Pagou K.1, Streftaris, N.1, Giannoudi, L.1, Lazar, L.2, Basset, A.3, Karageorgis A.1, Alemany
F.4, Loizidou X.5 and the IRIS-SES consortium
1 Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Anavyssos, Greece, 2 National Institute for Marine Research and
Development "Grigore Antipa", Constanta, Romania, 3 University of Salento, Lecce, Italy, 4 Instituto Español
de Oceanografía, Madrid, Spain, 5 ISOTECH, Nicosia, Cyprus
Implementation of EcAp in the Mediterranean: strengthening the SPI, 15-16 December 2015, Plan Blue, Sophia-Antipolis, France 1
The project: Integrated Regional monitoring Implementation
Strategy in the South European Seas
www.iris-ses.eu
Pilot Project - New Knowledge for an integrated management of human activities in the sea
PP/ENV D2/SEA 2012
Grant Agreement 070335/2013/659540//SUB/C2
The IRIS-SES experience on Science-Policy Interface
Project Duration: 18 + 2 months
Start: 1st October 2013
5 Activities/Work Packages
Total Budget: 1.201.986 €
EC contribution: 860.000 €
~ 200 man/months
9 Partners based in 8 countries: Med Sea - ISOTECH (Cyprus), HCMR, UoA (Greece), Univ. Salento (Italy), (IEO) Spain, TUBITAK (Turkey), Plan Blue (France). Black Sea – IO-BAS (Bulgaria), NIMRD (Romania), TUBITAK (Turkey)
A new approach and decision making tools for an integrated marine monitoring for the MSFD, in order to support an effective management of anthropogenic activities in Mediterranean and Black Seas
TARGET
2 Implementation of EcAp in the Mediterranean: strengthening the SPI, 15-16 December 2015, Plan Blue, Sophia-Antipolis, France
3 Implementation of EcAp in the Mediterranean: strengthening the SPI, 15-16 December 2015, Plan Blue, Sophia-Antipolis, France
IRIS-SES aimed to support co-ordinated, coherent and comparable
implementation of MSFD
Focus on existing monitoring programmes for integration within
and between MSs
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
Development of cooperation among research institutions within selected regions
in the implementation of pilot projects
Training events
Transfer of knowledge to other regions
4 Implementation of EcAp in the Mediterranean: strengthening the SPI, 15-16 December 2015, Plan Blue, Sophia-Antipolis, France
By the 3 pilot projects coordinators
• Member States were in the process of developing their monitoring programmes
and some still are.
• Changes in reporting guidelines
• Indicator development still in progress within MSs / RSCs
• Timing of MSFD deadlines and project planning
Challenges:
by David Connor, DG ENV, 24 April 2015, Brussels, Final conference of the pilot projects)
• Large spatial scales
• Multiple elements of ecosystem
• Multiple pressures and activities
• High costs (especially offshore)
• Lack of strategic approaches
– reliance on existing programmes with different origins/objectives
– Institutional practices
• Monitoring is seen as a ‘cost’ not as an ‘insurance policy’ linked to
ecosystem goods and services
5 Implementation of EcAp in the Mediterranean: strengthening the SPI, 15-16 December 2015, Plan Blue, Sophia-Antipolis, France
Meta-DataBase - Inventory of monitoring programmes
Inventory, assessment of MSFD monitoring related
international/regional legislation
Socio-economic assessment of human activities affecting the
marine environment and MSFD monitoring
Gap Analysis of current monitoring schemes
Guidelines on spatial and temporal extent of monitoring water
column and seabed
Adaptation and development of Intelligent Tools: GIS tools
and DECYDE-4-IRIS decision making tool
Recommendations for designing JMPs
E-Learning
MAIN OUTCOMES of IRIS-SES
6 Implementation of EcAp in the Mediterranean: strengthening the SPI, 15-16 December 2015, Plan Blue, Sophia-Antipolis, France
Interconnection with the Scientific community and the
stakeholders
• Link and represent IRIS-SES in other international and national research projects
and scientific activities in the SES region (especially related with MSFD) MED
project, EMODNET, MISIS, PERSEUS, EcAp, DEVOTES, RSCs
• Link/synergy with ongoing projects in the Med-Black Sea region; organization of
special sessions/joint agenda events to enhance result exploitation and
dissemination
• Representation of IRIS-SES and its results at major science meetings, and outreach to
the stakeholders (and to a lesser extent to the general public)
• Communication of project results and scientific developments via the project website
7 Implementation of EcAp in the Mediterranean: strengthening the SPI, 15-16 December 2015, Plan Blue, Sophia-Antipolis, France
Interconnection with the Scientific community, stakeholders, RSCs PCG meeting 12-13/9/2013 Brussels
