Marine Strategy Framework Directive

& the Celtic Seas Partnership

Natasha Barker Bradshaw

Celtic Seas Partnership Project Adviser

www.celticseaspartnership.eu
Twitter/celticseas

Marine Strategy Framework Directive

Directive 2008/56/EC of the European Parliament and

of the Council of 17 June 2008 establishing a
framework for community action in the field of
marine environmental policy (Marine Strategy
Framework Directive)

Provides the environmental pillar of the EUs

Integrated Maritime Policy
Complements and fills gaps from the Water
Framework and other Directives (e.g. Habitats, Birds)

MSFD Aim and Delivery

Overall aim to deliver Good Environmental

Status in all EU waters by 2020
Requires application of the ecosystem approach
to management of human activities
Sets out European Marine Regions based on
environmental and geographic criteria
North East Atlantic Ocean 2 sub-regions:

- Greater North Sea

- Celtic Seas
Will operate via Member State Marine Strategies

Ecosystem Approach

An ecosystem-based approach means

an approach which ensures that the
collective pressure of human activities
within the marine strategy area is kept
within levels compatible with the
achievement of good environmental
status; and does not compromise the
capacity of marine ecosystems to
respond to human-induced changes.

Good Environmental Status

The overall state of the environment in marine

waters provides ecologically diverse and dynamic
oceans and seas which are healthy and
productive.
Use of the marine environment must be kept at
a sustainable level that safeguards potential uses
and activities by current and future generations.

The structure, functions and processes of

marine ecosystems have to be fully considered,
marine species and habitats must be protected
and human-induced decline of biodiversity
prevented.

How is Good Environmental Status Defined?

GES is determined at the marine region level or on

a sub-regional level

It is based on 11 qualitative descriptors of the

marine environment laid out in the MSFD
1. Biological diversity is maintained

2. Non-indigenous species dont impact adversely

3. Fish stocks within safe biological limits healthy
age/size distribution

4. Marine Food Web at normal abundance / diversity

5. Human-induced eutrophication (and its effects) are
minimised

How is Good Environmental Status Defined?

6. Sea floor integrity ensures ecosystems are
safeguarded
7. Permanent alteration of hydrographic conditions does
not adversely affect ecosystems
8. Contaminants are not at levels that cause pollution
effects
9. Contaminants in fish / other edibles do not exceed
levels set by EC or other standards

10. Properties and quantities of marine litter do not cause

harm to the coastal and marine environment
11. Introduction of energy, e.g. underwater noise, is at
levels that do not adversely affect the marine
environment
Targets and Indicators have been established for each
of these descriptors.

EU Marine Strategy
Framework Directive

Good Environmental
Status by 2020

Celtic Seas
Celtic Seas is OSPAR region
III and one of the 10 MSFD
sub-regions
Western seaboard of UK: 7
countries/regions
UK: England (NW & SW,
Wales, Scotland, NI
Republic of Ireland
Isle of Man
France (NW)
Diverse range of marine
habitats and wide range of
maritime industries

Celtic Seas Partnership

Celtic Seas Partnership
EC LIFE+ funded project, with a budget of 4 million
Four year project: January 2013 to December 2016
Follows on from successful PISCES project
Supporting transboundary implementation of EU
Marine Strategy Framework Directive in the Celtic
Seas through a stakeholder-led approach

Timeline
Develop
Programmes
of Measures

Monitoring
Programme

2013

2014

First multinational
workshop
Country
workshops

2015
Second
multinational
workshop

Implement
Programmes
of Measures

2016
Third multinational
workshop

Country
workshops

Celtic Seas Partnership

Sea-users

Celtic Seas
Partnership
Science

Government

Supporting transboundary implementation of the Marine

Strategy Framework Directive in the Celtic Seas through a
stakeholder-led approach

Aim
The aim of the partnership is
to engage stakeholders in
decision-making by:
Linking sea-users,
scientists and policymakers at the Celtic Seas
scale
Strengthening information
exchange between Celtic
Seas countries

Results areas
1. Engagement and capacity building
2. Transboundary partnership
3. Cross-sectoral good practice
4. Transboundary information resources
Strategic guide to knowledge integration
and data harmonisation
Celtic Seas web portal

What we aim to do
Support the goal of Good Environmental Status by 2020 by bringing
governments & marine stakeholders together to develop:

Voluntary measures to achieve GES (e.g. noise, litter)

Solutions for co-location and managing marine conflicts
Solutions for tackling trans-boundary challenges
Solutions for joint ICZM / MSFD implementation good practice
case studies and guidelines
A guide to integrating/harmonising engagement mechanisms
and marine data
Proposals for a marine-region-level partnership that can be used as
a model for other European marine regions

Multinational Workshop 1 October 2013

Building partnerships
Identifying measures
Country workshops Spring 2014
Refine measures in country context
Identify transboundary & cross-sectoral

Observer Board

Government
consultations

Multinational Workshop 2 Spring 2015

Review transboundary measures
Lessons from case studies
Country workshops Autumn 2015
Review government proposals
Consider ongoing role for input at country level

Final proposal Programme of

Measures

Final Multinational workshop Autumn 2016

Review role in final Programmes of Measures
Project outputs
Consider future joint working mechanisms

Evaluation of
Programme of
Measures

Recent and forthcoming activities

Oct 2013 - Launch event, Liverpool (1st of

3 annual events)
c.70 delegates, 80 ideas for MSFD
measures (19 draft detailed)
33 case studies for co-location and
trans-boundary challenges/solutions
Survey of possible measures

Jan 2014 1st Scientific Workshop

18th June 2014 - 1st England Country
Workshop, Plymouth

Aspirations from stakeholders

Stakeholders need to
be at the heart of
marine management
and policy

Need inter-governmental and

cross-sectoral commitment
and joined up thinking on
how you spatially manage
the Celtic Seas

Like to see consistent

application of ecosystem
approach principles
across sectors and
countries in Celtic Seas

We need open access to

quality data and greater
sharing of data across
boundaries and sectors

Next: interest and influence on descriptors

Developing draft measures

Expanding initiatives for
fishermen to participate
in marine litter collection
Develop new training
schemes for planners
that deal with land/sea
interface
Citizen science project on
marine invasive species to
encourage reporting

Working together
Development of a transboundary partnership with a role in
supporting and facilitating marine policy.
Development of management measures drawing on best practice
examples.
Development and building on relationships for better links between
sea users, governments and the scientific community.

Regional Seas

Opportunities for engagement

Knowledge exchange opportunities (NERC Shelf Sea Biogeochemistry prog)

Recommend science needs from stakeholders
Identify knowledge gaps
Web portal - signposting
Consider links between research & GES
Get involved in workshops and consultations as the project progresses
Signing up for the e-newsletter at www.celticseaspartnerhip.eu
Check the website news blog and follow us on twitter
@celticseaspartnership

Natasha Barker Bradshaw

Celtic Seas Partnership Project Adviser
nbarkerbradshaw@wwf.org.uk

www.celticseaspartnership.eu
Sign up to our quarterly e-newsletter!