Integrated Regional monitoring Implementation Strategy in the South European Seas

The IRIS-SES project: Towards a new approach and decision making tools for an Integrated

Regional monitoring Implemetation Strategy for the MSFD in the South European Seas.

Possible links to EMODNET perspectives

Dr Louisa GiannoudiAssistant Project Manager

Grant Agreement 070335/2013/659540//SUB/C2www.iris-ses.eu

Pilot Project - New Knowledge for an integrated management of human activities in the sea

(PP/ENV D2/SEA 2012)

Launched in autumn 2012

Overall amount available under this Call is 2.000.000 € from the European Parliament

3 proposals have been funded

(1 for SES, 1 for BS, 1 for NS/CS)

Starting date: 1 Oct 2013

Duration: 18 months

Target:Target:

A new approach and decision making tools for an integrated marine monitoring for the MSFD

in order tosupport an effective management of anthropogenic activities in marine waters (specifically of the Mediterranean and Black Seas, as selected pilot areas for IRIS-SES)

General objectives:General objectives:Development of:•integrated monitoring strategies build on running monitoring programs•multidisciplinary monitoring guidelines and integrated ecosystem surveys•strategic approaches to monitor anthropogenic pressures•integrated monitoring tools and programs at sea regions scales•Planning for JMPs in pilot regions of the under study regional seas, based whenever possible on existing monitoring programs, looking for their optimization, to improve their adequacy to MSFD sampling requirements

Specific objectives of IRIS-SES:Specific objectives of IRIS-SES:

Develop decision-making tools to design efficient and cost effective monitoring programs

Consider possibilities for the integration of techniques and determine the required spatial and temporal resolution

Assess, through pilot sampling actions within existing monitoring programs, the feasibility of proposed integrated monitoring strategies

Elaborate guidelines for sampling across the various disciplines (biological, chemical, physical) to meet the MSFD requirements

Development of cooperation among research institutions within selected regions in the implementation of pilot projects

Training eventsTransfer of knowledge to other regions

IRIS-SES activities take in account :IRIS-SES activities take in account :

the activities/results of on-going projects related to MSFD and other EU Directives, such as:MISIS, PERSEUS, EMBLAS/UNDP, CREAM, COCONET, DEVOTES, EMODNet, SeaDataNet, My Ocean, BONUS, MEDITS, MEDIAS, MEDISEH, etc.

other standards and initiatives as:Integrated Maritime Policy (IMP) for EU,Common Fisheries Policy (CFP),Ecosystem Approach Management (EAM),Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES), etc

Regional Conventions as:Bucharest, Barcelona, OSPAR, HELCOMDirectives:WFD, Habitat, Birds, INSPIREResults and Recommendations by:Descriptors Task Groups, IAs, EEA

IRIS-SES partnerships IRIS-SES partnerships

IRIS-SES has 5 activities (WPs):IRIS-SES has 5 activities (WPs):

Activity 1: Analysis of the monitoring programs carried on the framework of European/Regional/National legislation in relation to MSFD requirements(leader: NIMRD)

•prepare a catalogue and a comprehensive analysis of the existing monitoring programs related to European Directives, Regional Sea Conventions and other national or international programs in the Mediterranean and Black Seas

•in order to assess the contribution of these programs to meeting MSFD needs and to assess pressures

•and to achieve better knowledge on the gaps and on understanding of the needs and constraints

This work is ongoing and will be implemented as the project progresses

Two main axes where considered in order to build up the catalogue:

1) Indicators axis focus on: prioritization of needs for all Directives - end up in integrative tools - indicators, taking into account experience in metric and indices development (as in WFD). harmonization in regional or sub-regional level taking into account IAs of MSs for MSFD indicators-methods and PERSEUS and MISIS

output/suggestions. consider new indicators developed/tested under current MSFD related Projects

(PERSEUS, DEVOTES, CoCoNET, etc)

2) Spatial axis focus on: preparation of an "extended" coastal network of existing monitoring for WFD to MSFD. available data from satellites and models (should be integrated in the spatial axis) periodicity and spatial scale (should also been taken into account for all relevant Directives)

Task 1.1a: The inventory

Inputs collected in the framework of different existing surveys, observation platforms and EU projects as follows:

–All running national monitoring projects in the Mediterranean and Black Seas–WFD implementation–EU Directives - Habitats and Bird, Bathing waters, Urban waste water, Nitrates, Shellfish waters.–Ballast water management Convention–Common Fisheries policy – data collection–EU projects – e.g. PERSEUS, MISIS–Other relevant observation platforms (REACH - Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemical substances - regulation RSC: Barcelona and Bucharest Conventions and associated Protocols; WISE - Water Information System for Europe; EEA, etc.