Joint Kick off meeting, 13/9/2011 Brussels
• Black Sea Conference, 28-31/10/2013 Constanta
Bucharest Conference (AQUALIRES-2014) - BENA January 2014,
• CORGEST/UNEP 17-19 February 2014, Athens
HOPE Conference 3-4 March 2014, Brussels (Joint presentation 3 pilot projects)
PCG meeting, 10 March 2014, Brussels (Joint presentation 3 pilot projects)
MED project ARCADIS, CAM meeting, 7 April 2014, Brussels
• UNEP meeting on biodiversity, Athens, May 2014 (joint workshop with PERSEUS, IRIS participation)
GreInSUS conference, Stakeholder meeting, 8-10 May, Izmir
JMP NS/CS – IRIS_SES management meeting, 4 June, Athens
EMODNET-Chemistry meeting, 17-19 June, Split
MISIS Final Meeting, 23-26 June 2014, Mahmudia
PCG meeting (23 September, Brussels) (Joint presentation 3 pilot projects)
Coordinators meeting (6 October, Rome)
• 4th Meeting of EcAp Coordination Group, 9 & 10 October, Athens
Short note/presentation to WG GES, 21 October 2014, Brussels (Joint presentation 3 pilot projects)
Capacity Building Event, in the frame of the MED-project of ARCADIS, Varna, 28-29/10/2014.
• Black Sea Day, 3 November 2014, Istanbul, BSC
Workshop on nature, biodiversity water and marine policy, DG ENV, Brussels, 2-3 December 2014 (Joint
presentation 3 pilot projects)
• CORMON meeting, UNEP/MAP, 30/3 – 1/4/2015 – Joint stakeholder meeting with IRIS_SES
• Joint 25th Meeting of the Pollution Monitoring and Assessment Advisory Group (PMA AG) and
20th Meeting of the Advisory Group on Control of Pollution from Land Based Sources (LBS AG) of
the BSC, 2-3rd April, 2015, Istanbul, Turkey
• 31st Regular BSC Meeting, 8 October 2015, Istanbul
8 Implementation of EcAp in the Mediterranean: strengthening the SPI, 15-16 December 2015, Plan Blue, Sophia-Antipolis, France
• pre-meeting on the DECYDE-4-IRIS tool, Cyprus, 18/3/2014
• Dahlem-type workshop on ‘Spatial and temporal extent of monitoring water
column and seabed habitats indicators, based on the scales of natural
variations’ in Lecce, the 14th - 16th of May 2014,
• 1st regional stakeholder meeting DeCYDE-4-IRIS (Eastern Mediterranean) in
Athens (23-24 October 2014 / ARCADIS, MED project)
• 2nd regional stakeholder meeting DECYDE-4-IRIS (Black Sea) in Constanta,
12 January 2015
• 3rd regional stakeholder meeting (Central & Western Mediterranean), Venice,
26 February 2015
Final Joint Stakeholder Meeting of the 3 pilot projects BALSAM,
IRIS-SES, JMP NS/CS, 24 April 2015, Brussels
The aim of this meeting was to share results and experiences from the 3 pilot projects
regarding the status of current environmental monitoring in the different sea regions, as well
as to discuss proposals for further coordinated monitoring
9 Implementation of EcAp in the Mediterranean: strengthening the SPI, 15-16 December 2015, Plan Blue, Sophia-Antipolis, France
1) Analysis of the monitoring programs and development of the meta-
database
In order to achieve better knowledge on the gaps and understanding of the needs and
constraints
2) Identification of emerging MSFD monitoring needs and gaps and Integration across
descriptors and indicators
In this frame IRIS-SES developed an open-
access, οpen-source, continuously
updated, E-Learning platform both on the
IRIS-SES website and the LifeWatch portal,
with short interviews and ppt lectures related to
MSFD descriptors
A report on spatial/temporal indicators variability
(water column & seabed habitats) was produced
along with a gap analysis on the existing data of
marine monitoring spatial/temporal extend, as raster
maps of MSFD descriptors to identify monitoring
needs
IRIS-SES tools and solutions towards coordinated
monitoring to be taken forward in RSCs and in EU MSs
10 Implementation of EcAp in the Mediterranean: strengthening the SPI, 15-16 December 2015, Plan Blue, Sophia-Antipolis, France
3) Adaptation and development of Intelligent Tools to optimize use of
resources
(a) a set of GIS (Geographic Information System) tools and (b) the DeCyDe-4-
IRIS decision-making tool
Addressed to scientists, decision makers, not necessarily experts on these
issues, to assist stakeholders to develop joint monitoring programs in the SES
Unified platform for Western, Eastern Mediterranean and Black Seas
(a) GIS toolbox:
All information gathered within IRIS-SES was integrated to produce a GIS planning tool,
using background features/main geographic layers leading to the development of
Environmental Status criteria and the adaptation of GIS tools for the D3, D5, D8 & D9
descriptors unified for Mediterranean and Black Sea addressed to scientists, decision
makers and non-experts.
