Autor(es):
Borja, Angel 
; Elliott, Mike ; Andersen, Jesper H. ; Cardoso, Ana C. ; Carstensen, Jacob ; Ferreira, João G. ; Heiskanen, Anna-Stiina ; Marques, J. C. ; Neto, João M. ; Teixeira, Heliana ; Uusitalo, Laura ; Uyarra, María C. ; Zampoukas, Nikolaos
Data: 2013
Identificador Persistente: http://hdl.handle.net/10316/25590
Origem: Estudo Geral - Universidade de Coimbra
Assunto(s): Assessment; Good Environmental Status; Descriptors; Indicators; Integration; Marine Strategy Framework Directive
Descrição
The European Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) requires EU Member States (MS) to achieve
Good Environmental Status (GEnS) of their seas by 2020. We address the question of what GEnS entails
especially with regard to the level at which targets are set (descriptors, criteria, indicators), to scales for
assessments (regional, sub-divisions, site-specific), and to difficulties in putting into practice the GEnS
concept. We propose a refined and operational definition of GEnS, indicating the data and information
needed to all parts of that definition. We indicate the options for determining when GEnS has been
met, acknowledge the data and information needs for each option, and recommend a combination of
existing quantitative targets and expert judgement. We think that the MSFD implementation needs to
be less complex than shown for other similar directives, can be based largely on existing data and can
be centred on the activities of the Regional Seas Conventions. This manuscript has resulted from the DEVOTES (DEVelopment
Of innovative Tools for understanding marine biodiversity and
assessing Good Environmental Status) project funded by the European
Union under the 7th Framework Programme, ‘The Ocean of
Tomorrow’ Theme (Grant Agreement No. 308392), www.devotesproject.
eu. This paper is contribution number 654 from AZTITecnalia
(Marine Research Division).
