WGEXT - Report of the Working Group on the Effects of Extraction of Marine Sediments on the Marine Ecosystem

The Working Group on the effects of extraction of marine sediments on the marine ecosystem (WGEXT) met in Reykjavik, 2–5 June 2014. Thirteen participants from eight ICES member countries attended the meeting. The objective of WGEXT is to provide a summary of data on marine sediment extrac-tion (ToR A1), marine resource and habitat mapping, changes to the legal regime, and research projects relevant to the assessment of environmental effects (ToR A2). The data on marine sediment extraction will be reported on a yearly basis for OSPAR in an Interim Report. The other items will be addressed in the Final Report of the new ICES 3-year reporting period. In addition, WGEXT previously defined nine other ToRs which the group believe are important issues to be addressed.