Policy drivers for seabed mapping

1. Policy drivers for seabed mapping Evanthia Karpouzli Marine Ecological Adviser Scottish Executive

2. Policy Drivers aquatic environment • Natural resource mapping (broadscale habitats, features, species). Commitments through: • OPSPAR convention • Habitats and Birds Directives • Water Framework Directive • Monitoring (achieving good environmental status, favourable conservation status etc) • All the above plus • EU Marine Strategy and proposed Marine directive • Biodiversity Action Plans

3. Policy Drivers aquatic environment • Inform decision-making and planning • The Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 (specific biodiversity duty) • Strategic Environmental Assessments • Environmental Impact Assessments • Inshore Fishing Act (management and compliance) • Marine Spatial Planning (shared framework across UK waters) • Considering new legislation for Scotland • Oil spill contingency, risk assessment • Long term monitoring. Identify impacts on habitats and changes, identify trends and change • Scotland's Climate Change programme. • Contribute data and evidence to the MCCIP • Marine Environment Change Network

4. Policy Drivers aquatic environment • Identifying gaps in knowledge / data. Better coordination, avoid duplication • Scotland committed to a coordinated UK-wide marine information network • Eg. Marine Data and Information Partnership (MDIP) • The joint UK response to the Review of Marine Nature Conservation • UK Seamap • Evidence based policy • Justification for site designation • Site management • Justification for consents

5. Policy Drivers aquatic environment • Overarching commitments through: • Scottish Marine and Coastal Strategy • Coastal and Marine National Park • Scottish Biodiversity Strategy • Possible future drivers: Potential changes to legislation in Scottish marine environment • Establish an ecologically coherent and representative network of MPAs • Identify areas important for ecosystems and biodiversity

6. How can we fulfil these policy drivers?Step 1: data collection, map production • Good quality accurate intertidal and subtidal maps of species, habitats, that complements information on activities on a GIS. • Resolution fit for purpose • Collected and processed in a clear standardised way • Good metadata available • To allow for comparisons spatially and temporarily

7. How can we fulfil these policy drivers?Step 2: Data analysis • Measuring extent (of feature and lifeform) • Measuring biomass of vegetation • Determining spatial pattern and structure • Monitoring change (spatial/qualitative) • Legacy - lasting objective records of site condition

8. Conclusions • Future opportunities: • For MESH to inform policy, improve basis for decision making and planning • Key: The continuity of such projects so maps are updated in the future • Added value in seabed mapping products • Input in ecosystem models • For example fisheries stock prediction using habitat maps and other environmental variables • Climate change models • Operational tool in WFD • Integrated use of data from different sources • Real power: detecting changes over time • Standards and protocols required for collecting and analysing data to produce consistent results which are repeatable over time