T1.1a – Inventory of the MP - the catalogue of the monitoring programs carried on six MS: from Black Sea (Romania, Bulgaria) and from Mediterranean Sea (Greece, Cyprus, Italy, Spain) and one candidate country, Turkey (with monitoring both in the Black Sea and Mediterranean Sea).

The catalogue has 7 Excel Files comprising of 17 sheets grouped as follows: D1,4,6 – Birds; D1,4,6 – Mammals,;D1,4,6 – Fish; D1,4,6 – Seabed habitats Phytobenthos;D1,4,6 – Seabed habitat Zoobenthos; D1,4,6 – Water column habitats Phytoplankton; D1,4,6 – Water column habitat Zooplankton; D2-Non-Indigenous species; D3-Commercial Fish and Shellfish, D5 – Eutrophication; D7 – hydrographical changes; D8 – contaminants in water; D8-contaminants in sediments; D8-contaminants in biota; D9-contaminants in seafood; D10-marine litter; D11-energy&noise.

First IRIS-SES deliverable First IRIS-SES deliverable

Example of the xls inventoriesExample of the xls inventoriesThe example is on data collected biodiversity-seabed habitats for The example is on data collected biodiversity-seabed habitats for GreeceGreece

Two RSCs were considered (UNEP MAP and BSC). Each file consists of 17 worksheets Two RSCs were considered (UNEP MAP and BSC). Each file consists of 17 worksheets developed to answer to art.11 MSFD requirements. Columns inside consist of general developed to answer to art.11 MSFD requirements. Columns inside consist of general information but also … information but also …

On parameters information specific to related descriptor/programme/subprogrammeOn parameters information specific to related descriptor/programme/subprogramme

T1.1b – Meta database - All the information from the catalogue was aggregated into one (meta) database, consisting of one excel file, planned to be compatible with larger oceanographic/environmental databases like SeaDataNet and EMODNET through the use of INSPIRE and SeaDataNet standards.

T1.2 – Analysis of pressures consists of

• the Inventory and critical assessment of international and regional legislation developed under two excel sheets which include the review of significant regional and international regulatory bodies which may contain monitoring obligations, and which may be linked to monitoring programmes already implemented by the countries beneficiaries of the IRIS-SES Project.

• socio-economic characterization of principal human activities influencing marine ecosystems among Mediterranean and Black Sea countries.

• future trends in human activities, current pressures and future pressures resulting from human activities in the Mediterranean and Black Seas concerns future trends expected for socioeconomic activities in the Mediterranean and Black Seas, as well as current and future expected environmental pressures, and links with impacts.

• considerations on the need for monitoring data to support future assessments and managerial actions - identifies data gaps and at highlights monitoring needs regarding environmental pressures, in order to guide monitoring efforts and support the development of coherent future joint monitoring programmes.

T1.3 – Assessment of the Monitoring Programmes

•Up to now, the dataset has been completed for 5 countries (Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Romania, Turkey). This analysis does not take into consideration datasets that have been partially completed. The full assessment, has been moved under Activity 2 and will be presented in the next reporting period.

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Activity 2: Integrating scales of monitoring with those of processes to be monitored(leader Univ.Salento)

Assess existing marine monitoring programs across states (EU, non EU), within regions/subregions, to cover MSFD requirements addressing ~all descriptors

Assess opportunities to develop further existing programs and infrastructure (including platforms, surveyors on ship of opportunity, spare capacity, buoys, remote sensing tools etc) and assessment of the MSFD indicators covered into multidisciplinary programmes.

Assess geographical coverage of monitoring programmes, demonstrate overlaps, choose parameters to measure in order to provide the data to allow the assessment methods to classify if a marine area is reaching the desired status.

