Draft Minutes of Meeting of the Working Group

1

Draft minutes of meeting of the Working Group

on Estuaries and Coastal Zones

9/10/2008

Brussels

The agenda of the meeting and the attendance list are attached in Annex I

All presentations can be found on the CIRCA site (

1.1Purpose of meeting

The purpose of the meeting was to present to the Working Group the first part of the guidance document on the implementation of the EU nature legislation (with attention also to the Water Framework Directive) in estuaries and coastal zones, with particular attention to port-related activities and dredging. The first part of the document included:

• Chapter 1: Introduction
• Chapter 2: Rationale and Background Information,
• The Guidance Concept Forms (GCFs) of Chapter 3: Conservation Objectives in Dynamic Environments and
• The GCF of Chapter 4: Sustainable Maintenance Dredging Framework and Integrated management and planning

All documents can be found on the CIRCA site (

1.2Main discussion items and presentations

The Chairman, Mr. François Kremer from DG ENV, opened the meeting by providing an overview of the progress of the document. This was the 4th meeting of the Working Group (WG) with the target to present the draft text of the first part of the guidance document, as well as the input from all stakeholders following up this work. The first half of the document will be finalised before the next meeting which is foreseen for 28/1/2009. At that meeting, the second part of the document will be presented. In early 2009 the second part of the document will then be reviewed and finalised taking into account the contributions of the members of the WG. It was emphasized that the document will be a web-based document, presenting the EC’s and stakeholders comments, views and recommendations on the implementation of the EU nature directives in estuaries and coastal zones. The result should thus not be seen as an additional formal guidance document replacing the extensive guidelines which have already been published by the Commission, both on the Article 6 of the Habitats Directive and on the implementation of the Water Framework Directive. The new guidance is proposed to complement the existing guidelines notably by giving more detailed information on the specific estuarine and costal context and with particular attention for port- and navigation-related activities.

The following items were discussed and/or presented:

Power Point Presentation 1: Working Together (by Ecosphere)

• Power Point Presentation 2: Ecological features: GCFs 1-6 (by Ecosphere)

• Power Point Presentation 3: Maintenance Dredging (by Ecosphere)

• Power Point Presentation 4: Ecological Functioning - Its Role in Harmonising Ecological and Economic Goods & Services (by Mike Elliott, HARBASINS project)

• Power Point Presentation 5: Conservation Objectives (by Ecosphere)

• Power Point Presentation 6: Management plans in the Scheldt estuary - Harmonised? (by Erika Van den Bergh, INBO)

• Power Point Presentation 7: Strategic Appropriate Assessment of Spatial Plans (by Andrew Dodd, RSPB)

Comments on presentations and conclusions of the WG meeting

This document should also be a contribution to sustainable development. It should illustrate that the objectives of the Nature Directives and the WFD are fully compatible with socio-economic development objectives.

The word “guidance”, as in “guidance document” may be misleading for Member States and make that the document would be considered as a formal or official interpretation of the directives. A suggestion was made on replacing the word “guidance”. ESPO would like to see a bullet point approach, easier to read rather than long developments, and applicable outputs.

It is not easy to come up with figures regarding development in ports (i.e. hectares needed for European port expansion in the coming years). It would be interesting to have at least an overview from ESPO on the number (and examples) of ports having a difficulties in implementing the Nature Directives and on the precise nature of the difficulties that have caused delays in project developments.

It was generally admitted that estuaries are very dynamic areas where massive physical forces are present. The importance of extensive description and knowledge of the morphodynamics in estuaries was underlined. Understanding of these elements should be a prerequisite for setting conservation objectives. The issue will be further analysed through GCF2 (including differences between geographical zones, also including the Mediterranean). However, the document should mainly be about planning and not about providing detailed specifications on fine estuarine and coastal system elements. The document should cover estuaries and coastal zones, without entering into scientific details on the functioning of such systems. It should provide a brief overview in order to explain the influence of geomorphologic aspects in the planning process.

Managers often tend to focus on species protection and not on morphodynamics because species protection is regulated through legislation. However, whileimplementing the legislation and managing the sites the highly dynamic character of estuaries and coastal zones should be taken into account.

Member States must establish whether a SAC just needs maintenance of a given (favourable) conservation status or restoration. They have to set appropriate conservation objectives and measures. Restoration measures and compensation measures are two very different issues. Restoration measures are required if a SAC is being deteriorated (to maintain the coherence of the network). Deterioration is allowed only in the absence of alternative solutions and if a project is justified by imperative reasons of overriding public interest (IROPI). The Habitats Directive aims at achieving Favourable Conservation Status of Species and Habitat types of Community interest not only at the level of protected sites. The avoidance of site deterioration is the mandatory minimum at site level (article 6.2). If a species is in a bad condition proactive measures must be taken to improve its conservation status, according to the conservation objectives set up by MemberStates at the national and the site level.

Although estuarine and coastal habitats look like a moving target because of their dynamism, conservation objectives will have to reflect this dynamism and not to be moving objectives themselves. If necessary they need to be regularly updated on the basis of monitoring results.

Climate change should be taken into consideration when setting conservation objectives. The “Living with the Sea project” was mentioned as a good source of information on climate change issues in estuaries and coastal zones.

Regarding heavily modified water bodies (HMWB) in the context of the WFD, the 'Maximum Ecological Potential' is a different objective than the 'Good Ecological Potential'. Less stringent objectives can only be set through article 4.7 of the WFD (exemption).

