Knowledge-based Sustainable Management for Europe's Seas (KnowSeas)

Description:

Europe’s four regional seas (Baltic, Black, Mediterranean and North Sea - North-East Atlantic) have suffered severe environmental degradation due to human pressure. Existing measures to manage pressures have proven inadequate and the EU Member States have recently responded by adopting a new policy (Blue Book for Maritime Policy) and environmental legislation (Marine Strategy Framework Directive). These instruments rely on the Ecosystem Approach, a management paradigm that encompasses humans and the supporting ecosystem.

The overall objective of the project is to provide a comprehensive scientific knowledge base and practical guidance for the application of the Ecosystem Approach to the sustainable development of Europe’s regional seas. This increases the evidence base available for decision makers and facilitates the practical implementation of the Ecosystem Approach.

The project examined the effects of extreme events on European seas, as well as ways to reduce eutrophication in the Baltic. It was found that changes in the oceans are often due to climate and water temperature shifts, which may well be beyond the control of marine policies.

Another focus was the effects of fishing, transport, energy for aquaculture, water quality and recreation on the seas. This information can help scientists balance the environmental costs of degradation with the economic benefits of the goods and services provided by these ecosystems.

The project also identified potential conflicts and alliances between marine governance structures to smoothen future policy implementation. In addition, it has developed a tool to allow stakeholders to communicate effectively with policymakers. These achievements have consolidated the EU's efforts to develop a holistic management strategy that encompasses both humans and their supporting ecosystems.

Project information

Lead

Scottish Association for Marine Science – SAMS (UK)

Partners

Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research – AWI (DE); Baltic Nest Institute, Stockholm University – BNI (SE); The Centre for Environment, Fisheries & Aquaculture Science – Cefas (UK); CNR - Institute of Atmospheric Pollution Research - CNR-IIA (IT); Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas – CSIC (ES); Deltares (NL); CTL Consult Ltd (UK); Coastal and Marine Union – EUCC (NL); Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht Zentrum für Material und Küstenforschung GmbH (DE); Institute for European Environmental Policy – IEEP (UK); Instituto do Mar – IMAR (PT); Institute of Oceanology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences – IOBAS (BG); Netherlands Institute of Ecology – KNAW (NL); Environmental Systems Analysis Lab, University of Padua – LASA (IT); Megapesca Lda (PT); Middle Eastern Technical University – METU (TR); Norwegian Institute for Air Research – NILU (NO); Sir Alister Hardy Foundation for Ocean Science – SAHFOS (UK); University of Plymouth - Marine Institute - UoP-MI (UK); Southern Denmark University – SDU (DK); National Marine Fisheries Research Institute – NMFRI (PL); The Finnish Environment Institute – SYKE (FI); University de Bretagne Occidentale – UBO (FR); Coastal & Marine Resources Centre, University College Cork – UCC (IE); University of East Anglia – UEA (UK); University of Bergen – UiB (NO); University of Venice, Department of Economics – UNIVE (IT); University of Bath – UoB (UK); VU University Amsterdam, Institute for Environmental Studies (NL); Universidad de Sevilla – USE (ES); Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences - IBER-BAS (BG)

Source of funding

EC Seventh Framework Programme (FP7)