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Marine functional connectivity (MFC) refers to the dynamic spatial exchange of biomass, individuals, genes, and energy via the collective movements of all marine organisms during their lifetimes. In addition to controlling the distribution and resilience of marine biodiversity and exploited stocks, MFC plays a key role in the structure and functioning of ecosystems, at sea and at the land-sea interface. As marine ecosystems and their species face climate change and unprecedented multiple anthropogenic pressures, rapid action is needed to comprehend MFC patterns and their changes in order to anticipate the fates of ocean services to humanity. Despite many advances in techniques to measure or infer marine species’ distributions and spatial dynamics, significant progress is still necessary. A full understanding of MFC requires better knowledge of the relationships between marine communities and their habitats, quantification of fluxes of matter and energy, and the capacity to forecast how the many services provided by the ocean may change. The 17 papers in this Theme Section showcase the range of approaches and scales applied in contemporary MFC studies and encompass the diversity of ecosystems and taxa investigated worldwide. The innovative approaches presented here to advance MFC science pave the way to enrich current understanding of MFC’s role in ecosystem functioning, and flag how MFC knowledge can be better applied to protect marine resources and manage marine and littoral habitats.

The French initial assessment of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) highlighted the lack of reliable data concerning offshore areas. During the planning of the monitoring programmes, the scientists therefore proposed to partially cover this gap by using existing fisheries research vessel surveys deployed for the purposes of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). Testing phases from October 2013 to August 2015 explored ways of improving the effectiveness of these surveys and making them better suited to delivering the information needed for MSFD. The process became operational at the beginning of the year 2016 and fisheries research surveys henceforth collect new data, with or without additional sampling techniques. This report provides an overview of the MSFD monitoring actions on the different fisheries surveys in 2023.

This Chapter is aimed at analysing options to integrate the ecosystem-based approach (EBA) with Arctic Ocean governance. Today there is a clear global trend of replacing traditional sectoral regulation of different maritime activities with the EBA. This approach entails regulation of all types of economic activities in sea areas where they might have negative impacts on the marine environment. Since the boundaries of ecosystems in the Arctic do not generally overlap with the limits of the coastal States’ national jurisdiction and cover areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ), several crucial challenges arise. How to make regional measures in ABNJ binding and ensure compliance by non-Arctic States? How will the EBA correlate with sectoral environmental measures regarding, in particular, fisheries, exploitation of resources in the Area and vessel traffic in the Arctic, adopted by relevant sectoral international organizations? The Chapter focuses on finding answers to these and other relevant questions.

The French initial assessment of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) highlighted the lack of reliable data concerning offshore areas. During the planning of the monitoring programmes, the scientists therefore proposed to partially cover this gap by using existing fisheries research vessel surveys deployed for the purposes of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). Testing phases from October 2013 to August 2015 explored ways of improving the effectiveness of these surveys and making them better suited to delivering the information needed for MSFD. The process became operational at the beginning of the year 2016 and fisheries research surveys henceforth collect new data, with or without additional sampling techniques. This report provides an overview of the MSFD monitoring actions on the different fisheries surveys in 2022.

To preserve natural ecosystems and their biodiversity, there is a need to anticipate future ecosystem changes through better understanding of underlying drivers and assembly processes determining community composition. Assembly processes can be understood as a set of filters acting at different spatio‐temporal scales that jointly define the structure and composition of communities. Here, we explore the underlying assembly processes shaping marine fish species distribution and composition, using the heavily exploited North Sea. Our aims are to study 1) the relative importance of the different assembly processes shaping marine fish communities, 2) the key environmental drivers determining species distributions and composition, and to 3) quantify the role of traits in determining species niches and responses to the environment. Specifically, we fit a joint species distribution model (JSDM) using 31 years of standardized scientific bottom trawl survey data for 67 fish species. We use a set of environmental variables and species' traits representing morphology, life history, reproduction and diet, while also accounting for phylogenetic relationships of species. Environmental variables, primarily related to temperature, explained over one third of the variance in species occurrence, while spatial effects explained half of the variability across species. This shows that environmental filtering and spatially‐structured processes are the main drivers shaping the community assembly. Furthermore, among the total variance of individual species occurrences, 12.5% could be explained by traits, which improve the mechanistic understanding on species responses to environmental change. Hence, model predictions from JSDMs accounting for traits, environmental niches and potential interactions among multiple species can provide relevant simulations and forecasts with the potential to inform spatial management and conservation efforts aiming to preserve biodiversity and its associated se

The French initial assessment of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) highlighted the lack of reliable data concerning offshore areas. During the planning of the monitoring programmes, the scientists therefore proposed to partially cover this gap by using existing fisheries research vessel surveys deployed for the purposes of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). Testing phases from October 2013 to August 2015 explored ways of improving the effectiveness of these surveys and making them better suited to delivering the information needed for MSFD. The process became operational at the beginning of the year 2016 and fisheries research surveys henceforth collect new data, with or without additional sampling techniques. This report provides an overview of the MSFD monitoring actions on the different fisheries surveys in 2022.

The French initial assessment of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) highlighted the lack of reliable data concerning offshore areas. During the planning of the monitoring programmes, the scientists therefore proposed to partially cover this gap by using existing fisheries research vessel surveys deployed for the purposes of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). Testing phases from October 2013 to August 2015 explored ways of improving the effectiveness of these surveys and making them better suited to delivering the information needed for MSFD. The process became operational at the beginning of the year 2016 and fisheries research surveys henceforth collect new data, with or without additional sampling techniques. This report provides an overview of the MSFD monitoring actions on the different fisheries surveys in 2021.

The French initial assessment of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) highlighted the lack of reliable data concerning offshore areas. During the planning of the monitoring programmes, the scientists therefore proposed to partially cover this gap by using existing fisheries research vessel surveys deployed for the purposes of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). Testing phases from October 2013 to August 2015 explored ways of improving the effectiveness of these surveys and making them better suited to delivering the information needed for MSFD. The process became operational at the beginning of the year 2016 and fisheries research surveys henceforth collect new data, with or without additional sampling techniques. This report provides an overview of the MSFD monitoring actions on the different fisheries surveys in 2021.

