The Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE) is a state agency under the Finnish Ministry of Environment carrying most of the environmental research as well as the coordination of national environmental monitoring.

SYKE was the coordinator for the former MERCW project and is therefore highly qualified to lead CHEMSEA's ecological risk assessments. They will use their facilities - including the research vessel Aranda - and their expertise on the effects of hazardous substances to sample and perform laboratory exposure experiments as well as analyses of specific biological effects using biomarkers. In addition to using their existing monitoring and scientific surveys to conduct experimental field studies for CHEMSEA, SYKE will perform a dedicated CHEMSEA sampling cruise. Working in cooperation with VERIFIN, they will co-organise the 3rd project conference in Helsinki as well asn information event for Finnish maritime stakeholders.

Key contacts:

• Anu Lastumäki - Ecological risk analysis leader (anu.lastumaki@ymparisto.fi)
• Kari Lehtonen - Senior Scientist (kari.lehtonen@ymparisto.fi)
• Raisa Turja - Scientist (raisa.turja@ymparisto.fi)