BALTIC SEAENVIRONMENT PROCEEDINGS No. 59 - Helcom

selected determinands in the Baltic Sea Area. The field work for
collecting data followed a programme agreed in Szczecin at the
First Meeting of Experts on the Monitoring of the Marine
Environment of the Baltic Sea Area, 1977. The programme was
reviewed in 1982 and implemented in 1984. Parameters were chosen
which should mirror changes in the natural hydrophysical,
hydrochemical and biological features of the Baltic Sea subregions.
In addition, a number of determinands were chosen in
order to provide direct information on levels and trends in the
state of pollution.
Monitorins stations
At presently, BMP contains a number of strategic stations in
different parts of the Baltic sea (Fig 1). The objectives are to
have a set of determinands which give an adequate spatial and
temporal coverage of the Baltic Sea Area. The stations are visited
according to a cruise plan which is established one year in
advance. Different countries are responsible for the collection of
data in different regions of the Baltic Sea area (Table 1).
Determinands
The list of determinands to be monitored is divided into two
groups: determinands which are essential for inclusion in the
programme (obligatory determinands) and those which are desirable
but for certain reasons cannot be made obligatory at this stage
(tentative determinands). The obligatory and tentative
determinands of BMP are viewed in Table 2. Sampling procedures of
indicator organisms and recommended tissues for analysis of
harmful substances are shown in Tables 3 and 4.
Samplina frequency
The main sampling periods and the sampling frequency of many
biological determinands varies due to seasonal pertubations, while
for other non-biological parameters the time of the year is of
less importance (Table 5).
Guidelines
Guidelines are used to establish the basic criteria of the BMP.
The guidelines for the BMP programme, as agreed upon by all Baltic
Sea States, are published by the Commission every five years.
Guidelines for the First Stage of BMP was issued in 1980. The
present Guidelines apply to the third stage of the BMP, i e from
1989 to 1993. The next assessment period will be from 1934 to
1998.
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