2 Document Information Partner Leading Direção Regional dos Assuntos do Mar- (DRAM), Secretaria Regional do Mar Ciencia e Tecnologia, Governo Regional dos Açores Participants All partners Scientific Experts Main Author (s): Gilberto Carreira Versions 2nd reviewed version Approval by FRCT 3 Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................... 5 1. BACKGROUND ....................................................................................................................................... 8 2. The MSFD process ................................................................................................................................11 3. THE MSFD APPLICATION IN MACARONESIA ...................................................................................13 3.1.1 - Azores ...................................................................................................................................13 3.1.2 - Madeira ...............................................................................................................................21 3.1.3 - Canary Islands .....................................................................................................................21 3.2.1 - Azores ...................................................................................................................................22 3.2.2 - Madeira ...............................................................................................................................23 3.2.3 - Canary Islands .....................................................................................................................26 4. THE WORKPACKAGE ..........................................................................................................................28 5. Analysis of the application of MSFD for three functional groups of D1 (marine mammals, sea birds and sea turtles) ................................................................................................................................29 5.1.1 - Regional initial assessment .................................................................................................29 5.1.2 - Recommended MISTIC SEAS approach............................................................................37 5.1.3 - Rationale for the selection of Management Units and Baseline Values ......................44 5.2.1 - Regional Initial Assessment.................................................................................................65 5.2.2 - Recommended MISTIC SEAS approach............................................................................68 5.3.1 - Regional Initial Assessment.................................................................................................96 5.3.2 - Recommended MISTIC SEAS approach............................................................................99 5.3.3 - Rationale for the selection of Management Units and Baseline Values ................... 106 6. Conclusions.......................................................................................................................................... 126 7. Glossary ............................................................................................................................................. 128 8. References .......................................................................................................................................... 129 4 Appendix................................................................................................................................................ 137 1. Workshop Aim ................................................................................................................................... 162 2. Workshop 1 (WK1) objectives ........................................................................................................ 162 3. Welcome and Introduction ............................................................................................................... 163 4. Participation and Roles in the MISTIC SEAS Project ..................................................................... 164 5. Workpackage 1 - DRAM ................................................................................................................. 165 6. Steering Committee Meeting ........................................................................................................... 165 6.1.1. Introduction of Steering Committee representatives: .................................................... 165 6.2.1. The experts’ representatives chosen by each taxonomic group were introduced in the Steering Committee, nominally: ................................................................................................... 166 6.2.3. Workpackage 3- SRA ...................................................................................................... 166 6.2.4 Experts representatives...................................................................................................... 166 6.3.1. Workpackage 4- SRA/DRAM ......................................................................................... 167 6.3.2. Workpackage 5- DGSCM/FBIO..................................................................................... 167 6.3.3. Workpackage 5- FBIO/SRA ............................................................................................ 167 7. Experts Working Groups ................................................................................................................. 168 8. Conclusions and Next Steps ............................................................................................................. 168 ANNEX 1 AGENDA................................................................................................................................ 169 List of Participants .................................................................................................................................. 171 Minutes of the Marine Mammals expert panel .................................................................................. 176 5 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The European Union (EU) has the world's largest maritime territory and maritime resources are a significant contribution to the economic prosperity and welfare of each Member State. The Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), together with other existing legislation aims to protect the European marine environment to ensure it is healthy, productive and safeguarded for the use of future generations. Common approaches are needed to assess the environmental status of the marine environment in the EU in a consistent and meaningful way. Hence, the authorities of the Azores and Madeira (Regional Governments, representing Portugal, in conjunction with the Direção-Geral de Recursos Naturais, Segurança e Serviços Marítimos - DGRM) and Spain (Dirección General de Sostenibilidad de la Costa y del Mar, MAGRAMA), for the Canary Islands, with the scientific support of the Instituto Español de Oceanografia (IEO) and the Fundación Biodiversidad (FB) are joining forces to develop a common set of methodologies to be shared across the Macaronesia marine sub-region. The first MISTIC SEAS workshop (WK1) was held in Horta, Azores, between 29th and 31st of March 2016, at the Observatório do Mar dos Açores (OMA). The workshop was attended by project partners as well as by technical experts and invited observers. The MISTIC SEAS structure is as follows: WP1 - Review of initial assessments, including knowledge gaps, GES definition and environmental targets established for the three Macaronesia Archipelagos initial reports. WP2 - Common MSFD monitoring strategy to marine mammals, sea turtles and seabirds, applied to D1 throughout Macaronesia. WP3 - Testing common monitoring methodologies. WP4 - Towards a common infrastructure on Data management and sharing. WP5 - Design of an Action Plan. WP6 - Project dissemination and networking. WP7 - Project coordination and management. Workpackage 1 intended to analyse the initial MSFD assessment reports for D1 by aligning the GES definitions, the identified pressures and impacts and the targets defined in the initial assessment (IA) and by permitting the revision of the measures to reach or maintain GES. In addition, WP1 aimed at outlining a comprehensive monitoring programme to be applied across the Macaronesia, for the defined functional groups (marine mammals, seabirds and sea turtles), under D1. This initial report clarifies the general position of the different indicators and GES definitions and assessment values amongst the three archipelagos. The work developed under WP 1 enabled 6 the development of a common understanding of MSFD concepts and criteria within Macaronesia, which is fundamental to achieve a coherent and consistent approach among archipelagos with respect to the selection of Management Units (MU), indicators and targets for marine mammals, seabirds and sea turtles. This first workshop allowed the experts from all three sub-regions of European Macaronesia to standardize a common approach and to identify the knowledge gaps. The main highlights for each functional group are included in this technical report and were as follows: Marine mammals There is still insufficient data to develop robust indicators for the abundance and demographic parameters for most cetacean species and many of