Marine Regions End of Consultation on MSFD Geographic Boundaries

DIKE 5/2012/08

Marine regions – end of consultation on MSFD geographic boundaries:

WG DIKE is invited to:

1. Take note of the proposed boundaries of the MSFD marine regions and sub-regions, based on consultations with relevant Member States;
2. To high-light any outstanding issues, if any remain, in the delineation of boundaries between marine regions and sub-regions, and propose solutions;
3. To recommend the draft map presented here be forwarded to MSCG and Marine Directors for approval as the basis for ongoing practical implementation of the MSFD.

Defining MSFD marine regions and sub-regions

- identification of specific geographic boundaries

1. Background

For practical implementation of the Marine Directive, it is important to clearly understand in map form the geographical areas covered by the marine waters of each Member State (according to the definition in Art. 3(1) of the Directive). This map-based representation is equally required for the marine regions, subregions and, where used, subdivisions (as provided in Art. 4) that will form the basis for assessments of environmental status[1]. Reporting for Articles 8, 9 and 10 (due in 2012) and subsequent reporting will need to be associated with specific geographical areas, linked both to Member State waters and to particular regions and subregions.

Based upon experience of establishing similar maps for reporting under the Water Framework Directive, it is considered important to establish a commonly agreed set of boundaries (in GIS format) that will form a firm basis for associating other reporting information. The lack of such a common GIS map has led in the past (i.e. for WFD) to considerable difficulties in effectively handling other reporting information and data. To support this requirement, the European Environment Agency presented an initial discussion document and draft map to WG DIKE on 5-6 September 2011 (DIKE 2011/2/6) follow by a consultation document to WG DIKE 7-8th November 2011 (DIKE 4/2011/5). This document presents the resulting map, based on the comments received form the consultation.

The objective of this document is:

1. To provide a conclusion to the discussion on boundaries for MSFD marine regions and sub-regions;
2. To high-light any known outstanding issues on these boundaries (only one).
3. To provide Member States with a harmonised map (shape files) of the MSFD marine regions and sub-regions against which reporting can be done.

1. Consultation results in regard to marine regions, sub-regions and sub-divisions of the MSFD

Only very few comments were received to the draft map presented to WG DIKE on 5-6 September 2011 (DIKE 2011/2/6). For most boundaries no comments have been submitted in which case the previously proposed boundaries have been considered as the final delineation of the marine region or sub-region in question. When preparing the final draft map of the MSFD marine regions and sub-regions following considerations have been made.

1) Based on art. 4.1, where it states that Member State marine waters "form an integral part" of the marine region, it is taken that a marine region can go beyond EU Member State waters. This fits with the general approach to cooperate across the region/sub-region to achieve the aims of the Directive.

2) For this reason the EEZs of non-EU Member States has been include in the relevant marine regions and sub-region. For example, the Russian EEZ is included in the Baltic Sea marine region.

3) For this reason the Sea of Azov has been included in the Black Sea marine region.

4) The Sea of Marmara has been included in the Mediterranean marine region rather than the Black Sea. This follow the ICES ecoregions as Sea of Marmara is not part of either of the two Regional Sea Conventions.

5) Where possible, boundaries have been set at existing boundaries of Regional Sea Conventions or at national administrative boundaries e.g. western boundary of the Mediterranean follows the boundary agreed by Barcelona Convention. EEA will align river basin catchment areas to these final boundaries.

6) The exception is for the North-East Atlantic region, where outer boundaries are indicated only for the sub-regions listed in the Directive, without addressing the remaining parts of the overall marine region (e.g. waters in the Iceland Sea, Norwegian Sea and Barents Sea). The areas currently shown follow the boundaries of EEZ or other maritime zones where MS exercise sovereign rights or jurisdiction (such as fisheries zones). In addition, in relation to the seabed and subsoil, it will be necessary to consider the full extension of the continental shelf, in cases where a submission has been submitted to the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf for the delimitation of the boundaries of the continental shelf.

