Scientific Support to the European Commission on the Marine Strategy Framework Directive - Management Group Report

The Marine Strategy Framework Directive (2008/56/EC) (MSFD) requires that the European Commis-sion (by 15 July 2010) should lay down criteria and methodological standards to allow consistency in approach in evaluating the extent to which Good Environmental Status (GES) is being achieved. ICES and JRC were contracted to provide scientific support for the Commission in meeting this obligation. A total of 10 reports have been prepared relating to the descriptors of GES listed in Annex I of the Directive. Eight reports have been prepared by groups of independent experts coordinated by JRC and ICES in response to this contract. In addition, reports for two descriptors (Contaminants in fish and other seafood and Marine Litter) were written by expert groups coordinated by DG SANCO and IFREMER respectively. A Task Group was established for each of the qualitative Descriptors. Each Task Group consisted of selected experts providing experience related to the four marine regions (the Baltic Sea, the North-east Atlantic, the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea) and an appropriate scope of relevant scien-tific expertise. Observers from the Regional Seas Conventions were also invited to each Task Group to help ensure the inclusion of relevant work by those Conventions. This is the report of the MSFD Management Group.JRC.DDG.H.5-Rural, water and ecosystem resource

Technical guidance on monitoring for the Marine Stategy Framework Directive

The Marine Directors of the European Union (EU), Acceding Countries, Candidate Countries and EFTA Countries have jointly developed a common strategy for supporting the implementation of the Directive 2008/56/EC, “the Marine Strategy Framework Directive” (MSFD). The main aim of this strategy is to allow a coherent and harmonious implementation of the Directive. Focus is on methodological questions related to a common understanding of the technical and scientific implications of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive. In particular, one of the objectives of the strategy is the development of non-legally binding and practical documents, such as this technical guidance on monitoring for the MSFD. These documents are targeted to those experts who are directly or indirectly implementing the MSFD in the marine regions. The document has been prepared by the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission (JRC) with the contribution of experts from Member States, Regional Seas Conventions and ICES and following consultation of the Working Group on Good Environmental Status.JRC.H.1-Water Resource

Report of the Workshop on Marine Strategy Framework Directive1 - Descriptor 3+ (WKMSFD1 D3), 4-8 July 2011 ICES Headquarters, Denmark. ICES CM 2011/ACOM:58

This is a short report of the first workshop in a process leading to a technical/scientific ICES report aiming to support EU Member States (MS) in the implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). The process will focus on Descriptor 3 (D3), commercially exploited fish and shellfish, but fisheries-related information relevant for the other Descriptors will also be identified and reported on. The work is led by a small Core Group of experts and, outputs of this and a second workshop involving regional case studies undertaken by the Core Group, will be used in pre-paring a final report. The final report will describe the process, assessment method-ologies and the key issues and decisions, as well as their implications for defining GES and environmental targets and indicators for D3.JRC.G.4-Maritime affair