Claire Vincent - EHS United Kingdom North East Atlantic Typology Workshop CIS Project 2.4 Transitional and Coastal Waters Claire Vincent - EHS United Kingdom

Introduction Objectives and how we got here Common Understanding of Terms water bodies types categories The Task

Objectives To establish a common framework for typology of transitional and coastal waters across the North East Atlantic Ecoregion Complex (Annex XI) Atlantic Ocean Norwegian Sea Barents Sea North Sea

Objectives (continued) To identify the key option factors in Annex II to define a physical typology system that is ecologically relevant. To inform the ecoregion workshops for the Baltic and the Mediterranean Workshops in December. To enable typology guidance to be finalised by January 2002.

Compare like with like Typology Physiological types that are ecologically relevant Ecological quality:- Compare like with like

How did we get here? Conclusions Brussels Workshop, September, 2001 System B (with the exception of MSs with very simplex coastline) Biggest factor to differentiate ecoregion types is salinity and tidal regime (simplex/complex) Baltic North East Atlantic Mediterranean To develop guidance further - ecoregion level

Principles agreed…. As simple a typology as is practicable and ecologically relevant Number of types NE Atlantic? (10-20) 10 too few 50-60 too complex It is recognised that a simple typology will need to be countered with ranges in reference conditions

Reference Conditions EuroTypes A B C E D The European Sea

Need for Common Understanding: Water bodies Water body categories (transitional & coastal) Water body types Scale??

Surface Water Bodies Body of surface water means a discrete and significant element of surface water such as a lake, a reservoir, a stream, river or canal, part of a stream, river or canal, a transitional water or a stretch of coastal water. Classification/management unit of the Directive Smallest unit of Directive

Surface Water Categories: Surface water bodies within the RBD shall be identified as falling within either one of the following surface water categories - rivers, lakes, transitional and coastal water - or as artificial surface water bodies or heavily modified surface water bodies Surface water categories - transitional or coastal water bodies

Surface Water Types For each surface water category, the relevant surface water bodies within the river basin district shall be differentiated according to type. These types are those defined using either system A or system B identified in section 1.2. Types - Annex II system A or system B

Category: Transitional Water Type: N-E Atlantic Muddy Estuary Category: River Type: Lowland Calcareous Category: Coastal Water Type: Exposed, shallow Gravel / Sand

Surface Water Bodies Body of surface water means a discreet and significant element of surface water such as a lake, a reservoir, a stream, river or canal, part of a stream, river or canal, a transitional water or a stretch of coastal water. Classification/water management unit of the Directive

Industry Category: Transitional Water Type: N-E Atlantic Muddy Estuary

Industry Category: Transitional Water Type: N-E Atlantic Muddy Estuary

Brussels Question? Why not identify this as two separate physical types inner NE Atlantic muddy estuary outer NE Atlantic muddy estuary Do we need lots and lots of types to meet the objectives of the Directive?

i.e. Good Status Spirit of the Directive is to concentrate effort on water bodies that are not meeting ecological objectives i.e. Good Status

Brussels Question? Can a water body be bigger than a type? No Because the reference conditions are specific to each type Classification/management unit of the Directive Smallest unit of Directive

The Task To develop a common framework for typology Presentations on progress to date Presentations on other possible approaches Identification of the key optional factors How should key optional factors be used

NE Atlantic Typology