The expert group used following data sets as a help in outlining the estuaries: average stream (places where continuous measurements), results from VELMALA -stream modeling (places without measuring information), depth data, and salinity model on the sea areas. Orthoimagery was used for observing the extent of the sediment plumes and typical vegetation in estuaries, reed belts. Rivers flowing to the dammed artificial lakes were not included into the Estuary data set.

The data set was updated lastly in 2013 in the National Habitat Directive reporting and it bases on the data used in 2007 reporting including data produced in the map observations conducted in the coastal environment project in SYKE (2003), NATURA 2000 data base, and data from the Parks and Wildlife Finland. In the reporting of 2007 part of the habitat type occurrences were shown as reliable and part of them as probable occurrences; Reliable occurrences rest upon the field data produced by the Parks and Wildlife Finland whereas probable occurrences are based on the GIS analysis and data from the NATURA data base. The probable bays are included into this data set. In the reporting of 2013, one bay from the ├àland (South from B├ñr├Â) was added to the data set based on the expert evaluation and map observation. The data set will be amplified in future i.e. with the data in the VELMU prgramme. The next update will be published latest in 2019 interconnected with the National reporting of the Habitat Directive.

The marine habitat type data concerns the modelling work carried out within the Finnish Inventory Programme for the Underwater Marine Environment (VELMU) in spring 2015. The task was done in cooperation between the Geological Survey of Finland (GTK) and Åbo Academi University (ÅA). The work included the modelling of the marine habitats included in the Annex 1 of the Habitats Directive: reefs (1170) and sandbanks, which are slightly covered by sea water all the time (1110). The aforementioned marine habitat types are specified on the basis of seabed substrate type and topographic form and they can overlap one another. The objective was to produce comprehensive maps of the occurrences of reefs and sandbanks throughout the entire marine area of Finland based on the best data available. The criteria to determine the marine habitats were discussed with the responsible bodies and the instructions (version 5.1), which include more precise criteria for determining marine habitat types than the Natura 2000 Habitats Manual (Airaksinen & Karttunen 2001), for a Natura 2000 inventory were utilised. On the basis of different criteria and test analyses, a decision was made to model potential sandbanks which includes sites that are likely to have sandbank occurrences. The data covers only the Northern Bothnian Sea.

The marine habitat type data concerns the modelling work carried out within the Finnish Inventory Programme for the Underwater Marine Environment (VELMU) in spring 2015. The task was done in cooperation between the Geological Survey of Finland (GTK) and Åbo Academi University (ÅA). The work included the modelling of the marine habitats included in the Annex 1 of the Habitats Directive: reefs (1170) and sandbanks, which are slightly covered by sea water all the time (1110). The aforementioned marine habitat types are specified on the basis of seabed substrate type and topographic form and they can overlap one another. The objective was to produce comprehensive maps of the occurrences of reefs and sandbanks throughout the entire marine area of Finland based on the best data available. The criteria to determine the marine habitats were discussed with the responsible bodies and the instructions (version 5.1), which include more precise criteria for determining marine habitat types than the Natura 2000 Habitats Manual (Airaksinen & Karttunen 2001), for a Natura 2000 inventory were utilised. On the basis of different criteria and test analyses, a decision was made to model potential rocky reefs which includes sites that are likely to have reef occurrences. The data concerning the marine habitats of restricted areas has been removed.

The marine habitat type data concerns the modelling work carried out within the Finnish Inventory Programme for the Underwater Marine Environment (VELMU) in spring 2015. The task was done in cooperation between the Geological Survey of Finland (GTK) and Åbo Academi University (ÅA). The work included the modelling of the marine habitats included in the Annex 1 of the Habitats Directive: reefs (1170) and sandbanks, which are slightly covered by sea water all the time (1110). The aforementioned marine habitat types are specified on the basis of seabed substrate type and topographic form and they can overlap one another. The objective was to produce comprehensive maps of the occurrences of reefs and sandbanks throughout the entire marine area of Finland based on the best data available. The criteria to determine the marine habitats were discussed with the responsible bodies and the instructions (version 5.1), which include more precise criteria for determining marine habitat types than the Natura 2000 Habitats Manual (Airaksinen & Karttunen 2001), for a Natura 2000 inventory were utilised. On the basis of different criteria and test analyses, a decision was made to model potential rocky reefs which includes sites that are likely to have reef occurrences. The data concerning the marine habitats of restricted areas has been removed.