The French initial assessment of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) highlighted the lack of reliable data concerning offshore areas. During the planning of the monitoring programmes, the scientists therefore proposed to partially cover this gap by using existing fisheries research vessel surveys deployed for the purposes of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). Testing phases from October 2013 to August 2015 explored ways of improving the effectiveness of these surveys and making them better suited to delivering the information needed for MSFD. The process became operational at the beginning of the year 2016 and six fisheries research surveys henceforth collect new data, with or without additional sampling techniques. This report provides an overview of the MSFD monitoring actions on the different fisheries surveys in 2020.

The French initial assessment of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) highlighted the lack of reliable data concerning offshore areas. During the planning of the monitoring programmes, the scientists therefore proposed to partially cover this gap by using existing fisheries research vessel surveys deployed for the purposes of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). Testing phases from October 2013 to August 2015 explored ways of improving the effectiveness of these surveys and making them better suited to delivering the information needed for MSFD. The process became operational at the beginning of the year 2016 and six fisheries research surveys henceforth collect new data, with or without additional sampling techniques. This report provides an overview of the MSFD monitoring actions on the different fisheries surveys in 2020.

Biogenic reefs form biodiversity hotspots and are key components of marine ecosystems, making them priority habitats for nature conservation. However, the conservation status of biogenic reefs generally depends on their size and stability. Dynamic, patchy reefs may therefore be excluded from protection. Here, we studied epibenthos and epifauna density, richness, and community composition of patchy, dynamic Sabellaria spinulosa (ross worm) reefs in the North Sea. This study was conducted by comparing boxcore (endobenthos) and video transect (epifauna) data from two research campaigns in 2017 and 2019 to the Brown Bank area on the Dutch Continental Shelf, where S. spinulosa reefs were first discovered in 2017. The Brown Bank area is characterized by dynamic, migratory bedforms at multiple scales which potentially affect biogenic reef stability. We showed that S. spinulosa habitats had a patchy distribution and alternated with habitats comprised of plain sand. Average S. spinulosa habitat patch size was 5.57 ± 0.99 m and 3.94 ± 0.22 m in 2017 and 2019, respectively (mean ± SE), which especially in 2019 closely resembled the small-scale megaripple bedforms. Contrary to the endobenthos communities that were unaffected by S. spinulosa, epifauna density and species richness were at least two times higher in S. spinulosa habitats compared to sandy habitats, resulting in different community compositions between the two habitat types. We showed that S. spinulosa persisted in the area for almost 2 years. Although the stability of individual patches remained unclear, we demonstrated that even patchy biogenic reefs may promote density and local biodiversity of mobile, epibenthic species, very likely as a result of increased habitat heterogeneity provided by reef habitat patches. This indicates that patchy biogenic reefs that occur in dynamic environments may also have high ecological value and their conservation status should be (re)considered to ensure their protection., Aircraft Noise and Climate Effects, Hydraulic Engineering, Environmental Fluid Mechanics

Understanding the connectivity between reefs is the key to effective marine conservation and management. Relations between MPAs and other reefs improve the territorial resilience for the areas around MPA. Potential connectivity of coral larvae, together with other criteria (reef size, quality, productivity) ought to be considered when planning spatial management policies to ensure the persistence of coral reef systems. Here we modelled Acropora millepora dispersal in the Wakatobi islands, South East of Sulawesi, Indonesia, by using the high-resolution ocean model SLIM. We used then a Lagrangian particle tracker to model the coral larval dispersal. We also analyzed the connectivity by using graph theory to explore the spatial connections and to determine the importance of each site to local and regional connectivity. In particular, we used Google's PageRank algorithm to identify the main source and sink reefs, as well as the reefs best suited for protection and restoration. The results presented here (the connectivity indices) can be used to indicate regional patterns of coral larvae connectivity and suggest areas that should be protected or restored for marine conservation purposes. We recognized regions with a high PageRank Protection index yet excluded from the marine protected area. This information would be valuable for the researcher as a stepping stone to do field observation. It is also helpful for marine managers to plan science-based MPAs and better arrangement of the reclamation program.

As part of the Coral Triangle, the Wakatobi National Park (WNP), Indonesia, is one of the most biodiverse marine habitats on earth. Unfortunately, the ecosystem of WNP has been endangered in the last decade. Therefore, the Government of Indonesia (GoI) has designated a portion of these marine areas as protected since 1990. However, the current designated MPAs were established without considering their ecological connections. As a consequence, their effectiveness to support the regional-scale resilience against anthropogenic disturbances is remains unknown. This study tries to fill in the gap by evaluating the connectivity of reefs as a significant criterion in planning for MPAs. Here we modelled Acropora millepora and Acropora gemmifera dispersal during four spawning events in 2014, 2018-2020 in the WNP by using the high-resolution ocean model SLIM. We then simulated the coral larval dispersal using a biophysical model. We analyzed the resulting connectivity matrices using a graph theory algorithm to explore the spatial connections and determine each site's importance to local and regional connectivity. In particular, we used Google's PageRank algorithm to identify the main source and sink reefs, as well as the reefs best suited for protection and restoration. Here, we found that most of the existing MPAs have a low Protection PageRank index. On the contrary, most reefs with a high Protection PageRank index (such as reefs around the Wangi-Wangi and the Kaledupa islands) are outside the current MPAs, suggesting a mismatch between WNP design and coral protection and restoration needs. Therefore, we proposed these potential reef areas to be protected in future MPA design. Using this approach, we provided quantitative parameters to assist the GoI in assessing the current MPAs and better arranging the protection and conservation program.

The French initial assessment of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) highlighted the lack of reliable data concerning offshore areas. During the planning of the monitoring programmes, the scientists therefore proposed to partially cover this gap by using existing fisheries research vessel surveys deployed for the purposes of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). Testing phases from October 2013 to August 2015 explored ways of improving the effectiveness of these surveys and making them better suited to delivering the information needed for MSFD. The process became operational at the beginning of the year 2016 and six fisheries research surveys henceforth collect new data, with or without additional sampling techniques. This report provides an overview of the MSFD monitoring actions on the different fisheries surveys in 2020.

Globally, ecosystem-based marine spatial planning has become a useful instrument to coordinate the planning of different authorities. This, for balancing different requirements when managing marine areas and space. In the planning process, ecology is setting limits to which human activities are acceptable to the society. The use of the marine environment can be planned similarly as the land environment. We argue that there are several aspects which must be taken into consideration. Marine activities have traditionally been planned and managed in a sectoral way. Today, it has become obvious that a more holistic, multi-sectoral and coordinated approach is needed in future successful marine planning and management. The increased awareness of the importance of the oceans and seas challenges the traditional sector division and geographical limits in marine policy and calls for better coordinated and coherent marine policies.

