Aps, R., and Lassen, H. 2010. Recovery of depleted Baltic Sea fish stocks: a review. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 67: 1856–1860. Attempts to recover some depleted Baltic fish stocks between 1995 and 2008 are reviewed. Management measures aimed at recovery were adopted by competent authorities (until 2005 the International Baltic Fisheries Commission, IBSFC), including the Baltic Salmon Action Plan (1997), Long-Term Management Strategy for Cod Stocks in the Baltic Sea (1999), Long-Term Management Strategy for the Sprat Stock in the Baltic Sea (2000), Recovery Plan for Baltic Cod (2001), and the Long-Term Objectives and Strategies for the Management of Baltic Sea Herring (2000–2002). For all stocks, TACs have been set systematically more than the scientific advice based on sustainable exploitation. We interpret this as “decision overfishing”. There is also evidence of extensive underreporting of catches, which is interpreted as “implementation overfishing”. This means that a management body is knowingly maintaining a situation of overfishing. Nevertheless, measures have also been taken to combat the situation. Our analysis suggests that decision overfishing is related strongly to overcapacity of the fleets. The combination of decision overfishing and implementation overfishing, and not the management measures per se, could be the reason for the failure of depleted stocks to recover.

Aps, R., Kell, L.T., Lassen, H., and Liiv, I. 2007. Negotiation framework for Baltic fisheries management: striking the balance of interest. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 64: 858–861. We explore the issue of balancing stakeholder interests in the translation of science-based advice into agreed management measures. We also analyse the outcome of negotiations within the International Baltic Sea Fishery Commission (IBSFC) for setting the total allowable catch (TAC) for Baltic herring, sprat, cod, and salmon between 1977 and 2004. Given the political and economic pressure inherent in fishery management, IBSFC Contracting Parties, as maximizers of economic value, often set the TAC by unit stock in excess of what was considered sustainable. TACs set in excess of sustainable levels of exploitation (decision-overfishing) reflect the relative importance that negotiating parties attribute to the interests of multiple groups participating in the fishing industry. Such decision-overfishing can be seen as management failure to secure public interest in the long-term health of fish populations. The potential political and social causes of overfishing have to be addressed and removed before measures can be implemented that might reach the goal of sustainable development.

The Baltic Sea is a unique and sensitive brackish-water ecosystem vulnerable to damage from shipping activities. Despite high levels of maritime safety in the area, there is a continued risk of oil spills and associated harmful environmental impacts. Achieving common situational awareness between oil spill response decision makers and other actors, such as merchant vessel and Vessel Traffic Service center operators, is an important step to minimizing detrimental effects. This paper presents the Next-Generation Smart Response Web (NG-SRW), a web-based application to aid decision making concerning oil spill response. This tool aims to provide, dynamically and interactively, relevant information on oil spills. By integrating the analysis and visualization of dynamic spill features with the sensitivity of environmental elements and value of human uses, the benefits of potential response actions can be compared, helping to develop an appropriate response strategy. The oil spill process simulation enables the response authorities to judge better the complexity and dynamic behavior of the systems and processes behind the potential environmental impact assessment and thereby better control the oil combat action.