OSPAR request to support the development of common and candidate OSPAR biodiversity indicators for benthic habitats: existing monitoring programmes
ICES advises that there are a number of data catalogues containing metadata information of existing (and historical) monitoring programmes of benthic habitats (e.g. JMP and DEVOTES). ICES notes, however, that these catalogues have not been fully quality assured. ICES also notes that none of these catalogues is complete, several are complimentary, and there are also overlaps. The majority of the information contained within these catalogues is based on monitoring data provided by the partners that developed the catalogues and a selection of Contracting Parties, and generally misses data from industry sources, such as that deriving from environmental impact assessments (EIAs).
ICES advises that OSPAR should commission a specific data project, building on existing metadata catalogues, in order to complete an inventory of benthic monitoring programmes within the OSPAR maritime area. The project should consider ways to ensure that the inventory is kept up to date. Completion of this project would enable OSPAR Contracting Parties to gather the information required to design the monitoring necessary to support the multimetric (BH2) and typical species (BH1) indicator requirements. ICES then would be able to evaluate on-going monitoring and be able to advise on gaps.
History
Published under the auspices of the following ICES Steering Group or Committee
- ACOM