The study is developed from five in-depth interviews with individuals from different walks of life who have interacted significantly with the North Sea. The study discusses change in the North Sea specifically in the development of fixed turbine wind farms and their physical and aesthetic effects. Observations speakers make as to changes in the North Sea and as to its beauty are contextualised and discussed using NASA satellite images, photographs and review of available academic literature, UK policy documents and law. This context includes a study of the industrialised North Sea with reference to the sediment sea plumes behind monopile turbines. The United Kingdom was selected for particular study of its wind farm development permissions process, including evaluations of seascape and the requirement of independence for expert evidence. Decline of trawler access to the North Sea is referenced to wind farm growth, and to adverse changes in public opinion leading to closure of the UK Dogger Bank to trawlers. Finality of wind farm development decisions is considered against the prospect of overturn by the courts. This aspect covers the application and development of principles relating to appeal by way of judicial review in the UK jurisdictions of Scotland, England and Wales, and Northern Ireland. The study identifies, and explains the English aesthetic evaluation of wind farms. It concludes that sea plumes are the result of a legal choice to allow permit applications to succeed without testing by reference to detailed in-sea turbine dimensions. In the permissions process (a) sea plumes are not evaluated by the seascape criteria applicable to coastal or off-coastal wind farms (b) deep offshore wind farms are instead evaluated by possible changes to character of the sea. The study further concludes that (i) the open horizon of the North Sea has been lost in significant part (ii) the combined aesthetic of transience, decay, and nostalgia underlies the aesthetic of the N

The study is developed from five in-depth interviews with individuals from different walks of life who have interacted significantly with the North Sea. The study discusses change in the North Sea specifically in the development of fixed turbine wind farms and their physical and aesthetic effects. Observations speakers make as to changes in the North Sea and as to its beauty are contextualised and discussed using NASA satellite images, photographs and review of available academic literature, UK policy documents and law. This context includes a study of the industrialised North Sea with reference to the sediment sea plumes behind monopile turbines. The United Kingdom was selected for particular study of its wind farm development permissions process, including evaluations of seascape and the requirement of independence for expert evidence. Decline of trawler access to the North Sea is referenced to wind farm growth, and to adverse changes in public opinion leading to closure of the UK Dogger Bank to trawlers. Finality of wind farm development decisions is considered against the prospect of overturn by the courts. This aspect covers the application and development of principles relating to appeal by way of judicial review in the UK jurisdictions of Scotland, England and Wales, and Northern Ireland. The study identifies, and explains the English aesthetic evaluation of wind farms. It concludes that sea plumes are the result of a legal choice to allow permit applications to succeed without testing by reference to detailed in-sea turbine dimensions. In the permissions process (a) sea plumes are not evaluated by the seascape criteria applicable to coastal or off-coastal wind farms (b) deep offshore wind farms are instead evaluated by possible changes to character of the sea. The study further concludes that (i) the open horizon of the North Sea has been lost in significant part (ii) the combined aesthetic of transience, decay, and nostalgia underlies the aesthetic of the N

Research funders can play an important role in supporting the integration of marine science into policy and practice to enable evidence-informed decision-making. However, to date, there is a paucity of guidance available to help research funders understand the specific actions they can take to support knowledge exchange among the researchers that they fund and relevant stakeholders, particularly within marine contexts. This Brief Research Report aims to begin to fill this gap through an in-depth case study of the Lenfest Ocean Program (LOP). Specifically, through qualitative interviews with 32 participants across eight LOP funded research projects (i.e., case studies) we sought to: (i) understand the types of impacts that have resulted from the LOP funded research, (ii) determine which activities undertaken by the LOP enabled funded research projects to achieve these impacts, and (iii) synthesize findings to articulate the core lessons that have emerged from our examination of these research projects. Results show that the concept of “research impact” is complex and can be interpreted in a number of ways including: (i) raising awareness of research among end-users, (ii) development and expansion of social networks, (iii) the provision of information to decision-makers, (iv) the development of decision-support tools, and (v) a direct contribution to policy change. We highlight the ways by which the LOP has supported the attainment of these impacts, as well as 10 general considerations that research funders should consider when seeking to enhance the impact of the research that they fund on marine policy and practice.

The French initial assessment of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) highlighted the lack of reliable data concerning offshore areas. During the planning of the monitoring programmes, the scientists therefore proposed to partially cover this gap by using existing fisheries research vessel surveys deployed for the purposes of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). Testing phases from October 2013 to August 2015 explored ways of improving the effectiveness of these surveys and making them better suited to delivering the information needed for MSFD. The process became operational at the beginning of the year 2016 and six fisheries research surveys henceforth collect new data, with or without additional sampling techniques. This report provides an overview of the MSFD monitoring actions on the different fisheries surveys in 2020.

Biogenic reefs form biodiversity hotspots and are key components of marine ecosystems, making them priority habitats for nature conservation. However, the conservation status of biogenic reefs generally depends on their size and stability. Dynamic, patchy reefs may therefore be excluded from protection. Here, we studied epibenthos and epifauna density, richness, and community composition of patchy, dynamic Sabellaria spinulosa (ross worm) reefs in the North Sea. This study was conducted by comparing boxcore (endobenthos) and video transect (epifauna) data from two research campaigns in 2017 and 2019 to the Brown Bank area on the Dutch Continental Shelf, where S. spinulosa reefs were first discovered in 2017. The Brown Bank area is characterized by dynamic, migratory bedforms at multiple scales which potentially affect biogenic reef stability. We showed that S. spinulosa habitats had a patchy distribution and alternated with habitats comprised of plain sand. Average S. spinulosa habitat patch size was 5.57 ± 0.99 m and 3.94 ± 0.22 m in 2017 and 2019, respectively (mean ± SE), which especially in 2019 closely resembled the small-scale megaripple bedforms. Contrary to the endobenthos communities that were unaffected by S. spinulosa, epifauna density and species richness were at least two times higher in S. spinulosa habitats compared to sandy habitats, resulting in different community compositions between the two habitat types. We showed that S. spinulosa persisted in the area for almost 2 years. Although the stability of individual patches remained unclear, we demonstrated that even patchy biogenic reefs may promote density and local biodiversity of mobile, epibenthic species, very likely as a result of increased habitat heterogeneity provided by reef habitat patches. This indicates that patchy biogenic reefs that occur in dynamic environments may also have high ecological value and their conservation status should be (re)considered to ensure their protection., Aircraft Noise and Climate Effects, Hydraulic Engineering, Environmental Fluid Mechanics

The French initial assessment of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) highlighted the lack of reliable data concerning offshore areas. During the planning of the monitoring programmes, the scientists therefore proposed to partially cover this gap by using existing fisheries research vessel surveys deployed for the purposes of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). Testing phases from October 2013 to August 2015 explored ways of improving the effectiveness of these surveys and making them better suited to delivering the information needed for MSFD. The process became operational at the beginning of the year 2016 and six fisheries research surveys henceforth collect new data, with or without additional sampling techniques. This report provides an overview of the MSFD monitoring actions on the different fisheries surveys in 2019.