The marine habitat type data concerns the modelling work carried out within the Finnish Inventory Programme for the Underwater Marine Environment (VELMU) in spring 2015. The task was done in cooperation between the Geological Survey of Finland (GTK) and Åbo Academi University (ÅA). The work included the modelling of the marine habitats included in the Annex 1 of the Habitats Directive: reefs (1170) and sandbanks, which are slightly covered by sea water all the time (1110). The aforementioned marine habitat types are specified on the basis of seabed substrate type and topographic form and they can overlap one another. The objective was to produce comprehensive maps of the occurrences of reefs and sandbanks throughout the entire marine area of Finland based on the best data available. The criteria to determine the marine habitats were discussed with the responsible bodies and the instructions (version 5.1), which include more precise criteria for determining marine habitat types than the Natura 2000 Habitats Manual (Airaksinen & Karttunen 2001), for a Natura 2000 inventory were utilised. On the basis of different criteria and test analyses, a decision was made to model potential rocky reefs which includes sites that are likely to have reef occurrences. The data concerning the marine habitats of restricted areas has been removed.

The marine habitat type data concerns the modelling work carried out within the Finnish Inventory Programme for the Underwater Marine Environment (VELMU) in spring 2015. The task was done in cooperation between the Geological Survey of Finland (GTK) and Åbo Academi University (ÅA). The work included the modelling of the marine habitats included in the Annex 1 of the Habitats Directive: reefs (1170) and sandbanks, which are slightly covered by sea water all the time (1110). The aforementioned marine habitat types are specified on the basis of seabed substrate type and topographic form and they can overlap one another. The objective was to produce comprehensive maps of the occurrences of reefs and sandbanks throughout the entire marine area of Finland based on the best data available. The criteria to determine the marine habitats were discussed with the responsible bodies and the instructions (version 5.1), which include more precise criteria for determining marine habitat types than the Natura 2000 Habitats Manual (Airaksinen & Karttunen 2001), for a Natura 2000 inventory were utilised. On the basis of different criteria and test analyses, a decision was made to model potential rocky reefs which includes sites that are likely to have reef occurrences. The data concerning the marine habitats of restricted areas has been removed.

The marine habitat type data concerns the modelling work carried out within the Finnish Inventory Programme for the Underwater Marine Environment (VELMU) in spring 2015. The task was done in cooperation between the Geological Survey of Finland (GTK) and Åbo Academi University (ÅA). The work included the modelling of the marine habitats included in the Annex 1 of the Habitats Directive: reefs (1170) and sandbanks, which are slightly covered by sea water all the time (1110). The aforementioned marine habitat types are specified on the basis of seabed substrate type and topographic form and they can overlap one another. The objective was to produce comprehensive maps of the occurrences of reefs and sandbanks throughout the entire marine area of Finland based on the best data available. The criteria to determine the marine habitats were discussed with the responsible bodies and the instructions (version 5.1), which include more precise criteria for determining marine habitat types than the Natura 2000 Habitats Manual (Airaksinen & Karttunen 2001), for a Natura 2000 inventory were utilised. On the basis of different criteria and test analyses, a decision was made to model potential sandbanks which includes sites that are likely to have sandbank occurrences. The data covers only the Northern Bothnian Sea.

The Lagoon data was created from the orthoimagery and GIS analysis. Lagoons connected to the sea were identified from the aerial images provided by the National Land Survey of Finland and were digitized by utilizing the shoreline data from the chart. Selection criteria were e.g. enclosed nature. Unattached lagoons, gloe lakes, were bordered by using the lake data from the topographic database (National Land Survey of Finland) and contour lines. Water areas lower than 2,5 m asl were selected to add to the lagoon data. Lakes above 2,5 m have most probably been separate lagoons for a long time and therefore interpreted as gloe lakes that are not included into the final lagoon data.