1. Towards a marine information system for Europe
David Connor
European Commission
DG Environment Unit C.2
Marine Environment and Water Industry
WG DIKE
29-30 September 2014, Brussels

2. Future perspectives Building towards: Based on:
2018 – second round of MSFD reporting by MS on Art. 8, 9 and 10 (Art. 17)
2019 – Commission’s first evaluation report to the European Parliament and to the Council (Art. 20(1)), in particular Art. 20(3b): the review of the status of the marine environment, undertaken in coordination with the EEA and the relevant regional marine and fisheries organisations and conventions
Based on:
Revised Decision and Annex III
Regional reports, incl. RSC ‘roof reports’
Improved data and assessment methods (e.g. common indicators of RSCs)
More focused reporting from MS (incl. via RSCs) to EU level, with specific ‘products’ to demonstrate current environmental status and progress towards GES
Use of other reporting (e.g. fish stock assessments under CFP), where possible

3. Towards a marine information system (MIS) for Europe
MIS is focused on MSFD (whole marine environment, pressures and activities – ecosystem-based) and hence on environmental status and achieving GES, including sustainable uses
MIS is needed for compliance (Commission) and state of marine environment (EEA)
MIS will be a holistic data/information model – but is not a huge database – and identify where data/information are held and accessible
MIS will help structure WISE-Marine (as a front-end portal)
MIS will build upon data and information from MS/RSC/other reporting (MSFD reports, RSC roof reports, reports to other Directives/Conventions)
MIS will need dialogue with MS and RSCs (and others) to define its content and what can be made available (e.g. in Art. 8 assessments)
For MS and RSCs, MIS can define data/information products from regional and national assessments – and provide a basis for regional and national information systems

4. Exceptions (Art. 14)
Programme of measures
(Art. 13)
Prevent deterioration
Are any exceptions applicable?
Yes No
2015
Are measures sufficient to achieve GES?
Yes
2015/16
To assess effectiveness of measures
Achieve and maintain GES
Good Environmental Status
(Art. 9)
2012
Identify cost-effective measures, in addition to existing measures (including MPAs)
2012
Assessment
(Art. 8)
Assess current status in relation to definition of GES
Define / adapt definition of GES
Assess: current environmental status; pressures and impacts; uses and activities; costs of degradation
Environmental targets
(Art. 10)
Identify targets to improve and maintain environmental status
2014
2012
Monitoring programmes (Art. 11)
To assess environmental status and distance to GES
To assess progress with targets
1. MSFD implementation is under-pinned by information - reported for compliance checking (Commission) and state of the environment (EEA) needs – WISE-Marine

5. 2. Information at each stage needs to link to other parts of MS marine strategies and in WISE-Marine
Exceptions (Art. 14)
Good Environmental Status
(Art. 9)
Assessment
(Art. 8)
Programme of measures
(Art. 13)
Competent Authorities (Art. 7)
Monitoring programmes
(Art. 11)
Environmental targets
(Art. 10)

6. International Conventions
3. Need to avoid double reporting, drawing upon reporting under other policies
MSFD
WFD
BWD
Habitats
Birds
CFP
EQSD
Nitrates
UWWTD
International Conventions
Integration across policies

7. Integration between MS, RSCs & EU
4. RSCs becoming a key player in regional reports for MSFD
Integration between MS, RSCs & EU
Contracting Parties
Regional Sea Conventions
Convention obligations
Similar objectives
Similar data
European Commission/ European Environment Agency
Member States
EU Directives
RSCs

8. EU/EEA data & information National marine strategies
5. Complimentary integrated data and information to meet needs at each level – MS implementation, RSC objectives, EU compliance, EEA state of environment
EU/EEA data & information
RSC roof reports
Finland
Estonia
Latvia
Lithuania
Poland
Sweden
Denmak
Germany
Netherlands
Belgium UK
Ireland
Portugal
France
Spain
Italy
Mallta
Slovenia
Croatia
Greece
Cyprus
Bulgaria
Romania
National marine strategies

9. Draft MSFD regions map 28 May 2014
6. Information linked to relevant geographic scales
North East Atlantic Ocean region
Baltic Sea region
A. MSFD regions and subregions – GES determination, coherence, largest reporting scale
Black Sea region
Draft MSFD regions map 28 May 2014
Mediterranean Sea region

10. B. MS marine waters – jurisdictional and administrative areas
Water column + seabed
Seabed only (continental shelf areas)

11. C. Assessment and reporting areas (Art. 8) –> needs development:
HELCOM nested system is a good model

12. Member State Regional Sea Conventions Synthesize, summarise
Good Environmental Status
(Art. 9)
Member State
7. Information and data needs to be synthisized for use at higher levels
Assessment
(Art. 8)
Regional Sea Conventions
European Commission
European Environment Agency
Environmental targets
(Art. 10)
Monitoring programmes
(Art. 11)
Programme of measures
(Art. 13)
Exceptions (Art. 14)
Synthesize, summarise
Competent Authorities (Art. 7)
Push systems
Pull systems - INSPIRE