A multitude of anthropogenic pressures deteriorate the Baltic Sea, resulting in theneed to protect and restore its marine ecosystem. For an efficient conservation,comprehensive monitoring and assessment of all ecosystem elements is of fundamentalimportance. The Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission HELCOMcoordinates conservation measures regulated by several European directives. However,this holistic assessment is hindered by gaps within the current monitoring schemes.Here, twenty-two novel methods with the potential to fill some of these gaps andimprove the monitoring of the Baltic marine environment are examined. We asked keystakeholders to point out methods likely to improve current Baltic Sea monitoring. Wethen described these methods in a comparable way and evaluated them based ontheir costs and applicability potential (i.e., possibility to make them operational). Twelvemethods require low to very low costs, while five require moderate and two high costs.Seventeen methods were rated with a high to very high applicability, whereas fourmethods had moderate and one low applicability for Baltic Sea monitoring. Methodswith both low costs and a high applicability include the Manta Trawl, Rocket, SedimentCorer, Argo Float, Artificial Substrates, Citizen Observation, Earth Observation, theHydroFIARpH system, DNA Metabarcoding and Stable Isotope Analysis. © 2020 Mack, Attila, Aylagas, Beermann, Borja, Hering, Kahlert, Leese, Lenz, Lehtiniemi, Liess, Lips, Mattila, Meissner, Pyhälahti, Setälä, Strehse, Uusitalo, Willstrand Wranne and Birk., Funding: This work resulted from the BONUS FUMARI project in collaboration with BONUS SEAM project, funded by BONUS (Art. 185), which is jointly funded by the EU, the Academy of Finland and the Swedish Research Council Formas. Furthermore, funding was received from the BmBF project MicroCatch_Balt, grant number 03F0788A and EA was supported by the Red Sea Research Center at KAUST. Data on ARMS and ASUs were obtained by DEVOTES (DEVelopment Of innovative Tools for understanding marine biodiversity and assessing good Environmental Status) project, funded by the European Union under the 7th Framework Programme, “The Ocean of Tomorrow” Theme (grant agreement no. 308392), www.devotes-project.eu.

A multitude of anthropogenic pressures deteriorate the Baltic Sea, resulting in theneed to protect and restore its marine ecosystem. For an efficient conservation,comprehensive monitoring and assessment of all ecosystem elements is of fundamentalimportance. The Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission HELCOMcoordinates conservation measures regulated by several European directives. However,this holistic assessment is hindered by gaps within the current monitoring schemes.Here, twenty-two novel methods with the potential to fill some of these gaps andimprove the monitoring of the Baltic marine environment are examined. We asked keystakeholders to point out methods likely to improve current Baltic Sea monitoring. Wethen described these methods in a comparable way and evaluated them based ontheir costs and applicability potential (i.e., possibility to make them operational). Twelvemethods require low to very low costs, while five require moderate and two high costs.Seventeen methods were rated with a high to very high applicability, whereas fourmethods had moderate and one low applicability for Baltic Sea monitoring. Methodswith both low costs and a high applicability include the Manta Trawl, Rocket, SedimentCorer, Argo Float, Artificial Substrates, Citizen Observation, Earth Observation, theHydroFIARpH system, DNA Metabarcoding and Stable Isotope Analysis. © 2020 Mack, Attila, Aylagas, Beermann, Borja, Hering, Kahlert, Leese, Lenz, Lehtiniemi, Liess, Lips, Mattila, Meissner, Pyhälahti, Setälä, Strehse, Uusitalo, Willstrand Wranne and Birk., Funding: This work resulted from the BONUS FUMARI project in collaboration with BONUS SEAM project, funded by BONUS (Art. 185), which is jointly funded by the EU, the Academy of Finland and the Swedish Research Council Formas. Furthermore, funding was received from the BmBF project MicroCatch_Balt, grant number 03F0788A and EA was supported by the Red Sea Research Center at KAUST. Data on ARMS and ASUs were obtained by DEVOTES (DEVelopment Of innovative Tools for understanding marine biodiversity and assessing good Environmental Status) project, funded by the European Union under the 7th Framework Programme, “The Ocean of Tomorrow” Theme (grant agreement no. 308392), www.devotes-project.eu.

The French initial assessment of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) highlighted the lack of reliable data concerning offshore areas. During the planning of the monitoring programmes, the scientists therefore proposed to partially cover this gap by using existing fisheries research vessel surveys deployed for the purposes of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). Testing phases from October 2013 to August 2015 explored ways of improving the effectiveness of these surveys and making them better suited to delivering the information needed for MSFD. The process became operational at the beginning of the year 2016 and six fisheries research surveys henceforth collect new data, with or without additional sampling techniques. This report provides an overview of the MSFD monitoring actions on the different fisheries surveys in 2019.

Decision-support tools (DSTs) synthesize complex information to assist environmental managers in the decision-making process. Here, we review DSTs applied in the Baltic Sea area, to investigate how well the ecosystem approach is reflected in them, how different environmental problems are covered, and how well the tools meet the needs of the end users. The DSTs were evaluated based on (i) a set of performance criteria, (ii) information on end user preferences, (iii) how end users had been involved in tool development, and (iv) what experiences developers/hosts had on the use of the tools. We found that DSTs frequently addressed management needs related to eutrophication, biodiversity loss, or contaminant pollution. The majority of the DSTs addressed human activities, their pressures, or environmental status changes, but they seldom provided solutions for a complete ecosystem approach. In general, the DSTs were scientifically documented and transparent, but confidence in the outputs was poorly communicated. End user preferences were, apart from the shortcomings in communicating uncertainty, well accounted for in the DSTs. Although end users were commonly consulted during the DST development phase, they were not usually part of the development team. Answers from developers/hosts indicate that DSTs are not applied to their full potential. Deeper involvement of end users in the development phase could potentially increase the value and impact of DSTs. As a way forward, we propose streamlining the outputs of specific DSTs, so that they can be combined to a holistic insight of the consequences of management actions and serve the ecosystem approach in a better manner.

