MED POL National Coordinators Meeting ’05 - Agenda 8.3 Implementation of the LBS Protocol and the SAP / Monitoring Monitoring activities has been set as mandatory for all the Parties in reference to Art. 12 of the Barcelona Convention and Art. 8 of its Land–Based Sources Protocol. (Article 8)..The Parties shall carry out at the earliest possible date monitoring activities and make access to the public of the findings in order: a.Systematically to assess, as far as possible, the levels of pollution along their coasts, in particular with regard to the sectors of activity and categories of substances listed in LBS protocol, and periodically to provide information in this respect; b.To evaluate the effectiveness of action plans, programmes and measures implemented under this Protocol to eliminate to the fullest possible extent pollution of the marine environment Geographical distribution of MED POL Phase III monitoring sites (official)

MED POL National Coordinators Meeting ’05 - Agenda 8.3 Phase III - trend and state monitoring in biota and sediments    ? ? ? ?  Have mon. programmes ? No information 

MED POL National Coordinators Meeting ’05 - Agenda 8.3 StateBioSedWat Albania2-2 Croatia29 - Slovenia2718 PressureLoads Albania- Croatia8 Slovenia4 ImpactBiological effects Albania2 Croatia29 Slovenia3 Control / Compliance monitoring Bathing / Shellfish waters Albania50 / - Croatia837 / 14 Slovenia19 / 2 Number of stations for each monitoring activity

MED POL National Coordinators Meeting ’05 - Agenda 8.3 Total Mercury Total Cadmium Mytilus galloprovincialis Total mercury and cadmium levels in the Eastern Adriatic hot spot stations

MED POL National Coordinators Meeting ’05 - Agenda 8.3 MG- Cd (µg/kg dw) Cadmium in Mytilus galloprovincialis at Croatian hot spots

MED POL National Coordinators Meeting ’05 - Agenda 8.3 Cadmium in Mytilus galloprovincialis at Slovenian hot spots MG- Cd (µg/kg dw)

MED POL National Coordinators Meeting ’05 - Agenda 8.3 Cd Hg DDDP Micropollutants (ex: Hg, Cd, DDDP,..) in Mytilus galloprovincialis at Albanian hot spots

MED POL National Coordinators Meeting ’05 - Agenda 8.3

Implementation of the LBS Protocol and the SAP / Monitoring In order to fill in the gaps of MED POL III Monitoring and assessment component, activities might focus to the following initiatives Baseline surveys –at the sub-regional scales- for coastal waters might be developed and planned which would provide scientific basis for both the assessment of pollution status of the Mediterranean coastal waters and the identification of hot spot areas Temporal trend monitoring activities –basically at pollution hot spots- will be continued within the ongoing MED POL monitoring programmes with the same objectives; comparable data sets of non-participating countries for the full period of MED POL Phase III will be requested Trend monitoring activities will be improved to include more key sites which are under the direct influence of land-based sources of pollution where pollution control measures are taken or planned to be taken as stated in SAP objectives and in the NAPs. All such site specific activities will be better integrated with the available information and studies on inputs (loads). In order to better respond to the policy needs of the LBS Protocol and the SAP and other relevant regional obligations, the current monitoring parameters should be extended to include specific organic contaminants MED POL should consider how M&A activities can be extended to cover the status of quality of marine and coastal environment including human impact

MED POL National Coordinators Meeting ’05 - Agenda 8.3 Implementation of the LBS Protocol and the SAP / Monitoring Baseline surveys –at the sub-regional scales- for coastal waters might be developed and planned which would provide scientific basis for both the assessment of pollution status of the Mediterranean coastal waters and the identification of hot spot areas MYTILOS (of MEDICIS) is a good example already initiated for French, Spanish and Italian coasts (inc. specific objectives for new contaminants) ( Objectives of this study might be compared with the objectives and needs of MED POL Phase IV while setting up the operational details in ) Some technicalities of MYTILOS : At a station network at coastal and more open waters (to allow identification of sources, fluxes and levels of priority substances) Using Mytilus galloprovianciallis as the bio-indicator where populations are caged for 3 months Measured for priority chemicals Such a study might provide -a full geographical picture of pollution/contamination level of the Mediterranean marine waters (status) -baseline for different chemicals prior (or in parallel) to pollution reduction -information on the comparative distribution of hot spot areas in the Mediterranean (focused actions)

MED POL National Coordinators Meeting ’05 - Agenda 8.3 Implementation of the LBS Protocol and the SAP / Monitoring Baseline surveys –at the sub-regional scales- for coastal waters might be developed and planned which would provide scientific basis for both the assessment of pollution status of the Mediterranean coastal waters and the identification of hot spot areas Such a study might provide - a full geographical picture of pollution/contamination level of the Mediterranean coastal and open waters (status) - a baseline for different chemicals prior (or in parallel) to pollution reduction - information on the relative distribution of hot spot areas in the Mediterranean Worthwhile to put efforts? (If so) What are the foreseen difficulties? Mechanisms to overcome? Further comments… Recommendation.. MYTILOS (of MEDICIS) is a good example already initiated for French, Spanish and Italian coasts (inc. specific objectives for new contaminants)………2005 ( INTERREG ) Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia…………2006 Adriatic, Ionian …… …..