Identification of overlaps, gaps and needs in the required monitoring

Geographical coverage of the existing monitoring programs, location Geographical coverage of the existing monitoring programs, location of sampling sites and periodicity of samplingof sampling sites and periodicity of sampling

Example of seabed habitat PhyB

Monitoring stations for which is available a record complete of geographical coordinates and sampling frequency (excluding stations for which the proposed sampling frequency is 'as needed' or 'irregularly' or 'one-off’ .Countries not included in the maps did not provide a complete record for any station.

Activity 3: Adaptation and development of intelligent tools(leader HCMR)

The tools will have a major interactive role in monitoring planning and functioning across countries.

They will also reveal the gaps needed to be covered for a full assessment under the requirements of MSFD.

The tools will serve in management planning and measures implementation.

The GIS rationale is to develop:a basic set of information layers to be used as generic information for all 11 MSFD Descriptors in-deep approach for selected Descriptors and incorporate intelligent tools specially designed for those Descriptors

The decision-making tool rationale is to provide:a simple, intelligent tool, to support policy makers, managers, and stake-holders.

Eutrophication GIS Tool for IRIS-SES

Main objectives

Assessment of Environmental status related to Eutrophication - MSFD D5

Calculation and visualization of eutrophication indices

Unified platform for Western, Eastern Mediterranean and Black Sea

Addressed to scientists, decision makers, not necessary experts in

eutrophication issues

Materials - Development tools

Model builder – ArcGIS 10.2

Toolboxes – ArcGIS 10.2

Python Programming Language 2.7

Product

Eutrophication Status Toolbox

1. Eutrophication Index (EI)

Required Data: Mean annual or seasonal concentrations of PO4, NO3, NO2, NH3, Chl-α (μg/L)

(mean integrated values of both water column and time)

Eastern Mediterranean

Eutrophication status

Classes according to requirements of WFD

< 0.04 High 0.04 - 0.38 Oligotrophy Good 0.38 - 0.85 Mesotrophy Moderate 0.85 - 1.51 Eutrophication Poor> 1.51 Bad

Ε.Ι. = 0.279CPO4 + 0.261CNO3 + 0.296CNO2 + 0.275CNH3 + 0.214CChl-α (Primpas et al., 2010)

2. BEAST

Black Sea

Eutrophication Indices (I)

3. TRIX

Required Data: Mean annual or seasonal concentrations (mean integrated values of both water column and time) of

Black Sea ?

Eastern Mediterranean (Primpas et al. 2011)

Western Mediterranean – Adriatic (Pettine et al., 2007)

Chl-α : Chl-α concentration (μg/L)D%O2 : The % deviation of the oxygen concentration from saturation conditions

Required data of Temperature, Salinity, Dissolve Oxygen, water density - T, S, DO, dTN : Mineral nitrogen; Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen, DIN = N(as N − NO3 + N − NO2 + N − NH4) as μg/LPO4 : Total inorganic phosphorus as P–PO4 as μgr/L

will be included ...

TRIX = [Log10(PO4*TN*Chl-α*D%O2)+α]/b

The parameters a = 1.5 and b = 1.2 are scale coefficients, (proposed by Giovanardi and Vollenweider 2004) to fix the lower limit value of the index and also to fix the scale range from 0 to 10.

Proposed scaling

Eutrophication status

Classes according to requirements of WFD

2 - 4 Ultra oligotrophic High4 - 5 Oligotrophy Good5 -6 Mesotrophy Moderate6 - 8 Eutrophic Poor> 8 Dystrophic Bad

Eutrophication Indices (II)

Background features for Mediterranean and Black Sea

Main geographic layers• Coastline

• Topography & Bathymetry• Water bodies (WFD)

• Monitoring stations (WFD)•• Marine Protected Areas

• Nationally designated areas (Protected area CDDA)

• Natura sites Sites for Habitats Directive and Birds Directive

• Habitats (e.g. Posidonia meadows, marine caves, coralligenous formations)

• Ferries traffic

INPUT FROM EXISTING EU DATA BASES AND GENERIC LAYERS FREELY AVAILABLEe.g. Environmental European Agency, My Ocean, Emodnet, Environmental Systems Research Institute, Projects, Papers

Geodatabase: Background features/main geographic layers - Visualization of the monitoring programme inventory of Greece - Descriptors in GIS

Background features for Mediterranean and Black Sea

• Sea level rise• Hydrodynamics of mean tidal amplitude

• Temperature• chlorophyll

• Salinity• Current velocity

• Dissolved Oxygen

The second group of background features are ocean and atmospheric processes that include:

