Metsähallitus, Parks & Wildlife Finland, is in overall charge of Biodiversea, and the project also has eight other partners. In addition to managing their areas of responsibility listed below, all project partners will also communicate on the project.

Metsähallitus Parks & Wildlife consists of National Parks Finland (project coordinator) and Wildlife Service Finland.

Susanna Relander, Project Manager
Tel. +358401684894
susanna.relander@metsa.fi

The project is led by the marine nature protection team of Metsähallitus National Parks Finland. Its responsibilities include identification and mapping of inadequately known marine areas, the aim of which is to ensure more effective management and conservation of protected marine areas. National Parks Finland will also work to enhance the effectiveness of the network of protected areas in state-owned marine areas by for example giving more consideration to underwater natural values in the planning of the management and use of marine areas. National Parks Finland will also plan and pilot a restoration plan covering the entire Finnish coastline, carry out an underwater marine diversity monitoring programme, coordinate the hunting of Mink and Raccoon Dog in the archipelago and develop sustainable nature tourism in protected marine areas.

Wildlife Service Finland will take part in the restoration and protection of Grayling populations and the development of surveillance in protected areas.

Ministry of the Environment

Penina Blankett, Ministerial Adviser
Tel. +358 295 250 058
penina.blankett@gov.fi

The Ministry of the Environment is responsible for developing the network of protected areas covered by the project and for implementing the EU’s biodiversity strategy. One aim of the project is to coordinate the activities of different marine sectors on the Finnish coast, and to support this task, the ministry will appoint an advisory expert group comprising a large number of marine actors. To boost mainstreaming, representatives of national and EU funding instruments will also be invited to join the advisory expert group. The ministry will also take measures to clarify legislation, monitor the implementation of the current prioritized action framework (PAF) for the Natura 2000 network and prepare the next PAF.

Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE)

Markku Viitasalo, Research Professor
Tel. +358 295 251 742
markku.viitasalo@syke.fi

The Finnish Environment Institute will focus on the development of the network of protected areas covered by the project and on identifying and mitigating the human pressures impacting marine nature. As part of this work, SYKE will identify acute problems affecting the protection of species and habitats and assess the way in which the pressures will develop in the future. SYKE will prepare a map of underwater noise in Finland, which will also take into account the noise generated by small boats.

SYKE will be responsible for developing an underwater marine diversity monitoring network and will take part in the monitoring in Finland’s marine areas. SYKE will also develop ways to monitor seabird populations and conduct a socio-economic study of the project actions.

Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke)

Sanna Kuningas, Research Scientist
Tel. +358 295 326 026
sanna.kuningas@luke.fi

The Natural Resources Institute Finland will focus on fisheries restoration measures within the framework of the project. As part of the project, Luke will restore shallow and partially closed coastal lagoons, gloes and gloe lakes used as spawning grounds by spring-spawning fish, such as Perch (Perca fluviatilis) and Pike (Esox lucius). Luke will also be responsible for the measures to revive the critically endangered sea-spawning Grayling populations. As part of the project, Luke will also produce new information on the status of marine Whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus) populations, especially in the Gulf of Finland and will develop methods to monitor the status of Whitefish populations on a more extensive basis. Luke will develop methods to monitor bird populations nesting in the archipelago and map areas important to seabirds.

Government of Åland

Charlotta Björklund
Tel. +358 18 25254
charlotta.bjorklund@regeringen.ax

As part of the project, the provincial government of the autonomous Åland islands (Government of Åland) will coordinate the mappings of marine areas around Åland Islands, the purpose of which is to collect information on the geological and biological characteristics of the areas and endangered species occurring in them. The information can be used as a basis for establishing new protected areas and to support sustainable use of marine areas. The Government of Åland is responsible for establishing new protected areas in the marine areas around Åland. The Government of Åland will also participate in the evaluation of the effectiveness of the existing network of protected areas and legislation concerning the marine areas around Åland Islands.

Turku University of Applied Sciences (TUAS)

Olli Loisa, Senior Advisor
Tel: +358 50 598 5743
olli.loisa@turkuamk.fi

The Turku University of Applied Sciences will take part in the mapping of marine areas around Åland Islands and in the identification of areas with protection potential located in them. TUAS will be responsible for the fish and bird surveys carried out in Åland and participate in the monitoring of archipelago birds and noise surveys conducted at Airisto off Turku.

Åbo Akademi University (ÅA)

Sonja Salovius-Laurén, Senior Researcher
Tel: +358 46 921 6458
sonja.salovius@abo.fi

The Åbo Akademi University will take part in the mapping of marine areas around Åland and in the development of the network of protected areas and monitoring of marine nature. In the mappings, the Åbo Akademi University will be responsible for the mapping of benthal habitats and species. To support the development of the network of protected areas, the Åbo Akademi University will examine the most important underwater sites of nature value in the marine areas around Åland. The Åbo Akademi University will also participate in the preparation of the national restoration plan and will be responsible for testing measures to restore the habitats of key Baltic Sea species, such as Bladder Wrack and Charophytes. It will also examine the conditions that restrict the introduction of key species and identify areas where introductions can be successfully carried out.

Geological Survey of Finland (GTK)

Jyrki Hämäläinen, Senior Specialist
Tel: +358 29 503 2262
jyrki.hamalainen@gtk.fi

In the project, the Geological Survey of Finland will focus on geological mapping of the seabed in the marine areas around Åland. The marine geological surveys will produce essential information on such matters as the geodiversity of the seabed and the distribution of seabed sediments, and in addition to biological survey results, they also provide background information for modelling areas where species usually occur. The comprehensive mapping data will also support and guide the planning and coordination of the needs of users in different marine areas.

Baltic Sea Action Group (BSAG)

Anna Klemelä, Project Manager
Tel: +358 44 376 7511
anna.klemela@bsag.fi

As part of the project, the Baltic Sea Action Group will participate in the development of the network of protected areas and will seek solutions to the protection of privately owned marine areas in cooperation with owners of land and water areas. BSAG will draw on the lessons learned from the Gullkrona protection pilot and will work to clarify the process of setting up private conservation areas. BSAG will also work to increase marine knowledge among owners of land and water areas and make them more willing to protect areas under their ownership.