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Policy Document

Commission Decision (EU) 2017/848 of 17 May 2017 laying down criteria and methodological standards on good environmental status of marine waters and specifications and standardised methods for monitoring and assessment, and repealing Decision 2010/477/EU

Policy Document
1 min read
  regarding 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)

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Related indicators

Indicator Specification Pathways of introduction of marine non-indigenous species to European seas This indicator describes the processes (pathways) that result in the transfer of alien species from one location to another. The identification and categorisation of pathways follows the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) classification as interpreted by the IUCN (2017). A hierarchical approach has been adopted to describe the pathways, based on the framework developed by Hulme et al. (2008). The main pathways shown above, in which a NIS arrive, can be subdivided into the following categories: importation of a commodity; arrival of a transport vector; or spread from a neighbouring region. The principal pathways were identified under the CBD process (UNEP, 2014) as quoted below. Pathways: 'Transport–Stowaway' refers to the moving of live organisms attached to shipping - transporting vessels and associated equipment and media. This pathway is further subdivided (in Figure 2 and Figure 3) into  three sub-groups. The physical means of transport-stowaway include various conveyances, ballast water and sediments (short: T-S/BALLAST WATER), bio-fouling of ships, boats, offshore oil and gas platforms and other water vessels (short: T-S/HULL FOULING), dredging, angling or fishing equipment (short: T-S/OTHER). Recreational boating is also included under this pathway. 'Release in nature' refers to the intentional introduction of live alien organisms for the purpose of human use in the natural environment. Examples include for biological control; erosion control (and dune stabilisation); fishing or hunting in the wild; landscape 'improvement'; and the introduction of threatened organisms for conservation purposes. 'Escape from confinement’; refers to the movement of (potentially) invasive alien species from confinement (e.g. aquaria; aquaculture and mariculture facilities; scientific research or breeding programmes). Through this pathway, the organisms were initially purposefully imported or otherwise transported to the confined conditions, but then escaped from such confinement, unintentionally. This may include the accidental or irresponsible release of live organisms from confinement, including cases such as the disposal of live food into the environment or the use of live baits in an unconfined water system. 'Transport–Contaminant' refers to the unintentional movement of live organisms as contaminants of a commodity that is intentionally transferred through international trade, development assistance, or emergency relief. This includes pests and fisheries as well as contaminants of other products. ‘Corridor’ refers to the movement of alien organisms into a new region following the construction of transport infrastructures, in whose absence the spread would not have been possible. Such trans-bio-geographical corridors include international canals (connecting river catchments and seas). The secondary natural dispersal of invasive alien species that have been introduced by various  pathways is unaided. Information on the mechanisms of the secondary spread of invasive alien species, after their introduction is not considered in this analysis. Trends in primary pathways over 6 year periods should tell a story when combined with management policies applied/implemented over the last decades. In reality, there could be other factors involved, for example: the decrease could be partly explained by the decreasing pool of potential NIS species not yet arrived in Europe; another factor could be variations in sampling effort, available expertise; the decrease may also be a temporal phenomenon etc.. These aspects are no yet considered in this analysis.
Indicator Specification Hazardous substances in marine organisms This indicator describes the levels of and trends in the levels of eight hazardous substances in marine biota in European seas , based on individual assessments of monitoring data for the following substances: mercury (Hg) and its compounds; cadmium (Cd) and its compounds; lead (Pb) and its compounds; HCB; PCBs, using chlorinated biphenyls CB28, CB52, CB101, CB118, CB138, CB153 and CB180 as representatives; the pesticide DDT (using pp’DDE as a representative); the pesticide Lindane (1,2,3,4,5,6-hexachlorocyclohexane); the polyaromatic hydrocarbon BaP. The indicator is based on data on the levels of these substances measured in organisms from the regional seas as follows: Baltic Sea — Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus); North-East Atlantic Ocean — blue mussel (Mytilus app), Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua), flounder (Platichtys flesus); Mediterranean Sea — Mediterranean mussel (Mytilus galloprovinicialis); Black Sea — Mediterranean mussel (Mytilus galloprovinicialis).
Indicator Specification Changes in fish distribution in European seas This indicator looks at the temporal development of the ratio between the number of Lusitanian and Boreal fish species within ICES Statistical rectangles and ICES divisions.

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For references, please go to https://www.eea.europa.eu/policy-documents/commission-decision-eu-2017-848-1 or scan the QR code.

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