ur-EMODnet progress meeting EUSeaMap Preparatory Action for development & assessment of a European broad-scale seabed habitat map Brussels, 7 th June 2011

Objectives & Methods recap Products Achievements General MRAG review Feedback Next steps – Maintenance phase Future developments Future

Objectives Review and analyse existing broad-scale marine habitat mapping efforts in terms of methods used, data requirements and applications. Prepare a broad-scale digital seabed habitat map using common functional mapping methods for the Baltic, North Sea, Celtic Seas and Western Mediterranean. This should include both the constituent layers (features) used to derive the functional units as well as the final classified layers. Make the digital map layers available to stakeholders and develop an on-line mapping tool to display the layers incorporating a site to make the data available to the public. Assess the benefits and constraints of using broad scale categories of the EUNIS marine habitat types, in comparison to the use of other regional variations and what shortcomings could be addressed by more accuracy and higher resolution. Determine the effort required to develop a complete broad-scale coverage of waters surrounding the European continent and that required to provide a more accurate, higher resolution survey-based mapping. Maintain the map layers. 6/10/2016EMODnet 3 Ongoing

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Biologically relevant? Represented in EUNIS? Combination A Combination B e.g. Depth e.g. Seabed salinity e.g. Sediment type Other possible parameters: Energy at seabed (waves, currents) Light penetration Seabed temperature Oxygen levels Stratification

So what was needed? 1. Full coverage layers – physical data 2. Thresholds – biological (habitat or reference species) data 3. Confidence – physical and biological (habitat) data

Substrate 1. Full coverage layers – physical data

Bathymetry Comparison for Ligurian Sea GEBCO 08 EMODnet

MESH – seaWiFS (9km) UKSeaMap2010 – AquaMODIS (4km) EUSeaMap – MERIS 250m (coastal waters) 1km (offshore) Baltic:Improved secchi depth layer Light attenuation

Also… Kinetic energy (function of orbital/current velocity) at the seabed layers for waves and tidal currents Baltic - Hydrographic models (DHI 3HS) and SWM North/Celtic – ProWAM (12.5km) and DHI/ABPMer (100m) Multiple statistics Salinity, Halocline, improved wavebase Energy

Thresholds 6/10/2016EMODnet 12 e.g. Infra/circa boundary – w Med Healthy status Posidonia oceanica meadows Minimum % light values within meadows

Baltic habitat map 6/10/2016EMODnet 13

North and Celtic seas habitat map 6/10/2016EMODnet 14

Western Mediterranean habitat map 6/10/2016EMODnet 15

EUSeaMap 4 marine regions: Baltic, Celtic, North & western Mediterranean Proposed EUNIS classification (top levels) for Baltic 54 habitat types for Baltic 69 habitat types North/Celtic 20 habitat types for W Med Associated confidence maps Report – including Applications

1. Validation by external data Accuracy percentage statistics based on matches between modelled data and point field data 2. Assessing quality of source data Scoring of key source data (bathymetry and substrate) gives good visual indication of confidence in habitat maps, and highlights where improvements are most needed in future 3. Confidence in thresholds Cell by cell measure of confidence by the model using fuzzy classifiers to visualise confidence in transitional areas Confidence: 3 approaches

Applications Application of Implementation of MSFD A harmonised broad scale habitat map Initial assessment and GES GES, and multiple and cumulative pressures on habitats Representative networks of MPAs Application broad scale habitat maps for the strategic planning of offshore industries exemplified by marine aggregate extraction Application of broad scale habitat maps for the strategic planning of offshore industries exemplified by offshore wind farm Limited application of broad scale habitat maps for tourism industry 6/10/2016EMODnet 18

Feedback HELCOM – adopting proposed EUNIS classification Various uses – MSFD (e.g. France, UK), MPA analysis User requests and conferences As much interest in the input layers! 6/10/2016EMODnet 19 General MRAG review Feedback

6/10/2016EMODnet 20 MRAG review comments Separate data catalogue? Main page similar to other EMODNET portals? Make key more ‘user friendly’? There is an apparent contradiction between the application ‘terms and conditions’ and the ‘conditions of use’ which is potentially misleading General MRAG review Feedback

Model re-run webGIS – metadata catalogue using CAMIOON (INSPIRE) Publicity inc. Executive Summary, Conferences and Peer review EUNIS Maintenance Phase (to Feb 12) Next steps – Maintenance Phase Future developments Future

Broad-scale maps have limitations, e.g. Input data quality and resolution Understanding links to biological communities (habitat classification and thresholds) Only suitable for national/regional applications BUT they represent best option at the moment Fine-scale (acoustic mapping with ground-truthing) Growing effort, but many countries without national strategies Decades to complete at current rates Estimated €900m for multibeam alone Economic and environmental demands are high Future developments Next steps – Maintenance Phase Future developments Future

Future developments MESH Atlantic – June 2012 Investigate link up between Habitat and Biology Other areas – eastern Med., Black Sea, Norway/Iceland, Macaronesia Benefits of increased resolution – e.g. 100m 6/10/2016EMODnet 23