Background information and key policy targets

At the international scale, the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) has put forward concrete steps to move the marine biodiversity agenda forward:

• In 2002, the Convention of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP) adopted the 2010 Biodiversity target which was to “achieve a significant reduction in the current rate of biodiversity loss at the global, regional and national level”.
• In 2006, in order to clarify the 2010 biodiversity target, the CBD COP adopted a number of sub-targets which call for the effective conservation of at least 10% of each of the world’s marine and coastal ecological regions and for the effective protection of particularly vulnerable marine habitats. This deadline has been postponed recently to 2020.
• In 2010, in Nagoya, it was re-emphasized that marine protected areas represent one effective tool to ensure the protection of marine and coastal biodiversity: new forms of management and governance systems should now support MPAs implementation.

At the European scale,

• The Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) calls for the Good Environmental Status (GES) of EU marine waters: it sets out specific GES criteria and standards of which Biodiversity (and the establishment of MPAs) as a key descriptor;
• The Birds and Habitat Directive (BHD) recommends the Natura 2000 network as an effective tool to implement MPAs in Europe.

The North Sea field lab for science-based Marine Protection

Scientists from different North Sea countries will give an overview on the scientific efforts and the status of MPAs in their part of the North Sea. The symposium will identify the gaps, needs and opportunities related to the use of scientific data and knowledge in implementing MPAs on a regional sea level. This event will bring together European scientists, managers, NGOs representatives and policy makers to discuss this science-policy nexus.

OBJECTIVES?

To address the current rate of biodiversity loss, scientists have been cooperating since the seventies to increase the marine scientific knowledge in the North Sea and to implement area-based management measures.
MPAs role has been now widely recognized in protecting marine biodiversity while regulating potential harmful human activities on the marine environment.
As in many other countries, Belgian scientists are currently assessing the uptake of the available scientific information (e.g. integrated assessments) for the development of national policies: the goal is to better promote and foster the integration of Marine Protected Areas into future Marine Spatial Plans.
Many European countries are involved in the planning and management of MPAs in the North Sea: the Westbanks Symposium will therefore address the gaps, needs and opportunities related to the use of scientific data and knowledge in implementing MPAs on a regional sea level.

WHO SHOULD BE INVOLVED?

The symposium will focus on the science-policy nexus and aims to attract European scientists, managers, NGOs representatives and policy makers.

NEXT STEPS?

The symposium discussions will feed into on-going work of the Marine Board-ESF Working Group on Marine Protected Areas: its final product (a position paper) will aim implementation of a coherent network of MPAs in Europe, in the frame of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive.

PROGRAMME

• 9.35-10.20: Introduction: MPAs in the North Sea: Many maps but little protection.
Han Lindeboom, IMARES - Institute for Marine Resources and Ecosystem Studies (NL)
• 10.20-10.50: The use of the ecosystem approach in designing and monitoring MPAs (with focus on fisheries).
  Esben Olsen, institute of Marine Research (NO)-MB working group on MPAs.
• 11.20-11.50: Case study of a newly created French MPA in Nord-Pas de Calais: lessons learned and best practices in the frame of a representative and coherent network of North Sea MPAs.
  Xavier Harlay, French Marine Protected Areas Agency(FR) and
  Jean-Marie Dewarumez, Centre national de la recherche scientifique (FR)
• 11.50-12.20: Spatial planning of MPAs: resolving conflicts between users.
  Torsten Schulze , Johann Heinrich Von Thünen Institut (G)
• 12.20-12.50: The design and monitoring of MPAs in a changing environment.
  Michel Kaiser, Bangor University (UK)
• 14-14.30: Key stone species such as important benthic ecosystem engineers as a tool to implement the ecosystem approach to marine management.
  Marijn Rabaut, University of Ghent (BE)-MB working group on MPA's.
• 14.30-15.00: Connectivity between MPA's.
  Galice Hoarau, University of Bodo (NO)
• 15.00-15.30: Socio-economic valuation of ecosystem services in an MPA context.
  Dolf de Groot, Wageningen University (NL)
• 16.00-17.00:Debate

Debate

A debate will be developed on how to use the presented scientific insights in a solid MPA policy. The symposium is particularly interesting as it will stimulate consultation between national and European policy makers, NGOs and scientists.

• Geert Raeymaeckers (FOD Federal Public Service Health, Food Chain Safety and Environment of the Belgian Marine Environment Policy administration)
• Marijn Rabaut (University of Ghent :department Marine Biology; member of Marine Board-ESF working group on MPA’s)
• Esben Olsen (Institute of Marine Research in Norway, member of Marine Board-ESF working group on MPA’s )
• Haitze Siemers (European Commission: Maritime Policy Baltic and North Sea, Maritime affairs and fisheries)
• Thomas Rammelt (Stichting De Noordzee)

Organisers

Location

DATE: 22 March 2011

Links

http://www.vliz.be/projects/westbanks

http://www.belspo.be

http://www.esf.org/research-areas/marine-sciences.html

http://www.kuleuven.be

http://www.inbo.be

http://www.marinebiology.ugent.be

http://www.vliz.be

http://bio.kuleuven.be/de/dea

http://www.seaweb.org

http://www.health.belgium.be/eportal/Environment

Presentations

• Introduction: MPAs in the North Sea: Many maps but little protection. Han Lindeboom


• The use of the ecosystem approach in designing and monitoring MPAs (with focus on fisheries). Esben Olsen
  

• Case study of a newly created French MPA in Nord-Pas de Calais: lessons learned and best practices in the frame of a representative and coherent network of North Sea MPAs. Xavier Harlay


• Spatial planning of MPAs: resolving conflicts between users. Torsten Schulze


• The design and monitoring of MPAs in a changing environment. Michel Kaiser


• Key stone species such as important benthic ecosystem engineers as a tool to implement the ecosystem approach to marine management. Marijn Rabaut


• Marijn Rabaut (pdf + movies)


• Connectivity between MPA's. Galice Hoarau
  

• Socio-economic valuation of ecosystem services in an MPA context. Dolf de Groot
  

• Debate


• Westbanks Symposium report 22 March 2011


• Conference pictures!