A multitude of anthropogenic pressures deteriorate the Baltic Sea, resulting in theneed to protect and restore its marine ecosystem. For an efficient conservation,comprehensive monitoring and assessment of all ecosystem elements is of fundamentalimportance. The Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission HELCOMcoordinates conservation measures regulated by several European directives. However,this holistic assessment is hindered by gaps within the current monitoring schemes.Here, twenty-two novel methods with the potential to fill some of these gaps andimprove the monitoring of the Baltic marine environment are examined. We asked keystakeholders to point out methods likely to improve current Baltic Sea monitoring. Wethen described these methods in a comparable way and evaluated them based ontheir costs and applicability potential (i.e., possibility to make them operational). Twelvemethods require low to very low costs, while five require moderate and two high costs.Seventeen methods were rated with a high to very high applicability, whereas fourmethods had moderate and one low applicability for Baltic Sea monitoring. Methodswith both low costs and a high applicability include the Manta Trawl, Rocket, SedimentCorer, Argo Float, Artificial Substrates, Citizen Observation, Earth Observation, theHydroFIARpH system, DNA Metabarcoding and Stable Isotope Analysis. © 2020 Mack, Attila, Aylagas, Beermann, Borja, Hering, Kahlert, Leese, Lenz, Lehtiniemi, Liess, Lips, Mattila, Meissner, Pyhälahti, Setälä, Strehse, Uusitalo, Willstrand Wranne and Birk., Funding: This work resulted from the BONUS FUMARI project in collaboration with BONUS SEAM project, funded by BONUS (Art. 185), which is jointly funded by the EU, the Academy of Finland and the Swedish Research Council Formas. Furthermore, funding was received from the BmBF project MicroCatch_Balt, grant number 03F0788A and EA was supported by the Red Sea Research Center at KAUST. Data on ARMS and ASUs were obtained by DEVOTES (DEVelopment Of innovative Tools for understanding marine biodiversity and assessing good Environmental Status) project, funded by the European Union under the 7th Framework Programme, “The Ocean of Tomorrow” Theme (grant agreement no. 308392), www.devotes-project.eu.

The French initial assessment of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) highlighted the lack of reliable data concerning offshore areas. During the planning of the monitoring programmes, the scientists therefore proposed to partially cover this gap by using existing fisheries research vessel surveys deployed for the purposes of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). Testing phases from October 2013 to August 2015 explored ways of improving the effectiveness of these surveys and making them better suited to delivering the information needed for MSFD. The process became operational at the beginning of the year 2016 and six fisheries research surveys henceforth collect new data, with or without additional sampling techniques. This report provides an overview of the MSFD monitoring actions on the different fisheries surveys in 2019.

The French initial assessment of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) highlighted the lack of reliable data concerning offshore areas. During the planning of the monitoring programmes, the scientists therefore proposed to partially cover this gap by using existing fisheries research vessel surveys deployed for the purposes of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). Testing phases from October 2013 to August 2015 explored ways of improving the effectiveness of these surveys and making them better suited to delivering the information needed for MSFD. The process became operational at the beginning of the year 2016 and six fisheries research surveys henceforth collect new data, with or without additional sampling techniques. This report provides an overview of the MSFD monitoring actions on the different fisheries surveys in 2019.

1. Connectivity of marine populations and ecosystems is crucial to maintaining and enhancing their structure, distribution, persistence, resilience and productivity. Artificial hard substrate, such as that associated with oil and gas platforms, provides settlement opportunities for species adapted to hard substrates in areas of soft sediment. The contribution of artificial hard substrate and the consequences of its removal (e.g. through decommissioning) to marine connectivity is not clear, yet such information is vital to inform marine spatial planning and future policy decisions on the use and protection of marine resources. 2. This study demonstrates the application of a social network analysis approach to quantify and describe the ecological connectivity, informed by particle tracking model outputs, of hard substrate marine communities in the North Sea. Through comparison of networks with and without artificial hard substrate, and based on hypothetical decommissioning scenarios, this study provides insight into the contribution of artificial hard substrate, and the consequence of decommissioning, to the structure and function of marine community connectivity. 3. This study highlights that artificial hard substrate, despite providing only a small proportion of the total area of hard substrate, increases the geographic extent and connectivity of the hard substrate network, bridging gaps, thereby providing ‘stepping stones’ between otherwise disconnected areas of natural hard substrate. Compared to the baseline scenario, a decommissioning scenario with full removal of oil and gas platforms results in a nearly 60% reduction in connectivity. Such reduction in connectivity may have negative implications for species’ distribution, gene flow and resilience following disturbance or exploitation of marine hard substrate communities. 4. Synthesis and applications. Social network analysis can provide valuable insight into connectivity between marine communities and enable th

A multitude of anthropogenic pressures deteriorate the Baltic Sea, resulting in theneed to protect and restore its marine ecosystem. For an efficient conservation,comprehensive monitoring and assessment of all ecosystem elements is of fundamentalimportance. The Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission HELCOMcoordinates conservation measures regulated by several European directives. However,this holistic assessment is hindered by gaps within the current monitoring schemes.Here, twenty-two novel methods with the potential to fill some of these gaps andimprove the monitoring of the Baltic marine environment are examined. We asked keystakeholders to point out methods likely to improve current Baltic Sea monitoring. Wethen described these methods in a comparable way and evaluated them based ontheir costs and applicability potential (i.e., possibility to make them operational). Twelvemethods require low to very low costs, while five require moderate and two high costs.Seventeen methods were rated with a high to very high applicability, whereas fourmethods had moderate and one low applicability for Baltic Sea monitoring. Methodswith both low costs and a high applicability include the Manta Trawl, Rocket, SedimentCorer, Argo Float, Artificial Substrates, Citizen Observation, Earth Observation, theHydroFIARpH system, DNA Metabarcoding and Stable Isotope Analysis. © 2020 Mack, Attila, Aylagas, Beermann, Borja, Hering, Kahlert, Leese, Lenz, Lehtiniemi, Liess, Lips, Mattila, Meissner, Pyhälahti, Setälä, Strehse, Uusitalo, Willstrand Wranne and Birk., Funding: This work resulted from the BONUS FUMARI project in collaboration with BONUS SEAM project, funded by BONUS (Art. 185), which is jointly funded by the EU, the Academy of Finland and the Swedish Research Council Formas. Furthermore, funding was received from the BmBF project MicroCatch_Balt, grant number 03F0788A and EA was supported by the Red Sea Research Center at KAUST. Data on ARMS and ASUs were obtained by DEVOTES (DEVelopment Of innovative Tools for understanding marine biodiversity and assessing good Environmental Status) project, funded by the European Union under the 7th Framework Programme, “The Ocean of Tomorrow” Theme (grant agreement no. 308392), www.devotes-project.eu.

