The Marine Strategy Framework Directive
Summary of Descriptor 3+ workshop
Brussels, April 9-10th, 2013
European Commission
DG Environment, D2
Marine and Water Industry Unit
D3+ workshop
9-10 April, 2013
ToR
State of play
Follow-up of previous meeting
ICES developments
Further developments on D3
Other associated Descriptors (D1, D4, D6)
Links to EU Biodiversity Strategy
Preliminary analysis of Descriptor 3
Criteria &indicators as defined in COM decision
0
Fishing pressure (3.1)
Fishing mortality (F) (3.1.1)
Catch/Biomass (3.1.2)
Reproductive Capacity (3.2)
SSB (3.2.1)
Biomass indices (3.2.2)
Population age & size distribution (3.3)
# fish length > mature (3.3.1)
Mean max length research vessel (3.3.2)
95% percentile fish length (3.3.3)
Size at maturation (3.3.4)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
Use of COM decision per Marine region
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
Fishing pressure (3.1)
Fishing mortality (F) (3.1.1)
Catch/Biomass (3.1.2)
Reproductive Capacity (3.2)
SSB (3.2.1)
Biomass indices (3.2.2)
Population age & size distribution (3.3)
# fish length > mature (3.3.1)
Mean max length research vessel (3.3.2)
95% percentile fish length (3.3.3)
Size at maturation (3.3.4)
Mediterreanean (4)
North East Atlantic (10)
Baltic (7)
100%
Percentage of MS which have set F and SSB at MSY
levels for all stocks
Fishing mortality (F)
Spawning stock biomass (SSB)
0%
10%
20%
all stocks at MSY
30%
40%
unclear
50%
60%
Not all stocks at MSY
70%
80%
90%
100%
D3+ Workshop
April 9-10th 2013
During the workshop a range of scientific presentations were given :
 ICES developments (Han Lindeboom)
 Latest developments on Descriptor 3 (WKLIFE II, C.O’Brien)
 D3. Population age and size distribution indicative of a healthy stock
(WGECO, G. Piet)
 Maintaining Biodiversity (D1): choosing what you need from an overlydiverse indicator menu (WGBIO, S. Greenstreet)
 Developing the Food Web descriptor (D4) – From principles to practice
(WGECO & WGSAM, S. Rogers)
D3+ Workshop
Technical presentations (suite)
 Providing the solution to D4 food webs; (WGECO & WGSAM, S. Rogers)
 D6 Sea Floor Integrity and Fisheries under MSFD – ICES achievements
in analysing fisheries data (WGSFD, H. Fock)
 D6 Sea Floor Integrity – Habitat mapping (WGMHM, P. BuhlMortensen)
 Links to EU Biodiversity Strategy (Target 4) – Risk-based approach
(WKLIFE II, C. O’Brien)
 Integrated assessment and ecosystem overviews (WKCOVER, L.
Dransfeld)
Workshop Conclusions
Overall
 Develop recommendations for assessment of D3 (building on
work of ICES) , including, where appropriate, the application
of the precautionary principle– to be presented to MSCG in
2014
 Prepare for the possibility that ICES advices the Commission
directly or on behalf of the MS on the current state of GES D3
in the marine (sub-)regions NEA and Baltic.
 Contribution of ICES to WG GES on discussion / assessment
of other descriptors
 Discuss these elements at the next D3+ workshop in 2014
before they are presented to WG GES and MSCG
 COM intends to incorporate these developments into the 2014
work programme document
Detailed
 D1. Aim for a common set of biodiversity indicators across
all Regional Seas Conventions
 Review COM Decision indicators that have undeveloped
reference points, or where RPs are difficult to find.
 D3 Commercial species. In the event that primary indicators
F and Biomass cannot be determined, we need guidance on
definition of ‘health’ to support fish size targets &
thresholds.
 D4 Food Web. Apply existing protocol of LFI across regional
seas including Biscay, Black Sea and Med, (and the Baltic
Sea if survey data available) (N Sea and Celtic well
developed).
 D6 Sea floor integrity. State indicators are still undeveloped.
So need to calculate pressure indicators by habitat, using
specific VMS indicators incorporating methodological
issues (scale/interpolation/uncertainty/habitat recovery).
Detailed (suite)
 Need to prepare standardised operational methods that
allow regional coordination when indicators are prepared by
MS and or RSC (e.g. by ICES or similar body)
 Look for opportunities to integrate indicator development
across descriptors. Aim for an optimised set of indicators,
especially across D1, D3, D4 and D6, that allow indicators to
contribute to multiple descriptors.
 A risk based approach to the integration of D3+D1, D4 and
D6 should be explored. E.g. SICA (Scale Intensity and
Consequence Analysis) provides a prioritisation system
 Risk Definitions (low, moderate, high), need to be agreed
based on date availability.
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/marine
Thank you for your attention!