Harbour porpoise distribution
Short description
This map shows the distribution and abundance of harbour porpoise across the Baltic Sea. The abundance of harbour porpoise is presented using 4 abundance classes. The classification is based on expert consultation and information from scientific literature (e.g. Sveegaard et al. 2011, Viquerat et al. 2014). The class borders are defined by expert opinion and generalizing the data gathered and modelled in SAMBAH project. For the Baltic Proper the SAMBAH results have been used to delineate the class borders: 20% probability of detection during May-October has been used to define the area of “common occurrence and reproduction”, and the 20% probability of detection during November-April has been used to define the “regular occurrence, no regular reproduction” area. Please note: The applied spatial scale includes lagoons and estuaries of the inner coastal waters (e.g. Szczecin Lagoon, Jasmund lagoon) where harbour porpoises do not or only exceptionally occur unlike the map suggests.
Point of contact
HELCOM Secretariat
data@helcom.fi
Spatial extent
['7.530495', '34.131647', '52.277123', '66.475422']
Type
dataset
Metadata information
Identifier
Keywords
Species distribution ; Habitats and biotopes ; GEMET - INSPIRE themes, version 1.0 ;

marine ecology ; marine mammal ; GEMET ;

MADS ; HOLAS2 ; ecosystem component ;

Resource provider(s)
HELCOM Secretariat
data@helcom.fi

Lineage
Data source: SAMBAH data kindly provided by SAMBAH project partners. Project report available at: http://www.sambah.org/Docs/General/Non-technical-report-v.-1.8.2.pdf. Please note: There is no secured knowledge about the reproduction in Schleswig-Holstein waters. References: Sveegaard, S., Teilmann, J., Tougaard, J., Dietz, R., Mouritsen, K.N., Desportes, G., Siebert, U., 2011. High-density areas for harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) identified by satellite tracking. Marine Mammal Science 27(1):230-246. Viquerat, S., Herr, H., Gilles, A., Peschko, V., Siebert, U., Sveegaard, S., Teilmann, J., 2014: Abundance of harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) in the western Baltic, Belt Seas and Kattegat. Marine Biology 161:745-754. Data quality: The map is based on the SAMBAH dataset and expert consultation. It gives a rough estimate on the abundance of harbour porpoise in the Baltic Sea. Attribute information: Raster representing abundance classes with following values 1 = Common occurrence and reproduction 0.75 = Regular occurrence, regular reproduction 0.5 = Regular occurrence 0.25 = Rare occurrence