1. 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

2. 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

3. 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

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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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)

10. 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

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

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

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

14. 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)

15. 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

16. EU Biodiversity Strategy
Target 4 – Sustainable use of fisheries resources
Achieve MSY by 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 April to discuss its application and future needs
MS, regional sea conventions, stakeholders, DG MARE & ENV, ICES, GCFM

17. Thank you for your attention !