Marianna Cavallo Analysis of the implementation of the European Marine Strategy Framework Directive in the North-East Atlantic region Supervised by Prof. Victor Quintino Prof. Michael Elliott Dr. Julia Touza Year 2017 “International mention” TÄÄt Å|t ytÅ|zÄ|t Content Content ........................................................................................................................................ VII Preface ........................................................................................................................................... IX Abstract ......................................................................................................................................... XI Resumen ..................................................................................................................................... XIII Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................... XXI Abbreviations ............................................................................................................................ XXII Chapter 1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1. The need for an ecosystem-based management of EU seas .................................................. 1 1.2. The Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) ............................................................ 2 1.2.1. Requirements and phases ........................................................................................... 2 1.2.2. MSFD coordination structures and social platforms .................................................. 6 1.3. The North-East Atlantic region .............................................................................................. 8 1.4. Objectives ............................................................................................................................ 10 1.4.1. First objective – What are the main differences among national strategies of the North-East Atlantic region? ........................................................................... 11 1.4.2. Second objective – What are the impediments hampering regional coordination? ............................................................................................................ 13 14.3. Third objective – What is the level of coherence at sub-regional level in the adopted programmes of measures? .................................................................... 14 Chapter 2 The ability of regional coordination and policy integration to produce coherent marine management .................................................................................................................................. 15 Summary ....................................................................................................................................... 15 Chapter 3 Benefits for and impediments to the integrated and coordinated management of European seas ................................................................................................................................................ 17 Abstract ......................................................................................................................................... 17 3.1. Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 18 3.2. Methodology ........................................................................................................................ 20 3.2.1. Survey of the Marine Strategy Coordination Group (MSCG) ................................. 20 3.2.2. Statistical analysis .................................................................................................... 22 3.3. Results .................................................................................................................................. 23 VII MARIANNA CAVALLO 3.4. Discussion ............................................................................................................................ 28 3.4.1. Effectiveness of MSFD coordination structures ...................................................... 28 3.4.2. Spatial scale ............................................................................................................. 29 3.4.3. Priority actions to achieve the GEnS of European seas ........................................... 31 3.4.4. Future challenges ..................................................................................................... 32 Chapter 4 Challenges for the coordinated management of European Seas: comparing the programmes of measures for the Bay of Biscay and Iberian coast sub-region ................................................ 35 Abstract ......................................................................................................................................... 35 4.1. Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 36 4.1.1. Requirements of the PoM ........................................................................................ 37 4.2. Methodology ........................................................................................................................ 38 4.3. Results ................................................................................................................................. 39 4.3.1. Coherence in the information reported .................................................................... 39 4.3.2. Coordination in the three PoM ................................................................................ 41 4.3.2.1. Biodiversity ............................................................................................................ 41 4.3.2.2. Non-indigenous species .......................................................................................... 44 4.3.2.3. Commercial fish and shellfish ................................................................................ 45 4.3.2.4. Introduction of nutrients and contaminants ............................................................ 45 4.3.2.5. Marine litter ............................................................................................................ 46 4.3.2.6. Other measures ....................................................................................................... 47 4.3.3 Economic analysis ...................................................................................................... 47 4.3.4. Integration with relevant legislation ........................................................................ 48 4.4. Discussion ............................................................................................................................ 52 4.4.1. Differences in reporting ........................................................................................... 52 4.4.2. Differences in scope and spatial application ........................................................... 53 4.4.3. Differences in policy integration ............................................................................. 55 4.4.4. Gaps in the economic analysis ................................................................................. 56 4.5 Conclusions ......................................................................................................................... 57 Chapter 5 ....................................................................................................................................... 59 Discussion, Recommendations for Further Work and Conclusions ............................................. 59 5.1. Comparability of the reporting requirements ...................................................................... 59 5.2. When is regional coherence and coordination essential in the implementation of the MSFD? ................................................................................................................................ 61 5.3. Need to improve coherence in policy integration ................................................................ 63 5.4. Assessing the effectiveness of the MSFD coordination structures and social platforms .... 65 5.5. Recommendations and suggestions for further work .......................................................... 68 5.5.1 Recommendations for further research ....................................................................... 68 5.5.2 Suggestions for policy-makers ................................................................................... 69 5.6 Conclusions ......................................................................................................................... 71 References ..................................................................................................................................... 73 Appendix ....................................................................................................................................... 87 VIII Preface I developed this multidisciplinary PhD project on the basis of the experience gained working on the implementation of the European Water Framework Directive in the North-Western Medi- terranean Sea. The research focused on the analysis of the methodologies and indices developed to assess the Good Ecological