1. Progress on Intercalibration COAST GIGs
JRC, Ispra, Italy
12-13 April 2007
Dave Jowett, Coast Group Chair and NE Atlantic GIG Co-ordinator

3. Results schedule - Codes
Results agreed April 2007
Results agreed June 2007
Results agreed AFTER June 2007
Metric/Method not applicable in MS or type

4. Summary of outputs 2006/7
Baltic

5. PL(1)
DK(1), PL(1)
Phytoplankton: Chlorophyll a
Eutrophication
CW B14
Salinity 6-22,sheltered, shallow lagoons
EE(1), LV(1), PL(1)
DK(1), LT(1 CW), LT (1 TW), PL(1)
Benthic Fauna: National indices
CW B13
Salinity 6-22, exposed, shallow
DE(2), DK(2), EE(1), SE(1)
Angiosperms: Eelgrass depth limit (DK + DE)
CW B12
Salinity 6-22, sheltered, shallow
FI(2)
FI(2), SE(2)
Macro algae: Depth limit Fucus
CW B3
Salinity 3-6, sheltered, shallow, ice days
FI (2), SE (2)
CW B2
Salinity 3-6, sheltered, shallow, >150 ice days
SE(2)
FI (1), SE(1)
CW B0
Salinity 0.5-3, sheltered, shallow, >150 ice days
Countries involved (number of sites)
Quality element
Pressure
Type

6. Intercalibration approach Phytoplankton
Common metric:
Summer mean of chlorophyll a from May/June to September.
Intercalibration was performed by comparison of the results from the national assessment.

7. Boundaries Chlorophyll a, g/l
*Baltic GIG – summer mean May/June – September
**NEA GIG – summer mean 90percentile March - September

8. Intercalibration approach Benthic fauna
Intercalibration was performed in three steps:
comparison of species sensitivity classifications
comparison of indices
comparison of classification of water bodies based on national methods for assessment

9. Boundaries - Benthic Fauna

10. Open Issues - Future Work
Comparison of Swedish and Finnish indices is ongoing in intercalibration types B0, B2 and B3.
Denmark, Germany and Sweden: Further intercalibration work is needed.
Estonia, Sweden, Denmark and Germany: Further comparison of the developed Estonian indices with the indices in the other Baltic countries is needed.
Latvia: To decide either to use one of the existing indices (e.g. DKI) or to develop their own assessment system.

11. Intercalibration approach Macro algae
Reference levels for the benthic vegetation indicator have been set using:
historical data,
old literature
best available expert judgement
The class borders are based on expert judgement.

12. Boundaries Macroalgae - Fucus depth limit, m.

13. Intercalibration approach Angiosperms
Angiosperms: Hybrid between option 2 and 3.
Bilaterally between Denmark and Germany
Reference levels are based on historical data, expert judgment and
modeling. Two approaches have been used for classification:
percent deviation (3 scenarios) 15%, 20% and 25 %
2) modeling - dose-response relationships between physico-
chemical variables (nutrient concentration, transparency) and vegetation metrics.

14. Boundaries Angiosperms - Eelgrass depth limit, m.

15. Baltic - Summary Some results now in all quality elements
Not all countries completed in any type/QE matrix
More results expected by June 2007?
Will be some gaps - Phase II?

16. Summary of outputs 2006/7
Black Sea

17. Black Sea - Next Steps
National boundaries are being developed for phytoplankton and benthic invertebrates
These are not that far apart
Agreement needed on standard sampling and analytical methodologies
No results by April 2007
Possible by June 2007?

18. Summary of outputs 2006/7
Mediterranean

19. BENTHIC INVERTEBRATE FAUNA

20. BENTHIC INVERTEBRATE FAUNA CONCLUSIONS

21. PHYTOPLANKTON

22. PHYTOPLANKTON

23. PHYTOPLANKTON

24. PHYTOPLANKTON

25. Summary of outputs 2006/7 Mediterranean Macroalgae CY GR ES FR IT MTSL HR M1 M2 M3 M4
Angiosperms - CY GR ES FR IT MT SL HR
Posidonia M1 M2 M3 M4

26. AQUATIC FLORA: MACRALGAE

27. AQUATIC FLORA- Angiosperms: Posidonia oceanica

28. Mediterranean - Summary
Some results in all quality elements by June 2007
Changes in typologies has been necessary
Need to consider Mediterranean as two basins, east and west
Other metrics need developing plus method standardisation
Further work definitely needed after June 2007 and resources still be big issue

29. Summary of outputs 2006/7
North East Atlantic

30. Setting of Boundaries e.g. Benthic Invertebrates

31. National boundaries - Benthic Invertebrates
NEA1/26, NEA7
NEA8/9/10

32. Benthic Invertebrates - Future Work
Develop intercalibration for other habitats and how we link assessments over the whole waterbody
Links to other pressures e.g. hydromorphology
Transitional Waters
Statistics - risk of misclassification, errors in sampling/analysis etc.

33. Summary of outputs 2006/7
North East Atlantic

34. Chlorophyll - Regional Boundaries

35. Chlorophyll - Regional Boundaries

36. Chlorophyll - Regional boundaries

37. Chlorophyll - Regional boundaries

38. Chlorophyll - Type EQRs

39. Summary of outputs 2006/7
North East Atlantic

40. Indicator Taxa - Phaeocystis cells > 106 per litre

41. Indicator Taxa - Phaeocystis cells > 106 per litre - sampling

42. Single Taxa - cells > 105 per litre

43. Phytoplankton - Future Work
Some metrics apply to a minority of MSs in the GIG - is this acceptable?
Develop intercalibration of other metrics included in MSs schemes
Linking metrics to produce whole QE assessments

44. Summary of outputs 2006/7
North East Atlantic

45. Macroalgae - Perennial Intertidal algae

46. Macroalgae - Perennial Intertidal algae

47. Macroalgae - Opportunistic macroalgae
EQRs to be calculated by June 2007

48. Summary of outputs 2006/7
North East Atlantic

49. Angiosperms - Intertidal Seagrass

50. Macroalgae and Angiosperms - Future work
More work on sub-tidal metrics
More work on existing metrics and gaps e.g. saltmarshes
Combining metrics e.g. intertidal/subtidal
Should the two quality elements be combined in coastal waters or be treated separately as in TWs
More work on TW metrics

51. FISH

52. Fish - Assessments

53. Fish - Boundaries

54. FISH D-fykes Belgian and English large 1m diameter French X diameter
Belgian fine meshed
Irish
French
Belgian UK

55. Fish - Classification Options

56. Fish - Further Work
Further redefinition of sub-types e.g. size, salinity ranges within existing single transitional type NEA11
Further work on comparable fishing methods e.g. types of gear
Further work on methods for producing final classes
All means that sadly no results are possible before June 2007….shame!

57. NE Atlantic - Summary
Have agreed results for all quality elements except fish
Some results need further confirmation for June 2007
There will still be some gaps - particular problem is Transitional Waters
More work needed after June 2007 on these gaps plus other metrics and habitats

58. ISSUES
Calculation of EQRs - how are they calculated? Common approach needed
One out all out - metric level?
Metrics agreed in a minority of MSs - is this acceptable?
Does ECOSTAT accept the need to split types?

59. ISSUES
Combination of metrics for different habitats - need rules for whole waterbody assessments
Monitoring and assessment methods - documentation and harmonization
Physico-chemical and hydromorphological QEs
Resources for PHASE II - this is a BIG issue!!

60. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTON!
END
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTON!