Monitoring for the Marine Strategy Framework Directive : : requirements and options

According to the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD: 2008/56/EC) coordinated monitoring programmes should be established and implemented by Member States in order to assess the environmental status of marine waters and the achievement of environmental targets. These programmes shall be compatible within marine regions or sub regions and shall integrate and complement the monitoring requirements imposed by other EU legislation and international agreements. In this report, monitoring requirements are reviewed and overlaps and gaps (including considerations on spatial scale and temporal frequency) are highlighted. The screening of monitoring requirements is restricted to the WFD (2000/60/EC), EQS Directive (2008/105/EC), Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC), Birds Directive (2009/147/EC), Common Fisheries Policy and Regional Sea Conventions covering European seas (OSPAR, HELCOM, UNEP MAP, Black Sea Commission). Additionally, concepts of integrated monitoring and the benefits of less applied monitoring approaches are discussed.