Applying an Ecosystem Approach to (sub) Regional Habitat Assessments (EcApRHA):

Addressing gaps in biodiversity indicator development for the OSPAR Region from data to ecosystem assessment

Bernardas Padegimas

OSPAR

EcApRHA general info

Timeline: December 2015 –February 2017 (15 months) Team: over 35 experts and 9 partners Budget: 940.856 € (752,537 EU contribution) Objectives:

• To advance in the development of regionally coherent biodiversity assessment methods and indicators

• To address the gaps and shortcomings identified in the

project and propose solutions

• To address the gaps and shortcomings

identified in the project and propose solutions

EcApRHA general info

Deliverables

Indicators: • Development of OSPAR common indicators (as

inputs to IA 2017) • Development of OSPAR candidate indicators • Potential integration methods and approaches

Action Plan: • The Action Plan recommends the steps that will

be needed to progress the work started by the project towards operational indicators and integration, including improving monitoring and coherence in assessment methods

Project progress: Indicators

PH1/FW5

PH2

PH3

BH2

BH3

FW4

BH1

BH4

FW2

FW6

FW7

FW9

Pelagic Benthic Food webs Direct project outputs:

• Support to 7 IA 2017 assessments

• 7 draft CEMP guidelines • 9 technical reports • 1 Action plan

Focused on:

• Progress in methodology

• Testing • Data gathering • Integration • Gap analysis and further

development

Project progress: Contribution to OSPAR Intermediate Assessment 2017

PH1/FW5

PH2

PH3

BH2

BH3

FW4

FW2

Pelagic Benthic Food webs

• Delivered draft

assessments to the IA

2017

• Multiple case study

preparations

Project progress: draft CEMP guidelines

BH2

BH3

BH1

BH4

FW6

FW7

FW9

Pelagic Benthic Food webs

• Technical boost to

candidate indicator

development

• BH1 example

Project progress: other technical reports

Project progress: Indicators integration

Pelagic integration

Benthic integration

Food Web (NEAT)

BH3 and FW4

Bow-tie

• A first initiative to integrate OSPAR biodiversity indicators

• 5 methods trialled consisting of 3 approaches

• Pros and cons for each method provided with links to management decisions

• Gaps and solutions provided linking to the Action Plan

• Timeline of how the process can be implemented provided

• Detailed methods of each approach written within each work package deliverable

Project progress: Indicators integration

Action Plan

IA 2017

Technical

Overview

Action Plan

Inputs

Draft CEMP

Other tech reports (incl.

integration)

Consultations with OSPAR

Action Plan

Recommends how to:

• Improve regionally coherent assessments, through:

Common indicator further improvement

Candidate indicator development

Analysis and testing of potential integration

• Improve regionally coherent monitoring

• Improve regional data use, flow and management

• Further contribution to GES determination

• Further support OSPAR Contracting Parties in their EU MSFD application and reporting

Technical

Overview

Action Plan

Action Plan

Recommends how to:

• Improve regionally coherent assessments, through:

Common indicator further improvement

Candidate indicator development

Analysis and testing of potential integration

• Improve regionally coherent monitoring

• Improve regional data use, flow and management

• Further contribution to GES determination

• Further support OSPAR Contracting Parties in their EU MSFD application and reporting

Other project impacts

• Science and

policy interactions

EcApRHA evaluation and integration to OSPAR

Handover to OSPAR meeting:

• Project results presented, discussed and handed over to ICG-COBAM

• Project evaluation

EcApRHA project and Action Plan presented at BDC 2017:

• Action Plan accepted by BDC

• Further integration into OSPAR work through ICG-COBAM(1) 2017, 22-24 May

Indicator development and applicability

More holistic assessment/indicator integrations

EcApRHA:

• Improved OSPAR common and candidate indicators

• Improved OSPAR candidate indicators

• Explored and proposed integration approaches

EcApRHA

Action Plan

BDC/COBAM OSPAR

€

• Identified gaps and proposed actions (Roadmap for improvement of indicators and integration approaches)

2015 2017

2017 2030

Website and storage

Website and storage

Key messages

• To note the success of the project (and as an example model for future projects):

Short time – huge amount of work done

Opportunity to boost least advanced areas of work

Scientific progress within complex marine ecosystem

Policy and science interaction

• OSPAR Secretariat as project coordinator

• To use the opportunity to capitalise on the momentum of the project

• To acknowledge the main gaps identified within the biodiversity indicator

development at OSPAR:

Retention of expertise

Lack of established data flows and management

Links between state and pressure

Integration opportunities and gaps

• To use Action Plan in OSPAR future work on biodiversity assessment and

monitoring

• Lessons learned

www.ospar.org/work-areas/bdc/ecaprha

Contact information: bernardas.padegimas@ospar.org

This project is co-financed by the European

Union’s DG ENV/MSFD/Action Plans 2014, under

the agreement no.

11.0661/2015/712630/SUB/ENVC.2 OSPAR

Project Partners

In collaboration with

Thank you!