| Abbreviation | Explanation |
| BALANCE | Baltic Sea Management―Nature Conservation and Sustainable Development of the Ecosystem through Spatial Planning |
| BSHM | Broad-scale Seabed Habitat Map |
| CPIA | Cumulative Pressure and Impact Assessment |
| EBM | Ecosystem-Based Management |
| EEZ | Exclusive Economic Zone |
| EMODnet | European Marine Observation and Data Network |
| EU | European Union |
| EUNIS | European Nature Information System |
| GES | Good Environmental Status |
| GIS | Geographical Information System |
| HELCOM | Helsinki Convention (http://www.helcom.fi/) |
| JNCC | Joint Nature Conservation Committee |
| MESH | Mapping European Seabed Habitats |
| MPA | Marine Protected Area |
| MS | Member State (of the European Union) |
| MSFD | Marine Strategy Framework Directive |
| OSPAR | OSPAR Convention (https://www.ospar.org/) |
| RSC | Regional Seas Conventions |
| UN | United Nations |