries.
Objectives
The aim of the Topic Paper is to discuss and gather information on:
• distribution of investments having significant effects on the environment in
neighboring countries;
• procedural differences when making investment decisions with
transboundary impact;
• coherence of the system of protection of the Baltic marine wildlife;
• substantive differences leading to different ways of nature conservation in
the border areas.

4. Proposed actions
In the south-western Baltic Sea area it is considered necessary to undertake the
following activities related to environmental and nature protection, which will be
used for the process of maritime spatial planning:
• Identification of protected areas - existing and proposed to be protected, taking into
account EU legislation (the Birds and Habitats Directives - Natura 2000, HELCOM
MPAs) and national (national parks, nature reserves and other national forms of
nature conservation);
• Verification of prohibitions and injunctions in relation to the forms of nature
conservation in individual countries and determination whether there is the same or
a different approach to the same forms of nature conservation;
• Identification of existing and potential threats for the environment in the analyzed
area;
• Verification of procedures and requirements arising from the EIA and SEA in
individual countries - with respect to the impact of planned investments /spatial
plans in protected areas
• Comparison of public participation procedures in each country in proceedings for
EIA and SEA.

5. Focus Areas

6. Interests in Focus Areas

7. Odra Bank and the approach fairway to ports
Świnoujście and Szczecin (PL, DK, DE)
• NATURA 2000 sites:
- Zatoka Pomorska PLB990003
- Pommersche Bucht DE1552-401
- Westliche Pommersche Bucht DE1649-401
- Ostoja na Zatoce Pomorskiej PLH990002
- Pommersche Bucht mit Oderbank DE1652301

9. Odra Bank and the approach fairway to ports
Świnoujście and Szczecin (PL, DK, DE)
- interests
• Odra Bank-the strongest interest related to:
- OWF (PL)
- high voltage cables (PL, less DE, DK )
- shipping (SE, less important for PL)
- sand and gravel extraction (PL)
- environmental protection (PL, DE),
- pipe lines (PL, DE),
- military activities (PL, less important for DE).
smaller interest:
- fishery (PL, SE)
- shipping (DE)
• approach fairway to ports Świnoujście and Szczecin: the strongest interests are
related to:
- lying pipe lines (PL, less importance for DE),
- shipping (PL, DE),
- fishery (PL, less importance for DE),
- environmental protection (DE, PL),
- military activities (PL, DE).
• Smaller interest is associated to:
- data cables (DE).

10. Odrabank and approach fairway
- Threats, pressures

11. Odra Bank and approach fairway to ports Sz-n & Ś-cie
Defined conflicts
- offshore wind farms (OWF)
- pipe lines
- cables
- shipping
- sand and gravel extraction
- fishery
- military activities
• Marine water pollution, noise may be posed by: OWF, pipelines, cables, shipping,
military activities, sand and gravel extraction. Shipping has its contribution to
eutrophication and air pollution. Oil and other harmful substances pollution may result
from shipping, pipe lines and military activities.

12. Middle Bank (PL, SE)
• No NATURA 2000 sites, but existing environmental issues:
- feeding grounds of birds
- may be suitable for nursery of cod
- Important Bird Area (IBA)
- ecological or ‘Blue Corridors’ - migratory routes of marine species
- nesting ground for mammals.
• The strongest interest related to:
- OWF (PL, SE)
- high voltage cables (PL, SE)
- shipping (SE, less important for PL)
- sand & gravel extraction (PL, less important for SE)
smaller interest:
- pipelines (SE)
- data cables (PL, SE)
- fishery (PL, SE)
- nature protection (PL, SE)
• Threaths, pressures not defined yet
• Conflicts not defined yet

13. Thank you for your attention