1. Maritime Eionet workshop
26 October 2010
Present yourself!

2. New EU policy context: Ecosystem based management
Coastal area
EU Integrated Maritime Policy, incl. CFP
Thematic Strategy for the Protection
and Conservation of the
Marine Environment
Water Framework Directive
Marine Protected Areas
(e.g. Natura2000)
Now (beyond the WFD – pioneer!) there is stronger promotion of the ecosystem-based approach to the management of human activities in the EU’s marine environment:
Marine Strategy Framework Directive (entry into force June 2008)
Integrated Maritime Policy driving also the Common Fisheries Policy and all other sectoral actions (endorsement of ‘Blue book’ by European Council 14 December 2007), the MSFD is its ‘environmental pillar’
Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) sets 'boundary conditions' (sustainability) for maritime activities – including fisheries - in Europe, which will need to work towards achieving 'good environmental status' (GES) in marine waters by GES = the ultimate aim of the Directive).
The MSFD also:
Places the Habitats and Birds directives into a GES context => Clearly indicates that marine protected areas (MPAs) within Natura2000 are a TOOL to achieve GES
Reinforces marine biodiversity international commitments/agreements, such as the CBDs’ halting of biodiversity loss’ (2010) and MPA network establishment (2012)

3. Assessments moving slowly from DPSIR framework to ecosystem services
Better expression of impacts on human health and socio-economics
EEA will publish a 2012 European Ecosystem Assessment (EURECA): Marine component under consideration
Main EEA marine assessment improvements since
Issues addressed  Not enough to provide a pan-European picture in terms of DPSIR and outlook => Now more!
Data coverage  Not always pan-European depending on the issue (i.e. no equal representation of the 4 regional seas) => Now aiming at that and expanding!
Integration  Poor link to land-based inputs and no overall picture of the situation (i.e. all the issues together) => Now aiming at that
Policy relevance and effectiveness  Do not reflect that the ecosystem-based approach (WFD, MSFD, IMP) is now part => Now doing that!

4. Working towards producing an integrated marine/maritime assessment around 2013 - 2015
Integrated assessment means to assess the full D-P-S-I-R framework in the context of the marine and coastal environment.
Maritime economy as a driver of human activities
The environmental consequences of these activities
Potential of policy responses – are they enough? What more is needed on the European level?
Start to develop both concept and content in collaboration with ETC/W + ETC/Lusi
Develop a list of priorities of topics to cover
Scale of assessment – e.g. to which extent will it be possible to develop a pan-European assessment?
Can we collect enough data to implement an assessment tool?
Highlight the support of the international community to achieve these goals

5. The purpose…
Achieve Good Environmental Status within the marine ecosystems, while promoting long-term sustainable use of marine resources
Ecological components and human activities only have one thing in common - They all influence place and/or exist somewhere
The basic challenges for MSP to support ecosystem-based management:
Describe the ecosystem in a spatial context
Describe human activities in a spatial context
Link ecosystem components with human activities -> set targets
Implement Programme of Measures, (incl. spatial plan) based on an ecological understanding, to achieve GES
Keep within the framework and “guidance” of EU Maritime Policy

6. Cumulative activities – difficult to maintain overview
Power plant
Shipping intensity
Waterborne P
Heavy metal deposition
Harbour
Pelagic trawling
Operating wind farm
Source and Impact value
Areas with specific sea use at the Belgian coast (source: DG MARE and HELCOM)

7. Relevant examples from MESH and BALANCE projects
Seabed map showing EUNIS habitat types
Benthic marine landscapes – What are the dominant landscape types of seas?
Source: searchmesh.net
Source: BALANCE Interim Report No. 10

8. Pressure index – illustrating cumulative pressures
Courtesy HELCOM HOLAS

9. Impact index – combining pressures with ecological values
Three main elements:
Data on pressures
Expert judgment of effect upon ecosystem component
Presence of ecosystem component in assessed area e.g. broad scale habitat map
HOLAS anvender 3 elementer:
Data om presfaktorer
Vægtning af virkning på økosystem komponent
Tilstedeværelse af økosystem komponenet i vurderingslokalitet
På kortet viser en samlet fremstilling af presfaktorernes samlede virkning på de forskellige dele af Østersøen.
Øger vores forståelse af påvirkningerne på det marine økosystem og dets komponenter
Viser hvor der er flere aktiviteter der påvirker sammen natur - synliggører kumulative effekter (problemområder)
Kan bidrage til at finde de mest omkostningseffektive løsninger ift. indsatsprogrammet (se næste slide)
Kan anvendes på alle geografiske niveauer (Marin region, sub-region, sub-division, lokal)
Kartografisk præsentation med stor kommunikativ værdi
Får harmoniseret med vore naboer
På sigt, understøtter fysisk planlægning
Courtesy HELCOM HOLAS

10. B. S. Halpern et al., Science 319, 948 -952 (2008)
Fig. 1. Global map (A) of cumulative human impact across 20 ocean ecosystem types
B. S. Halpern et al., Science 319, (2008)
Published by AAAS