Socio-economic aspects in a Special Area of Conservation (SAC), as indicated in article 2 of the Habitats Directive, can be taken into account when elaborating conservation measures. This can ideally be the case in the context of specific management plans. Different management instruments for a given SAC should, if possible, be integrated (i.e. land use plans, port development plans, SAC management plans, etc;). An integrated approach should be promoted. Integrating activities in a management plan with a view to avoiding/mitigating negative activities will help achieving the conservation objectives. If a given development is fully compatible with the conservation objectives, an appropriate assessment can be avoided. Objectives will have to be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely). Monitoring programmes should be established in order to measure whether the conservation objectives are being successfully achieved. Examples of integrated development/management plans are the plans for the Humber and the Scheldt estuaries.

Maintenance dredging should also be designed in a sustainable way and included in the SACs' management plans. Where possible it should be planned and designed in a way that it does not go against conservation objectives.

During the next meeting, foreseen for the 28th January 2009, Mr Peters will present morphological management as a case study.

Comments on the current draft documents presented during the meeting should be submitted by mid-November at the latest.

Fotini Xenogianni and Marc Thauront, 27/10/2008

Annex I: Agenda and attendance list

Draft

Agenda of the 4th meeting of the Estuaries and Coastal Zones Working Group

Brussels, 09/10/2008

9:30 – 16:30 HRS

DG Environment, BU-5, Room C.

9.30-9.45 - Welcoming andshort presentation of progress made so far with the preparation of the guidance document on estuaries and adjacent coastal zones

A) Working Together

9.45-10.15 – PowerPoint presented by Ecosphère

-Comments on the guidance document layout from the WG

-Current inputs from the WG including sub-group meetings

Discussion

B) Core document and Guidance Concept Forms (GCF)

10.15-10.30 - PowerPoint by Ecosphère

-Main text (including rationale and background) and web based approach

-Final list of GCF and work progress

Discussion

10.30-10.45 – Coffee break

C) Presentation of the conclusions from the sub-group meeting on maintenance dredging and discussion of the associated GCF

10.45-11.15 – PowerPoint presented by Ecosphère

- Conclusions from the sub-group on maintenance dredging

- GCF 15-Sustainable Maintenance Dredging Framework and 2005 EC interpretation note on estuaries

Discussion

D) Presentation of the guidance document chapter 3 “Conservation objectives in dynamic environments”

11.15-12.15– PowerPoint presented by Ecosphère

-Habitats and species focused by this document

-Key ecological parameters influencing estuarine and coastal ecosystems

-The ecosystem approach in estuarine and coastal systems

-Possible revision/addition to the Interpretation Manual of EU habitats and 2005 EC interpretation note on estuaries

Discussion

12.15-13.30 – Lunch break

13.30-14.15– PowerPoint presented by Ecosphère

- Synergies and differences between the BHD and WFD

- Species protection under the BHD and WFD

Discussion

14.15-15.00 – PowerPoint presented by Ecosphère

-Conservation objectives and global changes in estuarine and coastal systems

-Setting conservation objectives at national/regional/local level

-Management plan issues: to be discussed in the next WG

Discussion

15.00-15.15 – Coffee break

E) Case studies

15.15-15.35 - Presentation of the Harbasins project entitled ‘‘Coastal and transitional water management in close harmony’’ by Dr. Mike Elliott (Institute of Estuarine & Coastal Studies - IECS),

15.35-15.55 - Presentation on the Appropriate Assessment of Spatial Plans by Andrew Dodd (RSPB- Bird Life International)

15.55-16.15 - Presentation of the management plan of the Scheldt Estuary by Erika Van den Bergh (INBO)

16.15-16.30 – Conclusions and next meeting of WG

Expert Group on Estuaries: Participants of meeting on 9 October 2008

Member States

Belgique

Erika Van den Bergh

Research Institute for Nature and Forest

DENMARK

Torben Wallach

Nature Division

Ministry of Environment Spatial Planning and Environmental Planning

DEUTSCHLAND

Mr. Reinhard Schimdt-Moser

Ministerium fur Landwirtschaft, Umwelt und landliche Raume des Landes Schleswig

FRANCE

Mrs. Hélène Montelly

Ministère de l’Ecologie du Développement et de l’Aménagement Durables

Direction de la nature et des paysages

UK

Roger Morris

Natural England

NGO’s, Stakeholders and other organizations

Mike Elliott

Institute of Estuarine and coastal studies (HARBASINS project)

Jean Jacques Peters

Professor, Engineer River Specialist

Regina Haas

Association of Northern German Chambers of Commerce and Industry

Herwig Ranner

ESPO

Diego Teurelincx

Feport

Jan Brooke

WFD Navigation Task Group

Beatrice Claus

Umweltsstiftung WWF

Andrew Dodd

Bird Life International

Eric Mink

European Dredging Association

Pim de Wit

Resianne Dekker

Head of Environmental Department

Port of Rotterdam

Axel Netzband

SedNet

Frank Neumann

Paralia nature

Aurelia Munck

Paralia nature

Frits Backer

EEB

Guna Smilga

Freeport of Riga Authority

Marc Thauront

Ecosphere

Fotini Xenogianni

Ecosphere

Pollet Mathilde

Port Autonome de Rouen

European Commission

Francois Kremer

DG ENV – B.2

José Fernandez Garcia

DG TREN

Julio de la Cueva Aleu

DG TREN

Alexandros Kailis

DG MARE

Minutes of meeting of the Working Group on Estuaries and Coastal Zones 10/9/2008