NORTH EAST ATLANTIC GIG Milestone 6 Report, ECOSTAT, Stresa, Italy, 3-4 July 2006 Dave Jowett - GIG Co-ordinator

Types, participants and QEs

Types, participants and QEs Types NEA1/26, NEA3/4, NEA7, NEA 8/9/10 QEs benthic inverts, phytoplankton, macroalgae and angiosperms Type NEA11 as above + Fish Pressures: Organic enrichment, nutrient enrichment, morphological alteration and hazardous substances

Intercalibration Options Benthic Invertebrates Option 3, comparison of MS systems Phytoplankton Option 2 - selected metrics, chlorophyll, cell counts, cell counts (indicator taxa) Macroalgae and Angiosperms Hybrid options 2/3 (indicator metrics in some types + MS system comparison in others) Fish Option 3, comparison of MS systems (may move to option 1 in 2007)

Data Benthic Invertebrates MS datasets collated for testing by UK and DK Phytoplankton Data from common metrics collated by UK Macroalgae and Angiosperms Data collated by UK, NL and SE for agreed metrics in relevant types Fish GIG dataset collated by BE For details see Annex D in Milestone 6 report

National classification methods e.g. Benthic Invertebrates See Annexes A and C for details

Setting of Reference conditions No common criteria for setting reference values across all types for each Quality Element Data used from unimpacted (reference) sites for some types/QEs e.g. macroalgae/angiosperms in types NEA8/9/10 Utilisation of existing reference criteria e.g. OSPAR chlorophyll/nutrient offshore reference values Historic records e.g. fish datasets Data taken specifically for the intercalibration exercise e.g. pressure gradient sampling See main text, Annexes B and C for details

Setting of Boundaries e.g. Benthic Invertebrates

Setting of Boundaries e.g. Benthic Invertebrates

National boundaries e.g. Benthic Invertebrates NEA1/26 and 7 NEA8/9/10

Example of Regional boundaries within a type - chlorophyll

Workplan 2006/7 Benthic Invertebrates Example of a partially completed exercise - expect full completion in 2007

Workplan 2006/7 Phytoplankton - Chlorophyll metric NEA1/26 Example of an option that will be finalised by September 2006

Workplan 2006/7 Angiosperms - Saltmarsh NEA11 Example where output is not possible for 2006 - finalise 2007 Please see Annex E for the full list!

Summary of outputs 2006/7 Fully complete by September 2006 Partially complete September 2006 - full completion 2007 No result 2006 - completion expected in 2007

Issues MSs are still working on classification schemes Partial output only in 2006 - is that OK? Much better picture if allowed to continue into 2007 BUT……… Lets celebrate the successes NOW! Benthic Inverts intercalibration principle established Phytoplankton metrics completed! Partial intercalibration for macroalgae, angiosperms and fish and by mid 2007 we will have many more results!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!