MED POL National Coordinators Meeting ’05 - Agenda 8.3 Implementation of the LBS Protocol and the SAP / Monitoring 1st Evaluation of MED POL III monitoring data December 2003, review meeting of monitoring activities Ref docs : UNEP(DEC)MED 243/3, UNEP(DEC)MED 243/4 A 2nd Evaluation of MED POL III data is planned for the next review meeting of monitoring activities (7-9 Dec 2005)-site specific evaluation. Spatial and temporal trends will be presented cooperatively with data originators –where data is available Contribution of non-participating countries with comparable data sets for temporal and spatial trend data will be requested In 2006 all contributions might be evaluated in a final product

MED POL National Coordinators Meeting ’05 - Agenda 8.3 Implementation of the LBS Protocol and the SAP / Monitoring After the 1st evaluation of MED POL III monitoring data it was recommended to revise the monitoring strategy for coastal sediments (UNEP(DEC)MED 243/4) Problems were more on sampling strategy and normalization of data Expert meeting organized in Apr’05 (UNEP(DEC)MED 743/2) Steps for revision process identified and recommendations for sampling strategy provided Work on normalization procedure, background and baseline values should continue

MED POL National Coordinators Meeting ’05 - Agenda 8.3 Implementation of the LBS Protocol and the SAP / Monitoring Eutrophication Strategy Implementation Ref docs: UNEP(DEC)/MED WG.231/14 UNEP(DEC)/MED WG.243/4 A preliminary list of eutrophication hot spots and sensitive areas identified Pilot programmes formulated or planned with short term strategy (coastal sites, lagoon,fish-farm site) QA: Training course, sampling/analysis methods manual finalized, first intercalibration samples distributed, experts… Studies for historical record of events (of eutrophication or its symptoms) initiated

MED POL National Coordinators Meeting ’05 - Agenda 8.3 Implementation of the LBS Protocol and the SAP / Monitoring Eutrophication Ref docs: UNEP(DEC)/MED WG.231/14 UNEP(DEC)/MED WG.243/4 List of sites will be improved and new pilot programmes will be planned for sites of concern Literature surveys will continue for historical events/records Possibilty to update the eutrophication assessment (1996) will be searched and assessment procedure will be decided upon Biological component of the programme will be better developed and other M&A tools will be investigated Cooperation with international groups and networks will continue ( EMMA/ad hoc group on Eutrophication, IOC Study group on benthic indicators, MARBENA )

MED POL National Coordinators Meeting ’05 - Agenda 8.3 Implementation of the LBS Protocol and the SAP / Monitoring Compliance monitoring activities for bathing waters and effluents were included in almost all the programmes, however, compliance reports were not completely submitted The monitoring tool for the control of pollution (compliance monitoring activities) will be revised in depth in order to achieve better understanding of its use for pollution control at the national level Monitoring of inputs (loads) of effluents –industrial, municipal- and of rivers were included in most of the programmes too, however, problems in data transfer encountered. Nevertheless, efforts made were considerable. For diffuse sources, monitoring activity is very limited. There were efforts for the estimation of loads from these sources too. Data for loads –where available- will be evaluated together with site-specific trend mon data. Monitoring gaps and needs will be identified and monitoring criteria will be better defined considering the LBS and SAP objectives

MED POL National Coordinators Meeting ’05 - Agenda 8.3 MED POL Phase III Database Inventory is directly accessible ( ) from Information on monitoring programmes (country based station networks and maps, monitoring activities and participating institutes) is also accessible from the same location Data reporting formats are also downloadable from the same location Expert validated MED POL Phase I and II data is downloadable Implementation of the LBS Protocol and the SAP / Monitoring Database and data flow Access to information and data MEDPOL.mdb and web version developed-tested-became operational ( ) Data loaded-verified-flagged ( ) Verified unagreegated data of two European countries transmitted to EEA in 2003 and 2004 with EIONET time table and formats (Mon.agreemets of 3 EU counties accordingly revised) UNEP(DEC)/MED WG.243/4

MED POL National Coordinators Meeting ’05 - Agenda 8.3 The database will continue to be functionally operational to store, verify/validate, transmit and evaluate pollution monitoring data. The web site will continue to be dynamically linked to the content of the database so that information can be obtained on the present status and content of the database. In addition, the monitoring database will be an integral part of the Information system that MED POL intends to prepare in cooperation with RAC/ERS. Implementation of the LBS Protocol and the SAP / Monitoring Database and data flow Access to information and data

MED POL National Coordinators Meeting ’05 - Agenda 8.3 Implementation of the LBS Protocol and the SAP / Monitoring Emerging issues and research A joint research project on an invading bio-indicator An other one on the atmospheric inputs of nitrogen and phosphorus Mediterranean component of the estimation of diffuse inputs of nutrients from the watersheds of the globe A study on testing TRIX index (UNEP(DEC)/MED WG.231/14) together with the OSPAR eutrophication assessment procedure Research proposals on biological effects MAMA project of MedGOOS finalized and products linked to unepmap.org Other MED operational oceanography projects and products linked Activities will be planned with advise of MED POL-MedGOOS informal WG