11 Implementation of EcAp in the Mediterranean: strengthening the SPI, 15-16 December 2015, Plan Blue, Sophia-Antipolis, France
DeCyDe-4-IRIS is a user-friendly,
highly participatory decision-support
method that bridges the science-
policy gap and promotes
communication and interaction
between government, academia and
industry (MSs bodies responsible for
MSFD monitoring).
Through its implementation in a
preparotory workshop with Cypriots
stakeholders and in two regional
workshops, one in the Eastern
Mediterranean and one in the Black Sea,
DeCyDe-4-IRIS has been tested and
proven to be a valuable process of
‘translating’ science findings into a
simple, scientifically robust and effective
method of engaging key actors
and stakeholders
(b) The DeCyDe-4-IRIS tool
It has been dedicatedly developed to serve the
needs of IRIS-SES project, in order to explore joint
monitoring potentials among the countries of
Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea.
12 Implementation of EcAp in the Mediterranean: strengthening the SPI, 15-16 December 2015, Plan Blue, Sophia-Antipolis, France
• active participation of
key actors
• regional stakeholder
workshops
• recognition of needs,
suggestions
DeCyDe-4-IRIS
method resulted in
the identification of
well-defined
monitoring gaps
and needs
presented in Venn
diagrams
13 Implementation of EcAp in the Mediterranean: strengthening the SPI, 15-16 December 2015, Plan Blue, Sophia-Antipolis, France
…. and concrete suggestions
Example:
The following collaboration opportunities between
Cyprus, Greece and Turkey were identified:
Develop an algorithm and associated satellite imaging for chlorophyll and sea grass
mapping e.g. Posidonia oceanica meadows.
Use common infrastructures, e.g. gliders, networks of buoys, Argofloats, as this would
enable the sharing of both costs and data.
Agree on common monitoring procedures, rather than on just joint monitoring
programmes, as this would allow comparability between results.
Pursue offshore joint monitoring opportunities, particularly for mature descriptors. This
can be cost effective, as offshore monitoring is not as well-developed as near-shore
monitoring. This is an initiative that could stem from the Regional Sea Conventions and/or
DG Environment.
Begin collaboration on Descriptors with major gaps, since collaborating countries could
set up common monitoring programmes, acquire common infrastructure and share
resources.
Prepare inventories of each country’s available infrastructure that could be used for
joint monitoring
14 Implementation of EcAp in the Mediterranean: strengthening the SPI, 15-16 December 2015, Plan Blue, Sophia-Antipolis, France
(4) Planning the future JMPs to meet MSFD requirements.
Optimization and adaptation of ongoing monitoring programs
in Mediterranean and Black Sea
Proposals for Joint Monitoring Plans
were put forward taking into account
the results from all activities and the
conclusions from the pilot feasibility
studies that could be adopted by the
RSCs (UNEP/MAP and BSC) and the
EU MSs.
