CGBN Co-ordination Group for Biodiversity and Nature 12th meeting - 29/03/12 Agenda item 3 EU Biodiversity Strategy – interface with Marine Strategy Framework Directive Cold-water coral Lophelia pertusa © Rohan Holt

The Marine Strategy Framework Directive EU’s legal instrument for the protection of our seas Overall objective: achieve or maintain Good Environmental Status (GES) of all EU marine waters by 2020. Adoption of an ecosystem-based and integrated approach to the management of all human activities which have an impact on the marine environment. Overarching Goal: Achieve GES of EU’s Marine Waters by 2020 Protected Ecosystems    Clean, healthy, productive seas Sustainable Uses of Europe’s marine resources Common Approaches  Cooperation at the EU and regional level Regional approach to implementation, through establishment of Marine Regions and Sub-regions 2

Implementation Steps GES 2020 Main steps of a Marine Strategy: Initial assessment (IA) of current environmental status of MS waters Determination of GES Establishment of environmental targets and associated indicators Monitoring programme for ongoing assessment and regular updating of targets Programme of measures to achieve or maintain GES Review of the different steps Main steps of a Marine Strategy: IA, targets & indicators 2012 (+ 6 years) Monitoring Programmes 2014 Programmes of Measures 2015 Implementation 2016 Six-year review 2018 – 2021 GES 2020

MSFD regions and subregions Draft map Extended coverage for Continental Shelf areas – Atlantic states

Initial assessment Article 8 – initial assessment of MS marine waters, due 2012, updated 2018: Characteristics of MS marine waters, based on Annex III, Table 1 Analysis of pressures and impacts, based on Annex III, Table 2 An economic & social analysis, and cost of degradation 5

Sand & gravel extraction Activity A Oil & gas Activity B Sand & gravel extraction Activity C Shipping Activity D Fishing Activity Pressure Z Habitat disturbance Pressure Pressure Y Contamination Pressure X Underwater noise Component A Cetaceans Component B Fish Component C Seabirds Component D Pelagic habitat Component E Seabed habitat State Desired state of environment GES - Acceptable levels of impact IMPACTS Acceptable levels of pressure GES - Links within Art 8 PoMs - Focus on pressures – where, how much, how frequent Economic & social analysis Art 8.1c Assessment of pressures Art 8.1b Table 2 Assessment of state Art 8.1a Table 1

Annex III, Table 1 Characteristics of marine waters (1) Features Topics Physical and chemical features Topography, bathymetry of seabed Temperature regime Ice cover Current velocity Upwelling Wave exposure Mixing characteristics Turbidity Residence time Salinity Nutrients & oxygen pH, pCO2

Annex III, Table 1 Characteristics of marine waters (2) Features Topics Habitat types Predominant seabed & water column habitats Special habitat types Biological features Biological communities of predominant habitats Fish Mammals and reptiles Seabirds Species protected by Directives & Conventions Non-indigenous & genetically-modified species Other features Chemicals of concern Other features/characteristics

Annex III, Table 2 Pressures and impacts Pressure themes Pressures Physical loss Smothering, sealing Physical damage Siltation, abrasion, extraction Other physical disturbance Noise Litter Interference with hydrological processes Thermal regime changes Salinity regime changes Contamination by hazardous substances Synthetic compounds Non-synthetic compounds Radio-nuclides Systematic or intentional release of substances e.g. CO2 storage, produced water Nutrient & organic enrichment Inputs of N & P-rich substances Inputs of organic matter Biological disturbance Microbial pathogens Non-indigenous species Extraction of species (incl. by-catch)

GES and targets Article 9 – Determination of GES: 11 ‘descriptors’ of GES (Annex I) D1 – Biodiversity D3 – Commercial fish D4 – Food-webs D6 – Seafloor integrity Each descriptor has criteria and indicators (2010 COM Decision) Article 10 – Targets to achieve GES: State, impact, pressure or operational Associated indicators 11

