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Benthic habitats on the Basque continental shelf were mapped based on multibeam echosounder surveys, grab sampling, video surveys and oceanographic monitoring. A total area of 2302 km 2 was classified according to the European Nature Information System (EUNIS) hierarchical classification. Almost 50% of the area corresponded to rock and other hard substrata and the other 50% corresponded to soft bottoms. The biotic composition of several areas was significantly different from the EUNIS habitat classes described previously; therefore, we propose a total of 13 new classes. The habitat mapping has contributed to improving the knowledge and application of several criteria and indicators used to assess environmental status in the European Marine Strategy Framework Directive in relation to the biological diversity descriptors, such as non-indigenous species and seafloor integrity. It is also useful for other descriptors and for developing the sampling design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) seeks to achieve good environmental status, by 2020, for European seas. This study analyses the applicability of a process-driven benthic sedimentary habitat model, to be used in the implementation of the MSFD in relation to biodiversity and seafloor integrity descriptors for sedimentary habitats. Our approach maps the major environmental factors influencing soft-bottom macrobenthic community structure and the life-history traits of species. Among the 16 environmental variables considered, a combination of water depth, mean grain size, a wave-induced sediment resuspension index and annual bottom maximum temperature, are the most significant factors explaining the variability in the structure of benthic communities in the study area. These variables are classified into those representing the ‘Disturbance’ and ‘Scope for Growth’ components of the environment. It was observed that the habitat classes defined in the process-driven model reflected different structural and functional characteristics of the benthos. Moreover, benthic community structure anomalies due to human pressures could also be detected within the model produced. Thus, the final process-driven habitat map can be considered as being highly useful for seafloor integrity and biodiversity assessment, within the European MSFD as well as for conservation, environmental status assessment and managing human activities, especially within the marine spatial planning process. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) is directing European marine research towards the coordinated and integrated assessment of sea environmental status, following the ecosystem-based approach. The MSFD uses a set of 11 descriptors which, together, summarise the way in which the whole system functions. As such, the European Commission has proposed an extensive set of indicators, to assess environmental status. Hence, taking account of the large amount of data available for the Basque coast (southern Bay of Biscay), together with a recent proposal for assessment within the MSFD, an integrated environmental status assessment approach is developed (for the first time) in this contribution. The strengths and weaknesses of the method, combined with proposals from the MSFD, are discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A critical prerequisite for the assessment and management of human activities and natural ecosystem components, is the availability of data and information on their spatial and temporal distribution. Based on European seabed habitats and human activities datasets publicly available in EMODnet portal, and adopting the Marine Reporting Units (MRUs) defined by the Marine Strategy Framework and Water Framework Directives, this study analyses the (i) geographical overlap of human activities and seabed habitats, and (ii) the suitability, limitations and gaps of these datasets for management purposes. The analysis concerns an area of 19,269,645 km2 and 6,539 assessment units. Seabed habitats information is available for 75% of the total area and gaps are found in several littoral areas and the outermost Atlantic regions. Significant difference in the number of records per human activity type are also reported, corresponding the highest number of records to the "State of Bathing waters" monitoring stations, and "Active licences" and "Boreholes" for hydrocarbon extraction. A good coverage of vessel traffic information is also available. Most human activity records are located on coastal water bodies (49%) and subregions (37%), but for several MRUs records are not available. From the 63 EUNIS habitat types, 11 host more than 20 different activities, although many available records are located in areas with no seabed habitats information. The information and datasets elaborated in this research may be useful to support different environmental assessment and management initiatives. However, the completion and improvement of these datasets is highly recommended to fulfil policy requirements. • EMODnet's seabed habitats map covers 75% of the MSFD Marine Reporting Units' area. • 49% of the 40,201 human activity records are on coastal water bodies. • Only 6% of Marine Reporting Units, include data of more than 5 human activities. • Bathing waters and oil&gas head the records ranking; fishing leads vessel density. • Scattered info and gaps limit these data's usage for pan-European assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Marine Biological Valuation (BV) has increased in importance in recent years, due to the need to establish accurate maps of biodiversity value. However, there have been few exercises undertaken in Southern Europe, in putting a value on marine biodiversity whilst at the same time looking at several biological components. This paper presents the complete Biological Valuation Map (BVM) of the Basque continental shelf and estuaries, using the methodology developed for the Belgian Continental Shelf. It includes all available biological data (zooplankton, macroalgae, macrobenthos, demersal fish, seabirds and cetaceans), from 2003 to 2010. BVMs aim to compile all available biological and ecological information for a selected study area, allocating an integrated intrinsic biological value to the subzones within the study area. Here, the results highlight specific areas (such as Jaizkibel or Cap Breton Canyon), as having high or very high integrated BV, using all of the components. Furthermore, some biodiversity ‘hotspots’ have been identified, according to a specific ecosystem component (e.g. mid-parts of the Oka estuary, for macroalgae, and the Cap Breton Canyon, for cetaceans). Comparison with the results obtained from other European countries, and with previously high-importance delimited zones within the study area, showed similar spatial trends and patterns. Therefore, the objectives of this contribution are: (i) to analyse and establish a spatial ecological value map of the continental shelf of the Basque Country (southern Bay of Biscay), using present BV methods; (ii) to compare the results obtained to other European countries, and (iii) to explore the application of these results to the Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) and the European Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) requirements. This map can serve as a baseline for future MSP and can also be used for the determination of the environmental status, within the MSFD, for the qualitative descriptor 1 (biodiversity). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]