One of today’s most pressing challenges is to safeguard the loss of ecosystem biodiversity and functioning, while simultaneously allowing for their exploitation by those who depend on their services, goods and benefits. In Europe, Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) is the main governance process to ideally integrate sustainability and exploitation but this requires tools and knowledge to align MSP and marine protected area (MPA) designation processes. Founded on a large amount of expertise and a solid theoretical basis, MarinePlan will co-develop with stakeholders a Decision Support System (DSS) for ecosystem-based maritime spatial planning (EB-MSP) together with best practice guidance to enhance the effectiveness of spatial conservation and restoration measures for marine biodiversity in European Seas. The MarinePlan objectives are fully measurable, validated and verifiable since each will produce specific outputs: 1) a comprehensive DSS comprising guidelines and tools for EB-MSP implementation together with best practice guidance; 2) operational EBSA criteria and proposed MPA networks at various scales based on the best available science; 3) examples of realistic scenarios and planning options prioritising conservation and restoration areas in the context of multiple human uses and climate change and a synthesis of key action points to achieve the EU Biodiversity Strategy, and 4) policy recommendations on how to enhance the implementation of EB-MSP in European Seas.
101059407 (MarinePlan)
European Union’s Horizon Europe
01/10/2022 to 01/10/2025
Departamento de Oceanografia e Pescas
Rua Prof. Doutor Frederico Machado, 4
9901-862 Horta, Portugal