Characteristics reporting sheets Reports on: Component A Component B Component C Component D Component E Characteristics reporting sheets List of ecosystem components: Physical/chemical Species/functional groups Habitats Ecosystem functions Reports on: Pressure C Pressure D Pressure E Pressure A Pressure B Pressures & Impacts reporting sheets Reports on: Activity A Activity B Activity C Activity D Activity E Socio-economic reporting sheets Goods & services Impacts Initial Assessment List of pressures: Physical Hydrological Chemical Biological List of human activities: Sea-based Land-based Pressures Reporting for the Initial Assessment is structured around Tables 1 and 2 in Annex III of the MSFD, leading to reports on components of the ecosystem (e.g. a species, a habitat) or on a pressure and its impacts (e.g. physical damage, nutrient enrichment). Under discussion within WG DIKE is also the possibility to structure the economic and social analysis (Art 8.1c) according to the sectors of human activity. These three main types of report are interlinked: activities give rise to pressures, pressures to impacts on the ecosystem components and the ecosystem provides good and services upon which the activities depend, it is helpful to enable cross-reference of individual reports to related reports (e.g. which activities are causing a pressure, which components are impacted by a particular pressure). The reporting sheets facilitate this linkage through use of a common list of activities, pressures and components. 12

List of GES descriptors Criteria Reports on current status of ecosystem components from initial assessment Reports on current status of pressures & impacts from initial assessment List of GES descriptors D1, D2, …… D10, D11 GES Descriptor ... Descriptor 10 Descriptor 11 Descriptor1 Descriptor 2 Reports on GES for: Criterion 1.1 Criterion 1.2 Criterion 2.1 Criterion ...1 Criterion 10.1 Criterion 11.1 Criterion 10.2 Other Target A Target B Target C Target Y Target Z Target .. Reports on Targets and associated indicators Targets may be linked to Descriptors, Criteria or ‘Other’ Reporting on the characteristics of GES (Art 9) and the setting of targets and associated indicators (Art 10) can be seen as separate but related tasks, which in turn link to the initial assessment (Art 8). The IA should provide an assessment of the current status of a component or pressure, preferably according to the criteria used to define GES (the desired status) from the Commission Decision; targets should then be defined to bridge the gap between current and desired status and again are likely to be associated to the criteria for assessment of status. 13

MSFD reporting & time lines MSFD reporting concept paper (December 2011) Reporting sheets developed (May 2011-March 2012) Testing of reporting tools (April-May 2012) MS complete reports on Art. 8, 9, 10 (July 2012) Notify Commission (October 2012) Priority fields (October 2012), rest by April 2013 Forward process on data access, streamlining & harmonisation (to 2018) agreed by Marine Directors

Long term vision – Marine Directors December 2011 Through close cooperation with Member States, to: Jointly develop WISE-Marine as a comprehensive and shared European data and information management system Includes use of EMODnet and INSPIRE processes to establish the required infrastructure and data access Use of EMODnet for MSFD purposes operational, where possible, from 2012 onwards and fully support MSFD reporting by 2018 as a significant contribution to the Marine Knowledge 2020 agenda In particular, address: 1. Streamlining future reporting requirements; 2. Harmonising reporting under MSFD with that of other EU Directives and policies (e.g. for Regional Sea Conventions)

Streamlining – with EU Biodiversity Strategy & other policies MSFD reporting in 2012: Substantial assessment by MS in 2012 Comprehensive topic and geographical coverage of EU waters Reporting will draw upon existing reporting , where possible High-level aggregation of existing information e.g. Bathing Waters, Shellfish Waters Streamlining with Habitats & Birds Directives Follow HBD reporting format Allow delayed reporting to 2013 (to HBD time lines) Re-use of assessments, where possibly Contribute to EU Biodiversity Strategy – 2014 Contribute to UN Regular Process – 2014

EU Biodiversity Strategy Target 4 – Sustainable use of fisheries resources Achieve MSY by 2015. Achieve a population age and size distribution indicative of a healthy stock, through fisheries management with no significant adverse impacts on other stocks, species and ecosystems, in support of achieving GES by 2020, as required by the MSFD Links to MSFD Descriptor 3 – commercial fish and shellfish Biodiversity descriptors 1, 4 and 6 Descriptor 3 ICES report on D3 – advice on defining GES Workshop 24-25 April to discuss its application and future needs MS, regional sea conventions, stakeholders, DG MARE & ENV, ICES, GCFM

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