EU request to ICES for review of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive: Descriptor 6 – Seafloor integrity

The European Commission will revise the Decision on criteria and methodological standards on good environmental status of marine waters (Commission Decision 2010/477/EU). In preparation to that revision the Commission has set up a process to produce a science-based evaluation and amendment proposal for the descriptors described in the Decision.

ICES was asked to facilitate this process regarding descriptors 3 (Populations of commercially exploited fish and shellfish),4  (Foodwebs),  and  6  (Seafloor  integrity).