JMPs based on:
a) existing programs (as MEDIAS, MEDITS);
b) monitoring strategy of UNEP/MAP;
c) MPAs and seagrass monitoring;
d) innovative monitoring systems and platforms
15 Implementation of EcAp in the Mediterranean: strengthening the SPI, 15-16 December 2015, Plan Blue, Sophia-Antipolis, France
(5) Inter-regional cooperation has been another important aspect of IRIS-
SES, mainly with the two RSCs, as well as the other two pilot projects
(BALSAM for Baltic Sea and JMP NS/CS for North and Celtic Sea), as
synergies and similarities have actively been sought between the
European sea regions and led to a joint ‘Towards coordinated monitoring
in the European Regional Seas’ DG ENV sponsored workshop, 24 April
2015, Brussels
Advice from DG ENV:
Top down steer needed to move towards joint monitoring
the 3 pilot projects to develop a joint strategic paper
containing the conclusions from this meeting and
proposals on the way forward, which should be discussed
in MSCG and Marine Directors in November 2015
16 Implementation of EcAp in the Mediterranean: strengthening the SPI, 15-16 December 2015, Plan Blue, Sophia-Antipolis, France
Marine Directors are invited to:
a. Take note and make use of the main findings of the pilot projects to improve
coherence in the implementation of the MSFD and related international legislation and
increase cost-effectiveness;
b. Support the further development of coordinated and integrated monitoring
activities, notably in the area of multi-use of fish surveys, shared information on programmes
and deployment of new techniques that decrease the cost of monitoring;
c. Provide a firm basis for international collaboration by giving priority to funding
joint monitoring activities, supporting ongoing and future work in the Regional Sea
Conventions for this purpose and seeking operational collaboration with neighbouring
countries.
d. Make use of and find a home for the meta-databases developed in the projects
(especially for JMP NS/CS and IRIS-SES) in coherence with the information strategies of the
Regional Sea Conventions.
17 Implementation of EcAp in the Mediterranean: strengthening the SPI, 15-16 December 2015, Plan Blue, Sophia-Antipolis, France
All outcomes and tools are available online also for the decision-makers and stakeholders (http://iris-ses.eu/category/outreach/results-outreach/)
Some more points to consider:
The Stakeholders’ meetings evidenced a difficulty
concerning the coordination level.
Experts proposed the monitoring of the MSFD under the light of the results achieved by the
WFD.
A lot of indicators are under development and have to be intercalibrated and approved by
European States but a more effective coordination is needed to achieve this goal.
Coordination should also involve a data repository.
The inventory is a critical point because there are many data repositories that are unknown.
We need to have data, to collect to do it in a standard way to publish but we need to put data on
a common repository that can be used by all.
Data repositories are reported as metadata and aggregate but, often, raw data are needed.
Stakeholders don’t need models but information by the status or pressure of each specific
indicator to monitor.
Comparability of data is a great problem to be solved and data question the opportunity to have
reference data is the principal matter
Coordinate the coordinators!
18 Implementation of EcAp in the Mediterranean: strengthening the SPI, 15-16 December 2015, Plan Blue, Sophia-Antipolis, France
How to achieve joint monitoring?
Danube, MISIS and FI/SE examples: joint monitoring does work in practice. It is
cheaper and delivers more coherent outcomes
Joint monitoring involves joint data management and joint survey design. QA/QC
procedures close the gap between these activities
Properly define the objectives of an integrated survey – including priorities! –
before you go out at sea. Make sure that everyone is involved
Exchange of project results across RSCs helps to develop common language and
shared approaches
Sustainability of products and approaches: MSFD is the common driver and RSCs
are the coordinating bodies to think how we should proceed toward joint
monitoring
Accessibility of monitoring data for scientists and policy makers is crucial, RSCs
should lead by example
Make smart use of modeling to complement sea going surveys and save money
IRIS-SES Stakeholder Event, 31 March 2015, Athens
Thank you for your attention !
For more information:
Project Coordinator:
Kalliopi Pagou
HCMR
Tel. +30 22910 76409
www.iris-ses.eu
Project Manager: Nikos Streftaris - [email protected] Assistant Manager Louisa Giannoudi – [email protected] 19
All outcomes and tools are available online also
for the decision-makers and stakeholders
(http://iris-ses.eu/category/outreach/results-
outreach/)