Report of the Workshop on Bayesian Belief Network Case Studies (WKBNCS)

The workshop provided evidence for a powerful tool to enhance the relevance of science and inform management at the science-policy interface. Managers and industry that par-ticipated in the first day of the workshop were adamant as to the practical relevance of this approach in the development of management strategies in both land-based and ma-rine planning and implementation. This approach is considered particularly relevant to cumulative effects assessment with a particular focus on the performance of the man-agement system to reduce residual pressures. It is also considered as key to assess the performance of management measures such as the programme of measures of the MSFD or in assessing the “collective pressures” in the case of the EU Maritime Spatial Planning Directive. Finally, the participants of the workshop are of the view that there is a need for scientist to design models and collect data that can be better interface with such man-agement model as a means of providing relevant advice to management and stakehold-ers.