EUNIS and EUSea Map Towards common spatial seabed

EUNIS and EUSea. Map: Towards common spatial seabed data for the Baltic David Connor, JNCC, UK HELCOM Red List habitat workshop, 25 -26 March 2010, Stockholm

Introduction Policy context – MSFD, MPAs, MSP EUNIS context: past considerations EMODNet & EUSea. Map objectives Habitat modelling and data layers Potential to validate and update EUNIS Summary

Why map the seabed? Effective management of the marine environment requires information on the spatial distribution and the quality of seabed habitats

Broad-scale seabed maps can… Contribute to quality assessments Regional conventions e. g. HELCOM Status Reporting EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive Support Marine Protected Area designation EC Habitats, Birds & Marine Strategy Framework Directives Regional conventions e. g. HELCOM MPAs National programmes Contribute to Marine Spatial Planning EU Integrated Maritime Policy National initiatives Background EUSea. Map Objectives Project Details Methods Progress Summary

Spatial habitat data for MSFD Article 8 – initial assessment 2012 “Member States shall make an initial assessment of their marine waters, taking account of existing data where available and comprising … an analysis of the essential features and characteristics … covering the physical and chemical features, the habitat types, the biological features and the hydro-morphology” Annex III – habitat elements of assessments p and water column habitat type(s) with a “the predominant seabed a M description of the characteristic physical and chemical features, such as a e depth, water temperature regime, currents and other water movements, S , the seabed” t salinity, structure of EU and substrata composition s i L e d v i t types, especially those Re habitat c “identification and mapping of special relegislation (the Habitats M i recognised or identified under Community O D C s Directive and the Birds Directive) or international conventions as being of t L a special scientific or biodiversity HE abitinterest” H Background EUSea. Map Objectives Project Details Methods Progress Summary

EUNIS in the Baltic Current EUNIS classification reflects last HELCOM red list (1998) Not comprehensive, limited biology, structure not fully compatible with rest of EUNIS Marine Progress in recent years to update and improve: Workshop in March 2008 Proposed restructuring of upper levels in EUNIS Complimentary work at community level in number of projects and countries Aimed to further develop with HELCOM support

March 2008 – Parameters/classes Substrate Hard – Rock (inc. clay, till), Biogenic Soft – Gravel/coarse sand, Sand, Mud, Mixed, Vegetated sediments Salinity Variable (30 -18 ppt – Kattegat) Reduced (18 -7. 5, 7. 5 -4, 4 -0. 5) Zone/depth Littoral (hydrolittoral), Infralittoral, Circalittoral, Deep circalittoral Other factors: Ice, Deoxygenated habitats

EMODNet EC DG-MARE initiative Supports EU Integrated Maritime Policy Preparatory phase – 2009 -2011: Hydrography Geology Chemistry Biology Seabed habitat maps - EUSea. Map Deliver harmonised datasets for selected regional seas Web-portal dissemination – interoperable data

EUSea. Map aim To provide broad-scale maps of seabed habitats, using common functional mapping methods, for the Baltic Sea Greater North Sea Celtic Seas and Western Mediterranean and to determine what further steps are required to improve their usefulness and coverage Background EUSea. Map Objectives Project Details Methods Progress Summary

Preparatory Action for development and assessment of a European broad-scale seabed habitat map Background EUSea. Map Objectives Project Details Methods Progress Summary

EUSea. Map partners Background EUSea. Map Objectives Project Details Methods Progress Summary

Previous broadscale mapping MESH INTERREG IIIB-funded Covered north-west Europe Produced EUNIS map BALANCE INTERREG IIIB-funded Covered Baltic sea region Produced marine landscape map MESH broadscale EUNIS map Background EUSea. Map Objectives Project Details Methods Progress Summary

Modelling approach e. g. Depth e. g. Seabed salinity Background Combination B Combination A e. g. Sediment type Biologically relevant? Represented in EUNIS? EUSea. Map Objectives Project Details Methods Results Summary

Example: Baltic Sea marine habitat modelling Primary data sets: Sediments www. search MESH. net

Example: Baltic Sea marine habitat modelling Primary data sets: Sediments Benthic salinity www. search MESH. net

Example: Baltic Sea marine habitat modelling Primary data sets: Sediments Benthic salinity Photic zone www. search MESH. net

Sweden D en m ar k Balance broadscale habitat map Non-photic mud, >30 psu Non-photic sand, 11 -18 psu Germany Poland

Physical input data layers Data type Baltic North Celtic W Med Sediment Bathymetry Light Wave energy at seabed Tidal energy at seabed Salinity at seabed Temperature at seabed O 2/POC/Chl Ice cover Stratification Background EUSea. Map Objectives Project Details Methods Progress Summary

Ecologically relevant thresholds Data type Baltic North Celtic W Med Sediment Bathymetry Light Wave energy at seabed Tidal energy at seabed Salinity at seabed Temperature at seabed O 2/POC/Chl Ice cover Stratification Background EUSea. Map Objectives Project Details Methods Progress Summary

Data preparation progress Sediment: EMODNET Background EUSea. Map Objectives Project Details Methods Progress Summary

Data preparation progress Sediment: EMODNET, data collation in W Med Bathymetry: EMODNET, improvements to BALANCE outputs Light: 1 km MERIS data, improvements to BALANCE Secchi disc data, thresholds Background EUSea. Map Objectives Project Details Methods Progress Summary

Light Background EUSea. Map Objectives Project Details Methods Progress Summary

EUNIS & EUSea. Map- Potential links EUSea. Map Provide broad-scale coverage for Baltic Build upon BALANCE – similar scale of output Improved data layers and modelling Biological validation of thresholds in physical data Leads to EUNIS-compatible habitat classes and map EUNIS level 2 -4 – new structure/classes Biological analyses within HELCOM frame Consistent biotopes/community types for Baltic EUNIS levels 4 -6 Further validate EUSea. Map + HELCOM = Baltic proposal for EUNIS

Summary Common seabed data for Europe are emerging These data will contribute to initial assessments for MSFD EUSea. Map and HELCOM biotope work can lead to proposals for EUNIS classification

Find out more… EC website http: //ec. europa. eu/maritimeaffairs/emodnet/ preparatory/home. html JNCC website www. jncc. gov. uk/EUSea. Map Get in touch natalie. coltman@jncc. gov. uk Background EUSea. Map Objectives Project Details Methods Progress Summary