Forthcoming reporting under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive - MSFD European Commission DG Environment Marine Environment and Water Industry Unit

Update by 2018

11 Descriptors… …to determine GES 7 Hydrographical conditions 8 Contaminants (in environment) 9 Contaminants (in seafood) 10 Marine litter 11 Energy & underwater noise 1 Biodiversity 2 Non-indigenous species 3 Commercial fish & shellfish population 4 Marine food webs 5 Eutrophication 6 Sea-floor integrity …to determine GES

Marine Directors Working together: Common implementation strategy Regulatory Committee Marine Strategy Coordination Group Working Group Good Environmental Status Working Group Data, Information & Knowledge Exchange Working Group Programmes of Measures/Economic & Social Analysis Technical Group Litter Technical Group Data Technical Group Noise Regional Sea Conventions

Updated Directive and New GES Decision Annex III to Directive 2008/56/EC is replaced. New indicative lists of ecosystem elements (with relevant parameters and characteristics for species, habitats and ecosystems), anthropogenic pressures and human activities relevant to the marine waters. For GES Art.9: Criteria: D5C1 — Primary: Nutrient concentrations are not at levels that indicate adverse eutrophication effects. The threshold values are set in accordance with Directive 2000/60/EC. Methods: values achieved and extent. For monitoring and assessment Art.8: D1C2 — Primary: The population abundance of the species is not adversely affected due to anthropogenic pressures (e.g. non-commercial coastal fish).

State of play and timelines Guidance document (V4.1): Reporting the 2018 update of articles 8, 9 & 10 for the MSFD. Contents: use of information, tools for reporting, examples, information to be reported, formats… Preparation of reporting tools: guidelines, lists, schemas, prefilling, quality check, webforms, testing: from autumn 2017 to spring 2018 Note that this draft guidance will now be used for the preparation of reporting tools and their testing by Member States between autumn 2017 and spring 2018, which may necessitate adjustments to the guidance and schemas.

State of play and timelines JRC is developing consistent lists of criteria elements to be used in the web forms, e.g. substance list and groupings. Ongoing consultations (Oct). Prefilling (2012 submissions, RSC & WFD information): until January Webforms for testing: some already available, until Feb Training session for MS in Copenhagen: 8/11/2017 Test phase: Feb to April Reporting system ready: June 2018

Web forms 2. Save file in session Select questionnaire 3. Edit with web form

Marine reporting units & WFD Objective: to agree on a common layer of reporting units prior to 2018 reporting. 5 geographical levels are proposed: Marine regions, Marine Subregions, Subdivisions used by HELCOM and OSPAR, additional national subdivisions, Water bodies for coastal and territorial waters (WFD). MS still have to decide on which units they will report per descriptor. Submit missing or updated units by 15 January 2018.

Mockup example of MRU

Marine reporting units & WFD How to use and aggregate reported information under WFD? MS should use WFD data but the aggregation rules are not fixed At least for D5 & D8 in CW & TeW. Potentially also for D1 & D6. EEA built the schema ‘ART8_GES’, is already grabbing Quality Element information per WB from the WFD, and proposes to aggregate per surface coverage.

Schemas – Reporting guidance v4.1 Article 8.1ab: schema ART8_GES - Work of prefilling with WFD assessments done using this schema and ongoing for CFP assessments (tbc for RSCs indicators)

Publication of datasets TG Data is preparing the "Recommendations for the publication of datasets under MSFD Article 19.3" (public access to environmental information) Contents: use of the data, INSPIRE Implementation Rules, Recommendations on how to publish the datasets, on governance, data specifications, use of other organisations… First draft November. Presented to WG DIKE early April. Final available for MSCG end of April.

WISE Marine and associated products Key pending issues: MS profiles RSC feedback Linking WISE-Marine to other content and infrastructure

WISE Marine and associated products The products will aim to: Demonstrate the work done by MS to implement the Directive Show the state of the marine environment per (sub)region Steps forward: Sept-Oct 2017: draft proposal of products Nov 2017-Feb 2018: draft proposal of representation Spring 2018: further discussions and amendments Autumn 2018: draft products of reporting data produced and published Spring 2019: final products of reporting data developed and displayed in WISE-marine