A tale of two directives: A Swedish approach to assessment of benthic habitats Anna Karlsson Norbert Häubner

A tale of two directives: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair” Quote from A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens

Coordination HD-MSFD Marine mammals regional assessment in RSC:s Integration rules according to HD applied Discussion about reference values Focus in Sweden on benthic habitats (D6C5) 2019-01-17

Basis for assessment of benthic habitats (D6C5): For an ecologically relevant assessment, you need: Habitat specific thresholds below EUNIS 2/3 in order to cover biology For acceptable loss of essential habitats, e.g. fish recruitment Definition of adverse effects (threshold in terms of state/pressure relation) Aggregation of relevant habitat types towards broad habitat types Habitat maps of relevant resolution Mapping of relevant pressures 2019-01-17

Questions we tried to answer: Are N2000 habitats representative for certain broad habitat types? N2000 are biotope complexes and might not fit in the EUNIS system on levels below level 2 or 3. 2019-01-17

Questions we tried to answer: Are N2000 habitats representative for certain broad habitat types? Spice 2018 2019-01-17

Questions we tried to answer: Are N2000 habitats representative for certain broad habitat types? N2000 are biotope complexes and might not fit in the EUNIS system on levels below level 2 or 3. Could typical species assigned for N2000 habitats be used for definition of structure & function within MSFD? 2019-01-17

Questions we tried to answer - structure & function: Helcom: ”Condition of benthic habitats” Parameter   Status GES sub-GES, close to GES sub-GES, far from GES Area Stable or increasing Decline <10% Decline >10% Extent Quality* ≥90% of area or stations in good status <90-75% of area or stations in good status >25% of area or stations in bad status Overall assessment** All "green" One or more "amber", but no "red" One or more "red" 2019-01-17

Questions we tried to answer - structure & function: Pilot study in the North of Sweden for lagoons Response parameters: Number of typical species (average & max) Number of HUB level 6 species and HUB level 6 classes (average & max) Coverage HUB level 6 species in relation to relevant pressures (physical disturbance) 2019-01-17

Questions we tried to answer - structure & function: Weak pressure/state correlation GES assessment in lagoons not possible 2019-01-17

Alternative assessment for benthic habitats: Based on WFD/Helcom assessment If assessment not available HD assessment Risk analysis Areabased threshold 90 % - precautionary approach 1/17/2019

Assessment of Benthic habitats 2019-01-17

Assessment of benthic habitats Broad Habitat types North Sea Baltic Sea Bay of Bothnia Infralitoral Hard bottoms & biog. rev Sand Mud Cirkalitoral Lera Cirkalitoral off shore 1/17/2019

Summary Regional coordination of MSFD vs. Coordination MSFD/HBD Coordination MSFD/WFD vs. Coordination MSFD/HBD Aggregation of habitats Coordination of methods to define structure & function between MSFD/HBD 2019-01-17

Processes needed: National coordination: Regional coordination MPA; fishing; MSP Regional coordination Mapping, monitoring, assessment methods European coordination: Expert groups to discuss thresholds, reference values, aggregation, assessment methods 1/17/2019

Thanks for the attention! Anna Karlsson Norbert Häubner

Alternative assessment for benthic habitats > 10 % in GES Sub-GES < 10 % in GES No assessment (< 75 % assessed) > 90% GES GES < 90% GES Assessment from either WFD or RSC:s available Assessment from either WFD or RSC:s NOT available No assessment Assessment for N2000 habitat type NO assessment for N2000 habitat type Risk analysis Favourable = GES Not favourable = Sub-GES 2019-01-17