This information is available at http://www.puolustusvoimat.fi/en/navy ->Restricted areas 

RESTRICTED AREAS ON THE FINNISH COAST

Instructions for movement, stay and engagement in activities within the 
restricted areas in Finland's territorial waters.

This document is based on the Act on Finland's Territorial Surveillance 
(755/18.8.2000) and based on it, the Decree on Territorial Surveillance 
(971/16.11.2000) and the Decree on the Restricted Areas (1125/14.12.2000). 

Instructions for the restricted areas and the permission procedure have been 
collected in this document. The regulations governing the restricted areas apply 
to water areas within the restricted areas only. These regulations concern 
everyone regardless of nationality. The territorial supervisory authorities 
(military, frontier guard, police, customs, navigation and aviation authorities) 
control that these regulations are complied with. A person engaged in an 
activity violating these regulations may be fined for a territorial violation. 
Regulations governing movement within military areas apply to military areas 
located within the restricted areas and marked as such on the basis of law. 

The Finnish Defence Staff has issued procedural guidelines for other activities, 
such as investigation and charting of the sea bottom (Act on Territorial 
Surveillance, Section 12) that are subject to permission under the Act on 
Territorial Surveillance and take place within the sea area. 

LIMITATIONS WITHIN THE RESTRICTED AREAS AND RULES OF AUTHORITY 

As such, the restrictions governing the restricted areas do not limit the 
movement within restricted areas anymore, except for movement in the proximity 
of marked military objectives located within the restricted areas 
(Section17/1.4) 

Under the Act on Territorial Surveillance, Section 17, the following activities 
are not allowed without permission within a restricted area: 


- Scuba diving or underwater activity that normally is not included in 
navigation such as, for instance, the anchoring of buoys at the bottom, dredging 
and piling of bottom material, lowering of cables. 

- Fishing without permission with fishing tackle dragged along the bottom or 
with heavy tackle anchored at the bottom, such as seine, trawl or large bow net. 

- Anchoring other than pleasure craft outside anchorages marked on the Finnish 
sea charts unless necessary due to navigational safety, force majeure or an 
emergency situation. A pleasure craft means a vessel with an overall length 
(LOA) under 24 metres, intended for use in sport and recreation. 

- Movement in a public water area outside public fairways 100 m closer to such 
land areas used by the Finnish Defence Forces at which landing, based on law, 
has been marked as prohibited. The regulation governs movement on ice as well. 
Movement in a private water area or a marked fairway running closer than 100 
metres to the above military areas is not subject to permission. A permit 
granted to enter into a military area within a restricted area gives the right 
to move within the above100-metre zone. 

Authorities do not need permission when in charge of their duties within a 
restricted area. The military or frontier guard authority has to be informed of 
this as soon as possible. 

A permit granted under the Act on Territorial Surveillance does not free the 
person in question from applying for permits that based on other legislation are 
needed in the requested activity. 

When engaged in an activity subject to permission in a restricted area, the 
person in question must carry a permit issued by the supervisory authority and 
an identity card, which he or she is obliged to present, on request, to the 
territorial supervisory authority in the supervising function. 

Under the Act on Territorial Surveillance, the territorial supervisory authority 
has the right to give, if necessary, admonitions, warnings and orders to the 
person who violates or runs the risk of violating this law or the rules and 
regulations given based on it. 

An activity within a restricted area governed by Section 17 and subject to 
permission may be, for essential reasons, wholly or partially interrupted by 
decree at the most for three months at a time. The rights of the Ministry of 
Defence to limit water traffic in the other parts of Finland's territorial 
waters have been separately prescribed in the Act on Territorial Surveillance. 
For the security of the nation, the Ministry of Defence may, for essential 
reasons, prohibit water traffic in a limited part of Finland's territorial 
waters at the most for seven days at a time. 

GRANTING AND REVOKING PERMISSION; THE PERMISSION PROCEDURE 

All permission matters concerning restricted areas are handled by the Navy Command Finland.

A permit for an activity subject to permission within a restricted area may be 
granted at the most for a calendar year at a time if it does not endanger the 
surveillance and safeguarding of Finland's territorial integrity. 
In the permit, it is possible to give necessary orders regarding 
the activity, the equipment used and the time and place of the activity from the 
point of view of the security of territorial surveillance as well as that of the 
applicant. 

The application must include information on possible side scan sonars or 
on heavy fishing tackle dragged along the bottom/anchored at the bottom. 

The application for permission shall have arrived at least six (6) days before 
the planned start of the activity meant in the application. The application for 
permission has to be made on the confirmed form and delivered to the 
Navy Command Finland by fax or by mail. The application form can be printed out 
from the website www.puolustusvoimat.fi/en/navy.
  
Address:
Merivoimien esikunta / Operaatiokeskus
PL 58
20811 Turku

Write "Suoja-aluelupahakemus" on the envelope.

Tel (Int) +358 299 300666
Fax (Int) +358 299 303900