11. Marine Core Service data Reference layers (maps)
BIG HELP: Integrated Maritime Policy – has identified Marine Observations as a need!
Policy relevant data
Country data
Marine Core Service data
Research data
Reference layers (maps)
EuropeanMarine Observation Data NETwork
Wise-Marine
In the maritime Policy Blue Book published in 2007, the EC promised to take step towards developing a European Marine Observation Data Network in order to provide access to high quality marine data.
Ongoing Integrated Maritime Policy preparatory actions ( )
Network of existing and developing European observation systems, linked by a data management structure covering all European coastal waters, shelf seas and surrounding ocean basins, accessible to everyone
Main tasks:
Integrate and expand the combined in situ and remote sensing of open ocean, shelf seas and coastal observation systems
Harmonise different methodologies and strategies for data management under common protocols, data formats and quality control
Ensure consistent distribution of data for user applications including regional data interpretation, environmental assessments and modelling
Maps of broad-scale European sea-bed habitats
EMODNET will be the data core of WISE-Marine
MSFD

12. EMODNET & Sea bottom mapping
Developing WISE-Marine (marine component of the Water Information System for Europe)
EEA
information services
National
Data
Centres
Research projects
Sub-national
Data
Centres
Internet
(Inspire)
User
WISE-Marine has been under development since 2007 (preparatory work lead by the EEA and DG ENV).
Now its further development is part of the MSFD European implementation Strategy. over
Partnership of a wide range of data providers at different level, keeping data as close as possible to its source, to ensure quality and maintenance, e.g. FP projects
Links to data sources include the Integrated Maritime Policy’s EMODNET (main raw data provider) and the Sea bottom mapping project
WISE-Marine should allow access to the data and information but it mainly aims at providing an ‘interpretation’ of this information: e.g. Indicators and Assessments
MSFD & WFD data
GMES
International
Conventions
Data from
other
Directives
EMODNET & Sea bottom mapping
Geo-ref.

13. Distributing information & knowledge
DATA
ASSESSMENTS
INFORMATION
SERVICES
ENVIRONMENTAL INDICATORS
The 3 aspects (called ‘tools’ for EEA work on the previous slide):
Indicators
Assessments (both methods and outputs)
Information systems
are highlighted here as there are ‘entry points’ for addressing deep-sea issues in all of them that could be strengthened (with help from HERMES). This will be illustrated in detail as we go along
Decision-makers / The public / NGO’s / Researchers

14. In conclusion...
Describing the maritime sector and our need to quantify pressures on the marine environment.
Information system development /Atlases/coastal indicators and the role of spatial analysis and data integration
Maritime spatial planning and ICZM
Role of economic activities in coastal communities
Maritime surveillance
Climate change adaptation on the coast.

15. Assessments in a global context
EEA is contributor to The 'Assessment of Assessments' established by decision of the UN.
Recommends a regular global process for assessing the state of the marine environment based on fundamental agreed principles – expected formaly endorsed by the general assemply on 15/
First cycle planned
It is an international initiative to improve our understanding of the oceans and to develop a global mechanism for delivering science-based information to decision makers and public.  
An example of a process established largely by members of the scientific community who have engaged in a global process. It has not yet been decided how the EU will contribute to this process, but probably using the same assessment cycle as devised in the MSFD.

16. Principles to guide the Regular UN Process:
Viewing the oceans as part of the whole Earth system;
Regular evaluation of assessment products and the process itself to support adaptive management;
Use of sound science and the promotion of scientific excellence;
Regular and proactive analysis to ensure that emerging issues, significant changes and gaps in knowledge are detected at an early stage;
Continuous improvement in scientific and assessment capacity;
Effective links with policy-makers and other users;
Inclusiveness with respect to communication and engagement with all stakeholders through appropriate means for their participation
Transparency and accountability for the process and its products.”
For these principles to be implemented the following needs to be considered:
Participation – roles and responsibilities: Within the
agreed institutional arrangements, the respective roles and
responsibilities of governments, experts, the secretariat and
other stakeholders should be clearly articulated in order to
avoid misunderstandings, promote transparency and ensure the
integrity and infl uence of the Regular Process;
b. Assessment procedures: The scientific credibility of an
assessment can be signifi cantly affected by the approach
taken on a number of procedural questions such as quality
assurance, nomination and selection of experts, peer review
and the treatment of uncertainty and lack of consensus among
experts.
c. Capacity building and networking: The initial stage of the
Regular Process must include effective steps to identify the
areas in which capacities need to be developed.
d. Post-assessment evaluation: Since one of the founding
principles of an effective assessment process is that it should
be iterative and adaptive, it is vital to agree on procedures
to evaluate both assessment products and the Regular Process
itself. This should include experts, policy-makers and other
users (e.g., private sector), including both those involved in the
assessment and those who have not been involved in any way.
The principles are also supported by a set of key design features that include:
The objectives and scope of individual assessments;
An effective relationship between science and policy;
Modalities for stakeholder participation;
Nomination and selection of experts;
Data and information: sourcing, quality assurance and the availability and accessibility of underlying data and information;
Treatment of lack of consensus among experts;
Treatment of uncertainty;
Peer review;
Effective communication;
Capacity building and networking;
Post-assessment evaluation.
Full report available at:

17. Thank you!