Table 2.
National policy documents exemplifying implementation of international agreements applying to conservation of gene level biodiversity of Baltic Sea species (cf. Table 1). Brief summaries of how genetic variation is addressed in these documents are given (cf. Fig. 3 for analysis procedure). CBD = Convention on Biological Diversity, MSFD = Marine Strategy Framework Directive (EU Directive), WFD = Water Framework Directive (EU Directive), No hits = number of times search words for genetic diversity (cf. Fig. 3) occur in document
| International agreement | National document | Country | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sweden | Finland | Estonia | Germany | ||
| CBD, EU Habitats, and Birds Directives | Document | A Swedish Strategy for Biological Diversity and Ecosystem Services. Government Bill 2013/14:141 (Swedish Government 2013; In Swedish) | Government Resolution on the Strategy for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity in Finland for the years 2012–2020, ‘Saving Nature for People’ (Finnish Government 2012) | Estonian Nature Conservation in 2011 (Estonian Environment Information Centre 2012) | National Strategy on Biological Diversity (Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety 2007) |
| No hits | 88 (72870 words, 192 pages) 1.2 ‰ hits/word, 0.46 hits/page | 51 (11633 words, 26 pages) 4.4 ‰/word, 1.96 hits/page | 13 (44136 words, 126 pages) 0.3 ‰/word, 0.10 hits/page | 247 (100312 words, 180 pages) 2.5 ‰/word, 1.37 hits/page | |
| Summary statements on genetic diversity | Genetic diversity is important for maintaining viable populations of species and to ensure the resilience of ecosystems. Strategies: Mapping and monitoring genetic variation in wild and domesticated plants and animals needed and started by 2015. Goal: Aichi targets recognized | Goal: Commitment to CBD objectives, including conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. Strategies: ex situ conservation projects to support in situ conservation. Monitoring trends in genetic resources for agriculture and forestry | Genetic diversity a vital part of biodiversity. Goal: Genetic erosion in cultivated plants, forestry, agriculture, farmed/domesticated animals and wild relatives needs preventing. Strategies are called for but not specified, except coastal/marine area protection | Goal: maintain genetic diversity and natural distribution of species in Germany. Genetically distinct populations conserved. Loss of genetic diversity halted by 2010. Area protection main strategy to protect genetic diversity in nature | |
| CBD | Document | Information on the Swedish national biodiversity strategies and action plans (Ministry of Sustainable Development 2006) | Saving Nature for People. National action plan for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in Finland 2013-2020 (Finnish Government 2012) | Nature Conservation Development Plan until 2020 (Ministry of the Environment 2012) | National Strategy on Biological Diversity (the German Cabinet 2007) |
| No hits | 126 (95839 words, 236 pages) 1.3 ‰/word, 0.53 hits/page | 152 (66273 words, 107 pages) 2.3 ‰/word, 1.42 hits/page | 27 (24475 words, 54 pages) 1.1 ‰/word, 0.50 hits/page | 247 (65644 words, 242 pages) 3.8 ‰/word, 1.02 hits/page | |
| Summary statements on genetic diversity | Goal to conserve genetic diversity explicit. Strategies: conservation of ecosystems and viable populations. Points to difficulties to measure genetic variation. Calls for research and synthesis on genetic variation and marine biodiversity. Present knowledge-gaps make defining objectives and actions for to genetic diversity difficult | Genetic diversity incl. in goal. Identifies: genetics insufficiently included in environmental impact assessments. Strategies: protect species and habitats, measures against alien species, live gene bank for fishes, agriculture, and forestry. Monitoring of genetic diversity of fish stocks shall increase |
Goal: highest possible level of genetic diversity maintained Genetic profiles of subspecies/populations to be conserved. Genetic diversity of salmon, brown trout, asp, Atlantic sturgeon, European cat/crayfish threatened. Strategies: gene banks, avoiding spread of alien species and GMOs |
Goal: loss of genetic diversity halted by 2010. Vision: conserve genetic variation of wild animals and plants in Germany including area-typical populations for ability to adapt to changing environments. Strategies: area protection and use of the precautionary principle | |
| CBD | Document | Fifth National Report to the CBD—Sweden (Swedish Government 2014) | Fifth National Report to the CBD—Finland (Ministry of the Environment 2014) | V National Report to the CBD (Estonian Ministry of the Environment 2014) | Fifth National Report, CBD (Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety 2014) |
