1. Marine Reporting Units: Western Mediterranean Sea
Towards a set of
Marine Reporting Units:
Western Mediterranean Sea
2nd workshop on subdivisions of the Mediterranean Sea
20 February 2018, Athens

2. Following maps and table provide a basis for workshop discussions
Map shows:
Boundary of MSFD subregion
Possible subdivisions – main basins with indicative boundaries (based on June 2017 meeting in Rome)
WFD coastal and territorial waters (transitional waters also shown for information – not part of MSFD marine waters) (2016)
MS marine waters (solid = water column; hatched = seabed only) (2012 reporting)
Table shows:
Indicative allocation of descriptors and criteria to each of the MRU scales (based on Decision (EU) 2017/848)
To be discussed at workshop:
Possible specific boundaries of subdivisions (including most appropriate aggregations of WFD water bodies for D5 & D8)
Allocation of descriptors/criteria to each MRU scale
Identify issues needing further consideration (e.g. specific descriptors/criteria)
Distinguish what could be used for 2018 (e.g. WFD aggregations) and what is for later (e.g. joint assessments)

3. WFD territorial waters
WFD coastal waters
Subdivision
Central-north
Subdivision
Tyrrhenian Sea
Subdivision
Alboran Sea
Subdivision
Central-south
MS waters data as reported by EU Member States Illustrative map for purposes of MRU workshop only

4. Indicative allocation to areas
Scale
Areas (MRUs)
Descriptors
Region
Mediterranean
D1* deep-diving toothed cetaceans, baleen whales, deep-sea fish
Subregion
Western Mediterranean
D1* birds; mammals (small toothed cetaceans, seals), turtles, pelagic & demersal fish, cephalopods
D3 commercial fish & shellfish
D4 food webs
D8 Acute pollution (C3)
D9 Contaminants in seafood (??)
D11 Underwater noise (C1-C2)
Subdivision
Alboran Sea
Central-north
Central-south
Tyrrhenian Sea
D1* Coastal fish
D1 Pelagic habitats
D2 NIS (C1-C2)
D5 Eutrophication (beyond coastal) (C1-C8)
D6 Benthic habitats (C1-C6)
D7 Hydrography (C1-C2)
D8 Contaminants (beyond territorial) (C1-C2)
D10 Litter (C1-C2-C3)
WFD territorial waters
Aggregated to subdivisions
D8 Contaminants (territorial)
WFD coastal waters
D5 Eutrophication (coastal) (C1-C8)
D8 Contaminants (coastal - ? separate from territorial)
* Also impacts of NIS (D2C3), acute pollution (D8C4), litter (D10C4) on species in these species groups

5. Same map with WFD RDBs
MS waters data as reported by EU Member States Illustrative map for purposes of MRU workshop only

6. Feedback subgroup 4 (Western Mediterranean)
- Only IT and ES present
- In 2012:
ES reported everything using the subdivision level
IT used different assessment/reporting scales
- For 2018 reporting:
ES has considered the use of:
Coastal waters within RBD for D5 and D8
Beyond coastal waters: new MRUs have been defined for D5 (assessment areas in 2012), and approach for D8 still to be discussed
Use of subregional level still needs to be discussed
IT has considered the use of:
Aggregation of coastal waters per RBD will not be used. Most likely aggregation per subdivision for D5 and D8, and the subdivision level beyond the coastal waters
Subregion level may be used for D7 and D11
In any case, MRUs still to be agreed

7. Feedback subgroup 4 (Western Mediterranean)
- Subdivision of the Central MWE was not discussed in the 1st workshop. It will be considered whether there´s added value on having it
- Closer collaboration is needed between EEA and UNEP/MAP to further discuss the assessment scales that may be useful to the EU CP
- The IMAP includes the use of assessment scales and has highlighted the (sub)regional importance of the EO indicators, where in most cases it is coincident with the scales proposed by the GES Decision
- Coordination: a coordination meeting between ES, FR and IT is scheduled for the 19 March, where further discussions on the assessment scales will take place, with the participation of experts of each of the descriptors
- Sensitivity: Spain has removed Ceuta´s and Melilla´s waters from their official layer (to be reported soon). They will check whether the CW could be displayed or not
- MS are requested to check the overlaps and gaps of their marine waters in the subregion, in case they can be solved with technical solutions