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Through its working groups, the UKMMAS community will take up the challenges of further developing the criteria and indicators for determining the state of our seas, improving the assessment methodologies and addressing the knowledge gaps at UK, European and international level.
Enhancing research to address gaps in knowledge
UKMMAS and its working groups will work under the Marine Science Co-ordination Committee which recently published a 15 year UK Marine Science Strategy for delivering world class marine science to inform decisions on food and energy security, managing the seas sustainably and dealing with climate change. This should bring marine research and monitoring more closely together, and should further enhance the relationship between the research community and policy makers that we developed during the combined efforts that have led to this report. This should in turn enable a more objective process for the prioritising and funding of research needed to fill the gaps in knowledge.
Developing the targets and monitoring programmes for achieving Good Environmental Status
The key tasks of developing better targets and indicators, improving monitoring methodologies and addressing gaps in knowledge will also be driven to a large extent by our obligations under the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive. This legally binding instrument establishes a framework within which Member States must take measures to achieve or maintain Good Environmental Status in the marine environment by 2020. The achievement of Good Environmental Status under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and the achievement of clean, healthy, safe, productive and biologically diverse oceans and seas are intimately linked and bear many common elements.Akey feature of the Directive is the requirement for Member States to determine a set of characteristics for Good Environmental Status as well as associated targets and indicators. The UKMMAS community will need to provide advice in this regard, as well as playing a key role in delivering the necessary monitoring and assessment.
Initial assessment for the Marine Strategy Framework Directive
One of the key early requirements of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive is to make an initial assessment of the current status of the UK’s marine waters based on an analysis of their essential features and characteristics, and an analysis of the predominant pressures and impacts on them, including from human activity. The assessment must also include an economic and social analysis of the use of the UK’s marine waters and of the cost of degradation of the marine environment. The evidence compiled for the Charting Progress 2 assessment will clearly provide the main basis for the initial assessment. Box 8.1 shows the key requirements of the initial assessment, and where the key components in Charting Progress 2 and its Feeder Reports can be found.
Box 8.1 Location of information in Charting Progress 2 and its Feeder Reports relevant to the Initial Assessment for the Marine Strategy Framework Directive.
The Initial Assessment requires:
- An analysis of the essential features and characteristics, and current environmental status of a Member State’s marine waters, based on the indicative lists of elements set out in Table 1 of Annex III of the Directive (see Table 8.1), and covering the physical and chemical features, the habitat types, the biological features and the hydro-morphology.
- An analysis of the predominant pressures and impacts, including human activity, on the environmental status of those waters which:
- is based on the indicative lists of elements set out in Table 2 of Annex III (see Table 8.2), and covers the qualitative and quantitative mix of the various pressures, as well as discernible trends;
- covers the main cumulative and synergetic effects;
- takes account of the relevant assessments which have been made pursuant to existing EU legislation;
- An economic and social analysis of the use of those waters and of the cost of degradation of the marine environment.
Table 8.1 Location of relevant information. The table is based on the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, Annex III, Table 1: Characteristics. FR stands for Feeder Report
Physical and chemical features | Topography and bathymetry of the seabed Annual and seasonal temperature regime and sea-ice cover, current velocity, upwelling, wave exposure, mixing characteristics, turbidity,residence time Spatial and temporal distribution of salinity pH, pCO2 profiles or equivalent information used to measure marine acidification Spatial and temporal distribution of nutrients (dissolved inorganic nitrogen, total nitrogen, dissolved inorganic phosphorus, total phosphorus, total organic carbon) and oxygen | |
Habitat types | The predominant seabed and water column habitat type(s) with a description of the characteristic physical and chemical features, such as depth, water temperature regime, currents and other water movements, salinity, structure and substrata composition of the seabed Identification and mapping of special habitat types, especially those recognised or identified under EU legislation (the Habitats Directive and the Birds Directive) or international conventions as being of special scientific or biodiversity interest Habitats in areas which by virtue of their characteristics, location or strategic importance merit a particular reference. This may include areas subject to intense or specific pressures or areas which merit a specific protection regime | |
Biological Features | A description of the biological communities associated with the predominant seabed and water column habitats. This would include information on the phytoplankton and zooplankton communities, including the species and seasonal and geographical variability Information on angiosperms, macro‑algae and invertebrate bottom fauna, including species composition, biomass and annual/seasonal variability Information on the structure of fish populations, including the abundance, distribution and age/size structure of the populations A description of the population dynamics, natural and actual range and status of species of marine mammals and reptiles occurring in the Marine Region or Sub‑Region A description of the population dynamics, natural and actual range and status of species of seabirds occurring in the Marine Region or Sub‑Region A description of the population dynamics, natural and actual range and status of other species occurring in the Marine Region or Sub‑Region which are the subject of EU legislation or international agreements An inventory of the temporal occurrence, abundance and spatial distribution of non-indigenous, exotic species or, where relevant, genetically distinct forms of native species, which are present in the Marine Region or Sub‑Region > tion of the situation with regard to chemicals, including chemicals giving rise to concern, sediment contamination, hot spots, health issues and contamination of biota (especially biota meant for human consumption) A description of any other features or characteristics typical of or specific to the Marine Region or Sub‑Region | |
Other features | A description of the situation with regard to chemicals, including chemicals giving rise to concern, sediment contamination, hot spots, health issues and contamination of biota (especially biota meant for human consumption) A description of any other features or characteristics typical of or specific to the Marine Region or Sub‑Region |
Table 8.2 Location of relevant information. The table is based on the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, Annex III, Table 2: Pressures and Impacts. FR stands for Feeder Report.
Physical loss | Smothering (e.g. by man-made structures, disposal of dredge spoil) Sealing (e.g. by permanent constructions) | |
Physical Damage | Changes in siltation (e.g. by outfalls, increased run-off, dredging/ disposal of dredge spoil) Abrasion (e.g. impact on the seabed of commercial fishing, boating, anchoring) Selective extraction (e.g. exploration and exploitation of living and non-living resources on seabed and subsoil) | |
Other physical Disturbance | Underwater noise (e.g. from shipping, underwater acoustic equipment) Marine litter | |
Interference with hydrological Processes | Significant changes in thermal regime (e.g. by outfalls from power stations) Significant changes in salinity regime (e.g. by constructions impeding water movements, water abstraction) | |
Contamination by hazardous Substances | Introduction of synthetic compounds (e.g. priority substances under Directive 2000/60/EC which are relevant for the marine environment such as pesticides, antifoulants, pharmaceuticals, resulting e.g. from losses from diffuse sources, pollution by ships, atmospheric deposition and biologically active substances); Introduction of non-synthetic substances and compounds (e.g. heavy metals, hydrocarbons, resulting e.g. from pollution by ships and oil, gas and mineral exploration and exploitation, atmospheric deposition, riverine inputs); Introduction of radio nuclides. | |
Systematic and/ or intentional release of Substances | Introduction of other substances, whether solid, liquid or gas, in marine waters, resulting from their systematic and/or intentional release into the marine environment, as permitted in accordance with other Community legislation and/or international conventions. | |
Nutrient and organic matter Enrichment | Inputs of fertilisers and other nitrogen - and phosphorus-rich substances (e.g. from point and diffuse sources, including agriculture, aquaculture, atmospheric deposition); Inputs of organic matter (e.g. sewers, mariculture, riverine inputs). | |
Biological Disturbance | Introduction of microbial pathogens; Introduction of non-indigenous species and translocations; Selective extraction of species, including incidental non-target catches (e.g. by commercial and recreational fishing). |
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