Benthic habitats and communities are key components of the marine ecosystem. Securing their functioning is a central aim in marine environmental management, where monitoring data provide the base for assessing the state of marine ecosystems. In the Baltic Sea, a > 50-year-long tradition of zoobenthic monitoring exists. However, the monitoring programmes were designed prior to the current policies, primarily to detect long-term trends at basin-scale and are thus not optimal to fulfil recent requirements such as area-based periodic status assessments. Here, we review the current monitoring programmes and assess the precision and representativity of the monitoring data in status assessments to identify routes for improvement. At present, the monitoring is focused on soft-bottoms, not accounting for all habitat types occurring in the Baltic Sea. Evaluating the sources of variance in the assessment data revealed that the component accounting for variability among stations forms the largest proportion of the uncertainty. Furthermore, it is shown that the precision of the status estimates can be improved, with the current number of samples. Reducing sampling effort per station, but sampling more stations, is the best option to improve precision in status assessments. Furthermore, by allocating the sampling stations more evenly in the sub-basins, a better representativity of the area can be achieved. However, emphasis on securing the long-term data series is needed if changes to the monitoring programmes are planned.

A multitude of anthropogenic pressures deteriorate the Baltic Sea, resulting in theneed to protect and restore its marine ecosystem. For an efficient conservation,comprehensive monitoring and assessment of all ecosystem elements is of fundamentalimportance. The Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission HELCOMcoordinates conservation measures regulated by several European directives. However,this holistic assessment is hindered by gaps within the current monitoring schemes.Here, twenty-two novel methods with the potential to fill some of these gaps andimprove the monitoring of the Baltic marine environment are examined. We asked keystakeholders to point out methods likely to improve current Baltic Sea monitoring. Wethen described these methods in a comparable way and evaluated them based ontheir costs and applicability potential (i.e., possibility to make them operational). Twelvemethods require low to very low costs, while five require moderate and two high costs.Seventeen methods were rated with a high to very high applicability, whereas fourmethods had moderate and one low applicability for Baltic Sea monitoring. Methodswith both low costs and a high applicability include the Manta Trawl, Rocket, SedimentCorer, Argo Float, Artificial Substrates, Citizen Observation, Earth Observation, theHydroFIARpH system, DNA Metabarcoding and Stable Isotope Analysis. © 2020 Mack, Attila, Aylagas, Beermann, Borja, Hering, Kahlert, Leese, Lenz, Lehtiniemi, Liess, Lips, Mattila, Meissner, Pyhälahti, Setälä, Strehse, Uusitalo, Willstrand Wranne and Birk., Funding: This work resulted from the BONUS FUMARI project in collaboration with BONUS SEAM project, funded by BONUS (Art. 185), which is jointly funded by the EU, the Academy of Finland and the Swedish Research Council Formas. Furthermore, funding was received from the BmBF project MicroCatch_Balt, grant number 03F0788A and EA was supported by the Red Sea Research Center at KAUST. Data on ARMS and ASUs were obtained by DEVOTES (DEVelopment Of innovative Tools for understanding marine biodiversity and assessing good Environmental Status) project, funded by the European Union under the 7th Framework Programme, “The Ocean of Tomorrow” Theme (grant agreement no. 308392), www.devotes-project.eu.

A multitude of anthropogenic pressures deteriorate the Baltic Sea, resulting in theneed to protect and restore its marine ecosystem. For an efficient conservation,comprehensive monitoring and assessment of all ecosystem elements is of fundamentalimportance. The Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission HELCOMcoordinates conservation measures regulated by several European directives. However,this holistic assessment is hindered by gaps within the current monitoring schemes.Here, twenty-two novel methods with the potential to fill some of these gaps andimprove the monitoring of the Baltic marine environment are examined. We asked keystakeholders to point out methods likely to improve current Baltic Sea monitoring. Wethen described these methods in a comparable way and evaluated them based ontheir costs and applicability potential (i.e., possibility to make them operational). Twelvemethods require low to very low costs, while five require moderate and two high costs.Seventeen methods were rated with a high to very high applicability, whereas fourmethods had moderate and one low applicability for Baltic Sea monitoring. Methodswith both low costs and a high applicability include the Manta Trawl, Rocket, SedimentCorer, Argo Float, Artificial Substrates, Citizen Observation, Earth Observation, theHydroFIARpH system, DNA Metabarcoding and Stable Isotope Analysis. © 2020 Mack, Attila, Aylagas, Beermann, Borja, Hering, Kahlert, Leese, Lenz, Lehtiniemi, Liess, Lips, Mattila, Meissner, Pyhälahti, Setälä, Strehse, Uusitalo, Willstrand Wranne and Birk., Funding: This work resulted from the BONUS FUMARI project in collaboration with BONUS SEAM project, funded by BONUS (Art. 185), which is jointly funded by the EU, the Academy of Finland and the Swedish Research Council Formas. Furthermore, funding was received from the BmBF project MicroCatch_Balt, grant number 03F0788A and EA was supported by the Red Sea Research Center at KAUST. Data on ARMS and ASUs were obtained by DEVOTES (DEVelopment Of innovative Tools for understanding marine biodiversity and assessing good Environmental Status) project, funded by the European Union under the 7th Framework Programme, “The Ocean of Tomorrow” Theme (grant agreement no. 308392), www.devotes-project.eu.

