UK Marine Monitoring and Assessment Strategy
Background
Safeguarding our Seas (2002) set out a vision for "clean, healthy, safe, productive and biologically diverse seas". It started a process which has changed the UK’s approach to monitoring and assessment of our seas.
The next stage was the preparation of the first integrated assessment of our seas, Charting Progress (2005). This not only provides a baseline of the state of our marine environment at that time but much was learnt from the process of its preparation.
In Scotland, the 2005 publication Seas the Opportunity (on Scottish Executive website), adopted a similar vision and also the need to "develop better integrated, relevant scientific data on the marine environment and the effect of the pressures on it".
Charting Progress identified the UK seas as productive but there were concerns about the effect of human activity on marine life. There was evidence that climate change was present. There was also a requirement developing to answer questions about the ecosystem and to begin thinking holistically about how we monitor and assess the marine environment. Information shortfalls were evident, co-ordination was a problem, indicators and detailed objectives didn’t exist.
Charting Progress outlined a number of actions, including the development of a UK Marine Monitoring and Assessment Strategy (UKMMAS).
UK Marine Monitoring and Assessment Strategy
UKMMAS consists of a high level, policy-lead Marine Assessment Policy Committee (MAPC). This is supported by a technical Marine Assessment and Reporting Group (MARG); which overseas the work of a number of initiatives. These include groups to investigate and report on Objectives for the marine environment; preparation of Integrated Assessments; preparation of Protocols and a Monitoring Manual; Data Archiving via the Marine Data and Information Partnership (MDIP) and the Marine Environment Data – Action Group (MEDAG); and three Evidence Groups to collate data on the themes of "Clean and Safe", "Healthy and Biologically Diverse" and "Productive" seas.
The thrust of the UKMMAS is to make most efficient use of UK resources, in terms of all existing obligations and to be prepared for emerging requirements, e.g. the EU Marine Strategy Directive. It should provide us with the power to answer questions about the state of our marine ecosystem and document ecosystem trends. This is a step-change in the way we monitor and assess in the UK. The UKMMAS will be developed over the next 18 months or so and by December 2007 should be ready for implementation during 2008.
A paper which details these arrangements is at the first link below .
- UKMMAS – a
strategy for co-ordinating Marine Monitoring and Assessment
(503
KB) - 12 March 2007
- Diagram of the UKMMAS structure (21 KB)
Marine Assessment Policy Committee (MAPC)
At the top of the UKMMAS structure is the MAPC who own the strategy and are responsible for the policy measures needed to achieve the evolving marine objectives (MOs) Its main function is to define the policy requirements for the UK Marine Monitoring and Assessment Programme (UKMMAP) and provide direction on these matters to the Marine Assessment and Reporting Group (MARG). For more information see the MAPC webpage.
Marine Assessment and Reporting Group (MARG)
The UKMMAP will be implemented through a number of groups, responsible for specific aspects but with dialogue between groups and subject to overall direction by the Marine Assessment and Reporting Group (MARG). The sub-groups which report directly to MARG are as follows:
- Marine Protocols Group
- Clean and Safe Seas Evidence Group
- Healthy and Biologically Diverse Seas Evidence Group
- Productive Seas Evidence Group
The purpose of MARG is to decide how best to carry out assessments to fulfil the policy requirements with existing resource and scientific knowledge, direct the implementation of suitable programmes, review the outcomes and assessments and suggest changes to the programme when necessary. For more information see the MARG webpage.
Marine Protocols and Evidence Collection Groups
Establishment of the Marine Protocols and Evidence Collection Groups which will report to MARG is underway. Further details, including Terms of Reference, membership and work programmes for these groups will be posted once they have been finalised.
Marine data
- MERMAN is the new database for our co-ordinated programme, collecting evidence of contaminants, biological effects and biology from 80 sites around the UK. For further information see the MERMAN webpage.
- The Marine Data and Information Partnership (MDIP) comprises organisations working in partnership across Government, non-departmental public bodies, research institutes and the private sector to establish an enabling framework for managing marine data and information across UK organisations; and establish Data Archiving Centres.
- The UK Marine and Coastal Resource Atlas is part of the MAGIC initiative and contains environmental and other resource datasets covering the Great Britain coastline and marine areas of the UK Continental Shelf.
UKMMAS News
Contacts
Page last modified:
3 May 2007
Page published: 3 May 2007