13. 8. How to organise the information
Human Activities
Pressures
State of Environment
Ecosystem Services
Socio-economic Drivers
economic
Socio-
benefits
8. How to organise the information
Art. 8(1c)
CIS
RSCs
MS -CAs
Management (Policies &
Governance)
Measures
Monitoring
Art. 8(1b)
Framework for information system
Art. 8(1a)
Ecosystem
Art. 8(1c)
Art
Environmental impacts
service
Art. 11
benefits

14. Good Environmental Status
(Art. 9)
Assessment
(Art. 8)
Environmental targets
(Art. 10)
2. Information at each stage needs to link to other parts of MS marine strategies and in WISE-Marine
Monitoring programmes
(Art. 11)
Programme of measures
(Art. 13)
Exceptions (Art. 14)
Competent Authorities (Art. 7)

15. Impacts on ecosystem services and natural capital
Main topic areas
Table 2 : overview of possible information units (level 3)
DPSIR element
Drivers (Activities)
Pressures
State of marine ecosystem
Impacts on ecosystem services and natural capital
Responses (Measures)
Information
Units
Land based activities
Extraction of living resources
Production of living resources
Extraction of non-living resources
Transport and ship building
Man made structures
Tourism
Energy production
Non-indigenous species
Nutrient pollution/ Eutrophication
Hazardous substance pollution
Marine litter
Noise
Physical damage
Extraction of species
Ecosystems
Habitat type
Species and functional groups (from MSFD reporting guidance)
Commercial fish stocks
Ecosystem services
Socio economic statistics
Marine Protected Areas
Sector-specific measures
Marine Spatial Planning
More examples from PoM guidance

16. Outline information needs for EC/EEAB C D E F G H I
Annex III
Art. 3(1), Art. 4
Art. 9
Art. 19(3)
Art. 8 (assessment against GES)
Art. 10
Art. 8 (assessment against targets)
Art. 13
What is being assessed?
Which area is being assessed?
What is the policy objective? (GES for MSFD)
Assessment of pressure & its impacts
Assessment of state, including impacts
Current status? (in relation to GES)
Targets to achieve GES
Progress with target
What is preventing target (& GES)?
Actions needed

17. A B C Outline information needs for EC/EEA
Pressure: Nutrient enrichment B C
Art. 3(1), Art. 4
Which area is being assessed?
Region/ Subregion MS
Subdivision/ assessment area
Baltic
Finland
Gulf of Bothnia
Art. 9
What is the policy objective? (GES for MSFD)
1. Policy objective
2. Descriptor
Art. 9(3) GES Decision 3. Criterion 4. Indicator
Art. 9(1) 5. Regional/ MS
MSFD Art. 3.5 definition
Annex I: D5 Eutrophication
Decision: 5.1
5.1.1
Core Indicator: N levels in sea
Core Indicator: P levels in sea
Decision: 5.2
5.2.1
Core Indicator: Chl-a levels
5.2.2
Core Indicator: Secchi levels
Decision: 5.3
5.3.2
Core Indicator: O2 levels

18. D E C Outline information needs for EC/EEA
Art. 19(3)
Art. 8 (assessment against GES)
Assessment of pressure & its impacts Assessment of state, including impacts
Current status? (in relation to GES)
Art. 11
Dataset
Matrix/ element
Output
Status - criterion/ indicator
Trend
Status - overall
Data from monitoring
Distribution/ intensity map (model)
Water - N
% of assessment area affected
Below GES
Stable
Water - P
Improving
Elements affected: Coastal water, offshore water
% of assessment area affected (below threshold value)
Declining
As above C
Art. 9(1) 5. Regional/ MS
Core Indicator: N levels in sea
Core Indicator: P levels in sea
Core Indicator: Chl-a levels
Core Indicator: Secchi levels
Core Indicator: O2 levels
Pressure: Nutrient enrichment

19. F G H I Outline information needs for EC/EEA
Art. 10
Art. 19(3)
Art. 8 (assessment against targets)
Targets to achieve GES
Progress with target
What is preventing target (& GES)?
Target
Indicator
Art. 11
Dataset
Matrix/ element
Output
Target met?
Activity
Reduce N by X% or to Z levels (MAI/ CART)
Riverine input levels
Data from monitoring
Dataset for riverine discharges
Land sources - N
Input load tonnes/ year
Yes
Agriculture
Urban developments
airborne input levels
Data set for air inputs (modelled)
Air sources - N No
Industrial developments
Transport (shipping)
Reduce P by Y
etc.
As above
Urban (detergents)
See pressure targets State/impact targets can be set according to Art but are in effect expressions of GES, so may not add anything unless interim values are set.
Art. 13
Actions needed
Measure
Source
Detail 1
Detail 2
Reduce fertilizer use
CAP
blah blah
Waste water treatment
UWWTD
Industrial emission controls
Air pollution directive
Shipping emissions
MSFD (NECA)
Domestic products (detergents)
MSFD
Pressure: Nutrient enrichment

20. Summary Accommodate MSFD needs (compliance, SoE) DPSIR framework
Developing marine information system to accommodate all elements of MSFD process
Make effective use of information from RSCs and other policies (Directives, CFP etc)
Start to define key information needed at EU level, what should sit at regional and national level