This dataset includes the data used in in the HELCOM/OSPAR Ballast Water Exemptions Decision Support Tool. This tool was developed in 2013 based on the overall IMO framework, the 21 Baltic and North-East Atlantic coastal states and the EU. It allows user to define 'low risk' routes, as well as other necessary steps in granting exemptions under regulation A-4 of the IMO Ballast Water Management Convention (BWMC)

Citation: HELCOM/OSPAR Joint Ballast Water Exemptions Decision Support Tool: https://maps.helcom.fi/website/RA_tool/ HELCOM and OSPAR, 2020.

Published: September 17, 2025 at 10:10

URL: https://ipt.vliz.be/eurobis/resource?r=helcom_ospar_finland_ports_water_sampling

Helsinki Commission
Helsinki Commission

OSPAR Commission for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic
OSPAR Commission for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic

Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ)
Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ)

2,744

occurrence records

5,468

measurements and facts

281

taxa

163

species

Taxa

Missing and invalid fields

Field	Missing	Invalid
coordinateUncertaintyInMeters	2,744		100.0%
maximumDepthInMeters	2,744		100.0%
minimumDepthInMeters	2,744		100.0%
scientificName	25		0.9%
scientificNameID	87	99	6.8%

Quality flags

The OBIS data quality flags are documented at https://github.com/iobis/obis-qc.

Flag	Records
NO_DEPTH	2,744	100.0%
ON_LAND	789	28.8%
NO_ACCEPTED_NAME	252	9.2%
NO_MATCH	183	6.7%
NOT_MARINE	89	3.2%
MARINE_UNSURE	38	1.4%
WORMS_ANNOTATION_REJECT_HABITAT	32	1.2%

HELCOM/OSPAR Finland ports water sampling

Taxa

Missing and invalid fields

Quality flags

Measurement types

DNA derived data