Legislations and commitments regulate Baltic Sea status assessments and monitoring. These assessments suffer from monitoring gaps that need prioritization. We used three sources of information; scientific articles, projectreports and a stakeholder survey to identify gaps in relation to requirements set by the HELCOM's Baltic SeaAction Plan, the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and the Water Framework Directive. The most frequentlymentioned gap was that key requirements are not sufficiently monitored in space and time. Biodiversity monitoringwas the category containing most gaps. However, whereas more than half of the gaps in reports related tobiodiversity, scientific articles pointed out many gaps in the monitoring of pollution and water quality. Animportant finding was that the three sources differed notably with respect to which gaps were mentioned mostoften. Thus, conclusions about gap prioritization for management should be drawn after carefully consideringthe different viewpoints of scientists and stakeholders. © 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd., Funding: This work resulted from the BONUS FUMARI project (Finnish Environment Institute, 2019) which has received funding from BONUS (Art. 185), which is jointly funded by the EU, the Academy of Finland and the Swedish Research Council Formas.

The French initial assessment of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) highlighted the lack of reliable data concerning offshore areas. During the planning of the monitoring programmes, the scientists therefore proposed to partially cover this gap by using existing fisheries research vessel surveys deployed for the purposes of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). Testing phases from October 2013 to August 2015 explored ways of improving the effectiveness of these surveys and making them better suited to delivering the information needed for MSFD. The process became operational at the beginning of the year 2016 and six fisheries research surveys henceforth collect new data, with or without additional sampling techniques. This report provides an overview of the MSFD monitoring actions on the different fisheries surveys in 2018.

The French initial assessment of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) highlighted the lack of reliable data concerning offshore areas. During the planning of the monitoring programmes, the scientists therefore proposed to partially cover this gap by using existing fisheries research vessel surveys deployed for the purposes of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). Testing phases from October 2013 to August 2015 explored ways of improving the effectiveness of these surveys and making them better suited to delivering the information needed for MSFD. The process became operational at the beginning of the year 2016 and six fisheries research surveys henceforth collect new data, with or without additional sampling techniques. This report provides an overview of the MSFD monitoring actions on the different fisheries surveys in 2018.

Despite the attention given to genetic biodiversity in international agreements such as the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Strategic Plan and the Aichi Targets, previous research points at a conservation genetics gap, indicating that scientific insights into genetic biodiversity are poorly integrated into practical management. Both researchers and managers call for platforms for knowledge exchange between science and practice. However, few scientific studies on the potential effects of such knowledge transfer have been conducted. The present study is a follow-up to Lundmark et al. (2017), which identified significant effects of two forms of knowledge communication on conservation managers' concerns and beliefs in regard to Baltic Sea genetic biodiversity. This study departs from Landmark et al. (2017) and explores (a) whether the identified alterations in knowledge and beliefs persist over time, and (b) whether potential stability differs between different types of policy beliefs as well as between two types of knowledge communication (lecture and group deliberation). The results of this follow-up study show that the positive impacts on managers' self-assessed knowledge remained, while the effects on policy beliefs largely had vanished a few months after the knowledge communication. Thus, changes in beliefs seem perishable, suggesting that continuity is more important than the form of educational efforts.

Background: Drawing upon multiple types of knowledge (e.g., Indigenous knowledge, local knowledge, science-based knowledge) strengthens the evidence-base for policy advice, decision making, and environmental management. While the benefits of incorporating multiple types of knowledge in environmental research and management are many, doing so has remained a challenge. This systematic map examined the extent, range, and nature of the published literature (i.e., commercially published and grey) that seeks to respectively bridge Indigenous and science-based knowledge in coastal and marine research and management in Canada. Methods: This systematic map applied standardized search terms across four databases focused on commercially published literature, carefully selected specialist websites, and two web-based search engines. In addition, reference sections of relevant review articles were cross-checked to identify articles that may not have been found using the search strategy. Search results were screened in two sequential stages; (1) at title and abstract; and (2) at full text following a published protocol. All case studies included were coded using a standard questionnaire. A narrative synthesis approach was used to identify trends in the evidence, knowledge gaps, and knowledge clusters. Results: A total of 62 articles that spanned 71 Canadian case studies were included in the systematic map. Studies across the coastal and marine regions of Inuit Nunangat accounted for the majority of the studies. Whether the focus is on management and decision making or research and monitoring, the predominant ecological scale was at the species level, accounting for over two-thirds of the included studies. There were 24 distinct coastal and marine species of central focus across the studies. Nunavut had the greatest taxonomic coverage as studies conducted to date cover 13 different genera. The predominant methodology employed for combining and/or including Indigenous knowledge was

Artificial structures are proliferating in the marine environment, resulting in ‘ocean sprawl’. In light of the potential environmental impacts of this, such as habitat loss and alteration, it is becoming increasingly important to incorporate ecologically-sensitive design into artificial marine structures. The principles of eco-engineering and green infrastructure are embedded in urban planning practice for terrestrial and freshwater development projects. In marine planning, however, eco-engineering of blue-green infrastructure remains an emerging concept. This note provides a UK perspective on the progress towards uptake of eco-engineering approaches for enhancing biodiversity on artificial marine structures. We emphasise that, despite a clear ‘policy pull’ to incorporate biodiversity enhancements in marine structures, a range of proof-of-concept evidence that it is possible to achieve, and strong cross-sectoral stakeholder support, there are still few examples of truly and purposefully-designed blue-green artificial structures in the UK. We discuss the barriers that remain and propose a strategy towards effective implementation. Our strategy outlines a step-wise approach to: (1) strengthening the evidence base for what enhancements can be achieved in different scenarios; (2) improving clarity on the predicted benefits and associated costs of enhancements; (3) packaging the evidence in a useful form to support planning and decision-making; and (4) encouraging implementation as routine practice. Given that ocean sprawl is a growing problem globally, the perspective presented here provides valuable insight and lessons for other nations at their various states of progress towards this same goal.

The French initial assessment of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) highlighted the lack of reliable data concerning offshore areas. During the planning of the monitoring programmes, the scientists therefore proposed to partially cover this gap by using existing fisheries research vessel surveys deployed for the purposes of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). Testing phases from October 2013 to August 2015 explored ways of improving the effectiveness of these surveys and making them better suited to delivering the information needed for MSFD. The process became operational at the beginning of the year 2016 and six fisheries research surveys henceforth collect new data, with or without additional sampling techniques. This report provides an overview of the MSFD monitoring actions on the different fisheries surveys in 2018.

The French initial assessment of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) highlighted the lack of reliable data concerning offshore areas. During the planning of the monitoring programmes, the scientists therefore proposed to partially cover this gap by using existing fisheries research vessel surveys deployed for the purposes of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). Testing phases from October 2013 to August 2015 explored ways of improving the effectiveness of these surveys and making them better suited to delivering the information needed for MSFD. The process became operational at the beginning of the year 2016 and six fisheries research surveys henceforth collect new data, with or without additional sampling techniques. This report provides an overview of the MSFD monitoring actions on the different fisheries surveys in 2018.