7) The map will be made available through the EEA web site and EMODnet after the final approval from Marine Directors. It will be distributed to ICES and the Regional Sea Conventions.

Based on the consultation results one issue remains:

1. Ireland will submit their marine boundaries after the deadline of this document, but, if at all possible, prior to the WG DIKE meeting 12-13 March 2012.

1. Marine regions, sub-regions and sub-divisions of the MSFD

The boundaries and Member States influenced are as follows:

The western boundary for the Baltic Sea (Denmark and Sweden):

This provides the eastern boundary for the Greater North Sea including Kattegat and English Channel.

The boundaries for the subregions of the North-east Atlantic Ocean:

1. The Greater North Sea including Kattegat and the English Channel:
2. The eastern boundary of the Greater North Sea delimiting Kattegat (Denmark and Sweden, as above for the Baltic Sea).
3. The northern and western boundary of the Greater North Sea (Denmark, Sweden and UK). This provides the north-eastern boundary of the Celtic Seas (UK).
4. The southern boundary of the Greater North Sea delimiting the English Channel (France and UK). This sets the boundary of the Celtic Seas subregion or the Bay of Biscay and the Iberian Coast subregion.
5. The Celtic Seas:

1. The southern boundary of the Celtic Seas (UK, France and Ireland). This provides the northern boundary of the Bay of Biscay and the Iberian Coast. Changes will occur as Ireland will submit a set of boundaries prior to the WG DIKE meeting though after the deadline of this document.
2. The north-eastern boundary is defined as the Greater North Sea north-western boundary (UK).
3. The Bay of Biscay and the Iberian Coast:
4. The northern boundary is defined as the Celtic Seas southern boundary (UK, France and Ireland).
5. The south-eastern boundary (Spain). This provides the boundary between the North-east Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. It follows the Barcelona Convention boundary, but is different from the OSPAR/ICES/FAO boundary, which is further east.
6. The Atlantic Ocean, the Macaronesian biogeographic region, being the waters surrounding the Azores, Madeira and the Canary Islands (Spain and Portugal).

The boundaries for the subregions within the Mediterranean Sea:

1. The Western Mediterranean Sea:
2. The western boundary is defined as the south-eastern boundary of the North-east Atlantic Ocean (Spain).
3. The eastern boundary (Italy and Malta).
4. The Adriatic Sea:
5. The southern boundary (Italy).
6. The Ionian Sea and the Central Mediterranean Sea:
7. The western boundary is defined as the eastern boundary of the Western Mediterranean Sea (Italy and Malta)
8. The northern boundary is defined as the southern boundary of the Adriatic Sea (Italy).
9. The eastern boundary (Greece).
10. The Aegean-Levantine Sea

1. The eastern boundary. The eastern boundary is set at the ICES ecoregion boundary to include the Sea of Marmara. The Sea of Marmara is included under neither the Barcelona nor Black Sea Conventions.

The Black Sea (Romania and Bulgaria).

The boundaries follow the boundaries as defined by the Black Sea Convention and for MSFD purposes includes the EEZ of Romania and Bulgaria. The boundary for MSFD purposes has been extended as to include the Sea of Azov.

Annex I: The final draft map of the MSFD marine regions and sub-regions. For the North-East Atlantic region, outer boundaries are indicated for the sub-regions listed in the Directive, without addressing the remaining parts of the overall marine region (e.g. waters in the Iceland Sea, Norwegian Sea and Barents Sea). For the purpose of this map, all EEZ boundaries shown are indicative only and are subject to an on-going consultation with Member States. The areas currently shown follow the boundaries of EEZ or other maritime zones where MS exercise sovereign rights or jurisdiction (such as fisheries zones). In addition, in relation to the seabed and subsoil, it will be necessary to consider the full extension of the continental shelf, in cases where a submission has been submitted to the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf for the delimitation of the boundaries of the continental shelf (Source for EEZ: ).

[1] According to Art. 3(5), good environmental status shall be determined at the level of the marine region or subregion.