Main elements of an Integrated Monitoring and Assessment Programme: Biodiversity Integrated Correspondence Group on Monitoring 30 March-1 April (Athens, Greece) DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE BIODIVERSITY BREAK-OUT SESSION

The experts agreed in relation to Ecological Objective 1 and 2: Biodiversity and Non-Indigenous Species (NIS) on the need of developing simplified lists of species and habitats, for discussion at the SPA Focal Points Meeting, for monitoring and assessing the Mediterranean biodiversity in an integrated, cost-efficient manner, building on key pressures and existing data, capacities; on the Scientific Indicative list of Species and Habitats, noting that the list of fish species should be further developed in the biodiversity and NIS informal online working group in cooperation with GFCM

Benthic Infralittoral (photophilic, 0-50m) Rocky Hard beds (bottoms, substrates, reefs) associated with communities of photophilic algae, notably Communities in the mediolittoral and infralittoral that are based on bio- construction, notably Sediment ary Seagrass meadows (Posidonia oceanica, Cymodocea nodosa, Zostera sp), notably Infrallitoral sands or muddy sands Benthic Circalitoral (sciaphilic, m) Rocky Hard bottom habitats associated with coralligenous communities and semi dark caves, deep reefs (dominated by sponges and other filter feeders) Sedimentary Communities of the coastal detritic bottom / Maërl communities / Coralligenous communities Biocoenosis of coastal terrigenous muds Communities of shelf-edge detritic bottoms (facies with Leptometra phalangium) Benthic Bathyal (dark, >200 m) Communities of deep-sea corals Seeps and communities associated with bathyal muds (facies with Isidella elongata) Communities associated with seamounts Select major groups of habitats to further prepare the monitoring and assessment specifics of benthic habitats in a specific Workshop devoted to this topic. The experts agreed in relation to Ecological Objective 1 and 2: Biodiversity and Non-Indigenous Species (NIS)

The importance to work closely with key partners, such as ACCOBAMS, GFCM, IUCN, CIESM and national institutes, NGOs, such as MEDASSET; on the importance of the ACCOBAMS survey initiative as presented in UNEP(DEPI)/MED WG.411/4, which will provide monitoring methodologies, capacity building and reliable data on abundance and distribution of cetaceans population following a regionally harmonized and agreed methodology; to improve the Main elements of the Integrated Monitoring and Assessment Programme in relation to cetaceans and marine turtles monitoring in cooperation with ACCOBAMS and MEDASSET; to survey further the marine turtle monitoring capacities and practices in cooperation with MEDASSET;

on the need to focus on selected marine species in the Initial Phase of the Integrated Monitoring and Assessment Programme, but with noting interlinkages with coastal habitats; further discuss inside the informal online working groups and in the upcoming SPA Focal Points Meeting how to integrate the monitoring and assessement of EO1 and EO2, taking into account the risk based approach;

Specific recommendations on biodiversity assessment areas To focus monitoring and assessment efforts of the biodiversity and NIS common indicators in high-pressure areas and in MPAs – especially SPAMIs –to enable comparison (baseline setting)

Need to consider geographic scales: define the set of (nested) areas associating the biodiversity elements to appropriate scales for assessment Need to define and scaling the intensity and distribution of pressures Large cetaceans, deep sea fish Small cetaceans, pelagic & demersal fish, offshore birds, NIS Seabed habitats, seals, physical loss/damage Inshore birds Coastal part (Eutrophication) Region Sub- Region Sub- division National part EEA

Specific recommendations of the experts in relation to integration, cross- cutting issues Capacity constraints will be the major challenge for the implementation of the future Integrated Monitoring and Assessment Programme and this needs to be addressed through specific capacity buildings, trainings and assistance; It is of key importance to close data gaps in the Southern Mediterranean, with highlighting the importance of institutional reforms to make data publicly available; There is a possibility to use in the future the key elements of the Integrated Monitoring and Assessment Programme also for industrial monitoring, assessment activities that the Contracting Parties are or planning to develop.

The Secretariat was mandated to: Propose, in cooperation with key partners, such GFCM, ACCOBAMS, the informal online working group on biodiversity and NIS, a minimum list of species and habitats, for discussion at the upcomming SPA Focal Points Meeting ; Further refine the biodiversity and NIS part of the Main elements of the Integrated Monitoring and Assessment Programme in line with the recommendations above, for discussion at the upcomming SPA Focal Points Meeting.

The Contracting Parties and Partners are encouraged to: Send written comments to the Secretariat on the Main elements of the Draft Integrated Monitoring and Assessment Programme by 24 April. Participate in the Biodiversity and NIS informal online working group; Use SEIS principles in line with IG.21/3 for biodiversity and NIS monitoring and data management.