| No hits | 60 (35824 words, 77 pages) 1.7 ‰/word, 0.78 hits/page | 97 (70663 words, 141 pages) 1.4 ‰/word, 0.69 hits/page | 19 (41346 words, 86 pages) 0.5 ‰/word, 0.22 hits/page | 99 (59071 words, 131 pages) 1.7 ‰/word, 0.76 hits/page | |
| Summary statements on genetic diversity | Genetic diversity objectives related to CBD targets. Milestone target: mapping and monitoring of genetic diversity are initiated by 2015. Notes: Swedish 16th environmental quality objective A Rich Diversity of Plant and Animal Life lack indicators that measure genetic variation. A draft action plan for protection of genetic variation in wild species exists, but not yet implemented | Relate to Target 13; genetic biodiversity of cultivated plants and wild relatives, forest trees, fish stocks, farmed/domesticated animals safeguarded by 2020 “Enhance the monitoring of genetic diversity of fish stocks and their sub-stocks.” Calls for research and a national program for knowledge and awareness on the importance of plant genetic resources called for |
Preservation of genetic diversity important for biodiversity. Focus is on agriculture. A plan for the collection of plant genetic resources is called for | Stresses importance of genetic variation for species survival and adaptation. Protect genetic wild population genetic diversity from harmful effects of alien species and “breeding varieties.” Genetic exchange among marine populations necessary with inter-linked marine biotopes. Strategies: research, genetic studies of endangered species, information, conservation networks | |
| Helsinki Convention | Document | National Implementation Plan for the Baltic Sea Action Plan (Government Offices of Sweden 2010) | Implementation of HELCOM’s Baltic Sea Action Plan (BSAP) in Finland. Status Report 17 May 2010 (The Ministry of the Environment, Finland) | Baltic Sea Action Plan Implementation Programme 2008–2011 (Estonian Government 2008) | Implementation of the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan (BSAP) in Germany (German Government 2011) |
| No hits | 1 (15603 words, 28 pages) 0.06 ‰/word, 0.04 hits/page | 0 (10576 words, 16 pages) 0 ‰/word, 0 hits/page | 3 (11362 words, 27 pages) 0.26 ‰/word, 0.11 hits/page | 0 (29640 words, 87 pages) 0 ‰/word, 0 hits/page | |
| Summary statements on genetic diversity | Gene level mentioned with regard to a “small, genetically isolated population of around 200 harbour porpoise” | The genetic level is not explicitly considered | The gene level is addressed for preservation of salmonid populations. Calls for maintaining genetic diversity in artificial breeding and release of sea trout. Genetic mixing of geographically separate populations should be avoided | The genetic level is not explicitly considered | |
| MSFD | Document | Article 12 Technical Assessment of the MSFD 2012 obligations Sweden (2014) | Article 12 Technical Assessments of the MSFD 2012 obligations Finland (2014) | Article 12 Technical Assessments of the MSFD 2012 obligations Estonia (2014) | Article 12 Technical Assessments of the MSFD 2012 obligations Germany (2014) |
| No hits | 27 (26727 words, 51 pages) 1.0 ‰/word, 0.53 hits/page | 3 (21019 words, 45 pages) 0.1 ‰/word, 0.07 hits/page | 0 (15561 words, 38 pages) 0 hits/word, 0 hits/page | 0 (28918 words, 53 pages) 0 hits/word, 0 hits/page | |
| Summary statements on genetic diversity | The reporting sheets list nine genetically distinct forms of native species for the Baltic region considered to be under pressure | “Good Environmental Status” includes sufficiently complex population genetic structure to allow adaptation to environmental change. Goal: preserve genetic diversity of sea trout. Strategies: restore streams to allow large spawning populations minimizing genetic change | The genetic level is not explicitly considered | The genetic level is not explicitly considered | |
| WFD | Document | Member State: Sweden on the Implementation of the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC). River Basin Management Plans (European Commission 2012) | Member State: Finland on the Implementation of the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC). River Basin Management Plans (European Commission 2012) | Member State: Estonia on the Implementation of the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC). River Basin Management Plans (European Commission 2012) | Member State: Germany on the Implementation of the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC). River Basin Management Plans (European Commission 2012) |
| No hits | 0 (19370 words, 63 pages) 0 hits/word, 0 hits/page | 0 (22106 words, 64 pages) 0 hits/word, 0 hits/page | 0 (16124 words, 50 pages) 0 hits/word, 0 hits/page | 0 (31078 words, 87 pages) 0 hits/word, 0 hits/page | |
| Summary statements on genetic diversity | The genetic level is not explicitly considered | The genetic level is not explicitly considered | The genetic level is not explicitly considered | The genetic level is not explicitly considered | |