Monitoring Programmes

• Descriptor 1: Biodiversity • Descriptor 2: Non-indigenous Species

• Descriptor 3: Commercial Fish and shellfish• Descriptor 4: Food Webs

• Descriptor 5: Eutrophication• Descriptor 6: Sea-floor Integrity

• Descriptor 7: Hydrographical Conditions• Descriptor 8: Contaminants• Descriptor 8: Contaminants

• Descriptor 9: Contaminants in Seafood• Descriptor 10: Marine Litter

• Descriptor 11: Energy incl. Underwater Noise

According to the activity 1 of IRIS-SES project it has been displayed the Greek inventory of monitoring programmes, which is incorporated into the descriptors one of ten of the MSFD.

Task 3.2: DeCyDe-4-IRIS, the decision making toolISOTECH

ISOTECH’s approach is for developing DeCyDe-4-IRIS as a

strategic decision support method experts and key actors involvement and engagement tool anda self- assessment tool for GES

MAJOR QUESTION: how to assess the status of each parameter/ feature that will be monitored and set the targets in order to achieve GES. Involvement and commitment of key actors and stakeholders, through their active participation is a pre-requisite for the success of any effort.

The DeCyDe-4-IRIS method will be developed for two descriptors (5 and 8/9), and will be implemented in two pilot areas: the Saronikos Gulf in Greece and Constanta in Romania.

Activity 4: Optimization and adaptation to MSFD requirements of ongoing joint marine monitoring in the Mediterranean and Black Sea: planning the future JMPs(Activity leader: IEO)

Objectives

To elaborate detailed, realistic and affordable joint monitoring plans for the Mediterranean and Black Sea regions, useful for the achievement of MSFD objectives, resulting from the optimization and integration of existing international monitoring programs.

In addition to carry out a series of pilot studies within the framework of some of the existing JMP identified

To present a plan for the design and implementation of new joint standardised monitoring programs specifically focused on filling the gaps in MSFD monitoring needs in the Mediterranean and Black Sea regions that cannot be addressed through the optimisation of existing international programs.

Task 4.1: Develop JMP from existing monitoring

Task 4.2: Pilot study

4.2.1 To develop additional samplings during night hours within the framework of the MEDITS survey in the Balearic Sea4.2.2 Under the existing RADMED monitoring program implement a mooring line close to a position routinely visited under RADMED, to complement the temporal gaps between visits to decrease the signal-to-noise ration in “the seasonal and interannual evolution of temperature, salinity, turbidity and currents on the whole water column

Task 4.3- Strategic Plans for ongoing JMPs – IEO & Univ. Salento

Task 4.4: Strategic Plans for designing new JMPs – IEO & HCMR

However the preparation phase has started on tasks 4.2 and 4.4.

Activity 5: Coordination and Management, Dissemination and Sustainability(leader: HCMR)

Objectives are to:

Coordinate activities

Manage and monitor the progress of the project

Ensure the project meets its objectives within the time and the budget limits

Facilitate communication between partners

•Link IRIS-SES to other international and national projects Link IRIS-SES to other international and national projects

•Link IRIS-SES to stakeholders (4 local stakeholders workshops - W. Medit, C. Medit, E. Medit, and Black Sea - and Link IRIS-SES to stakeholders (4 local stakeholders workshops - W. Medit, C. Medit, E. Medit, and Black Sea - and a final stakeholders conference are planned)a final stakeholders conference are planned)

Communicate and outreach Project results and scientific developments on all levels of society: policy, public as well as scientific community

Food for thought

What IRIS-SES wants from EMODNET chemistry?

Data on monitoring, maybe even on cruisesFeeling our gapsJoin our stakeholder meetings (info on potential dates will be available possibly mid July)

What EMODNET chemistry wants from IRIS-SES?

Again exchange of dataHarmonisation of available monitoring programmes?What else?

What is necessary to do for policy-decision makers? How is this information could be translated to help on establishing GES according to MSFD requirements?

Thank you for your attention ! For more information:

Project Coordinator:Kalliopi PagouHCMR popi@hcmr.grTel. +30 22910 76409

Project Manager:Nikos Streftaris - nstrefta@hcmr.grAssistant ManagerLouisa Giannoudi – lgiannoudi@hcmr.gr

www.iris-ses.eu