Artificial structures are proliferating in the marine environment, resulting in ‘ocean sprawl’. In light of the potential environmental impacts of this, such as habitat loss and alteration, it is becoming increasingly important to incorporate ecologically-sensitive design into artificial marine structures. The principles of eco-engineering and green infrastructure are embedded in urban planning practice for terrestrial and freshwater development projects. In marine planning, however, eco-engineering of blue-green infrastructure remains an emerging concept. This note provides a UK perspective on the progress towards uptake of eco-engineering approaches for enhancing biodiversity on artificial marine structures. We emphasise that, despite a clear ‘policy pull’ to incorporate biodiversity enhancements in marine structures, a range of proof-of-concept evidence that it is possible to achieve, and strong cross-sectoral stakeholder support, there are still few examples of truly and purposefully-designed blue-green artificial structures in the UK. We discuss the barriers that remain and propose a strategy towards effective implementation. Our strategy outlines a step-wise approach to: (1) strengthening the evidence base for what enhancements can be achieved in different scenarios; (2) improving clarity on the predicted benefits and associated costs of enhancements; (3) packaging the evidence in a useful form to support planning and decision-making; and (4) encouraging implementation as routine practice. Given that ocean sprawl is a growing problem globally, the perspective presented here provides valuable insight and lessons for other nations at their various states of progress towards this same goal.

Gelatinous zooplankton, including cnidarians, ctenophores, and tunicates (appendicularians, pyrosomes, salps and doliolids), are often overlooked by scientific studies, ecosystem assessments and at a management level. Despite the important economic consequences that they can have on human activities and on the marine foodweb, arguments often related to the costs of monitoring or their coordination, or simply negligence, have resulted in the absence of relevant monitoring programs. A cost-effective protocol has been applied on trawling from existing fishery surveys conducted by national laboratories in England and France. The testing phase has successfully demonstrated the adequacy of such a tool to sample macro- and mega-zooplankton gelatinous organisms in a cost-effective way. This success has led to the acceptance of this protocol into the French implementation of the EU's Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). Here, a protocol which can be applied to any trawl-based fishery survey and in any new large-scale monitoring program is provided. As an ecosystem approach to marine management is currently adopted, exemplified by the MSFD in Europe, gelatinous zooplankton should be monitored correctly to prevent a knowledge gap and bias to ecosystem assessments in future.

Recent decades have seen an increasing emphasis on (re)structuring marine governance regulation to fit relevant natural systems in terms of scale and spatial scope, and thus also on the delimitation of spatial units. Being at the heart of ecosystem based management, this focus on the relationship between scale and space in nature and in regulatory systems necessitates an increased awareness of the use of spatial and scale-related concepts in marine governance regulation. Using the regulatory context of the Baltic Sea as the focal point, this article examines concepts central to marine governance such as ‘ecosystem’, ‘water body’ and ‘marine waters’. It investigates how changes in the physical environment are reflected in the legal concepts, but also how these concepts affect the understanding or definition of the ‘natural’ phenomena ostensibly representing the scales on which the regulatory system should be premised.

Recent decades have seen an increasing emphasis on (re)structuring marine governance regulation to fit relevant natural systems in terms of scale and spatial scope, and thus also on the delimitation of spatial units. Being at the heart of ecosystem based management, this focus on the relationship between scale and space in nature and in regulatory systems necessitates an increased awareness of the use of spatial and scale-related concepts in marine governance regulation. Using the regulatory context of the Baltic Sea as the focal point, this article examines concepts central to marine governance such as ‘ecosystem’, ‘water body’ and ‘marine waters’. It investigates how changes in the physical environment are reflected in the legal concepts, but also how these concepts affect the understanding or definition of the ‘natural’ phenomena ostensibly representing the scales on which the regulatory system should be premised.

Gelatinous zooplankton, including cnidarians, ctenophores, and tunicates (appendicularians, pyrosomes, salps and doliolids), are often overlooked by scientific studies, ecosystem assessments and at a management level. Despite the important economic consequences that they can have on human activities and on the marine foodweb, arguments often related to the costs of monitoring or their coordination, or simply negligence, have resulted in the absence of relevant monitoring programs. A cost-effective protocol has been applied on trawling from existing fishery surveys conducted by national laboratories in England and France. The testing phase has successfully demonstrated the adequacy of such a tool to sample macro- and mega-zooplankton gelatinous organisms in a cost-effective way. This success has led to the acceptance of this protocol into the French implementation of the EU's Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). Here, a protocol which can be applied to any trawl-based fishery survey and in any new large-scale monitoring program is provided. As an ecosystem approach to marine management is currently adopted, exemplified by the MSFD in Europe, gelatinous zooplankton should be monitored correctly to prevent a knowledge gap and bias to ecosystem assessments in future.

Recent decades have seen an increasing emphasis on (re)structuring marine governance regulation to fit relevant natural systems in terms of scale and spatial scope, and thus also on the delimitation of spatial units. Being at the heart of ecosystem based management, this focus on the relationship between scale and space in nature and in regulatory systems necessitates an increased awareness of the use of spatial and scale-related concepts in marine governance regulation. Using the regulatory context of the Baltic Sea as the focal point, this article examines concepts central to marine governance such as ‘ecosystem’, ‘water body’ and ‘marine waters’. It investigates how changes in the physical environment are reflected in the legal concepts, but also how these concepts affect the understanding or definition of the ‘natural’ phenomena ostensibly representing the scales on which the regulatory system should be premised.

Recent decades have seen an increasing emphasis on (re)structuring marine governance regulation to fit relevant natural systems in terms of scale and spatial scope, and thus also on the delimitation of spatial units. Being at the heart of ecosystem based management, this focus on the relationship between scale and space in nature and in regulatory systems necessitates an increased awareness of the use of spatial and scale-related concepts in marine governance regulation. Using the regulatory context of the Baltic Sea as the focal point, this article examines concepts central to marine governance such as ‘ecosystem’, ‘water body’ and ‘marine waters’. It investigates how changes in the physical environment are reflected in the legal concepts, but also how these concepts affect the understanding or definition of the ‘natural’ phenomena ostensibly representing the scales on which the regulatory system should be premised.