MS/Art8/2018/D5/France/Mediterranean: Western Mediterranean Sea

Member State report / Art8 / 2018 / D5 / France / Mediterranean: Western Mediterranean Sea

Report type	Member State report to Commission
MSFD Article	Art. 8 Initial assessment (and Art. 17 updates)
Report due	2018-10-15
GES Descriptor	D5 Eutrophication
Member State	France
Region/subregion	Mediterranean: Western Mediterranean Sea
Reported by	Ministère de la transition Ecologique et Solidaire
Report date	2020-02-19
Report access	ART8_GES_FR_2020-02-17.xml

ZL SRM MO (MWE-FR-MS-MO-LARGE)

Simplified table

GES component	D5	D5	D5	D5	D5	D5	D5
Feature	Eutrophication	Eutrophication	Eutrophication	Eutrophication	Eutrophication	Eutrophication	Eutrophication
Element	Nutrients (N, P)	Nutrients (N, P)	Chlorophyll-a	Transparency	Dissolved oxygen	Opportunistic macro-algae	Macrophyte communities
Element code	QE3-1-6	QE3-1-6	EEA_3164-01-0	QE3-1-1	EEA_3132-01-2	QE1-2-1	QE1-2
Element code source	Eutrophication (D5)(EQRs) http://dd.eionet.europa.eu/vocabulary/wise/ObservedPropertyBiologyEQR/view	Eutrophication (D5)(EQRs) http://dd.eionet.europa.eu/vocabulary/wise/ObservedPropertyBiologyEQR/view	Eutrophication (D5) and contaminants (D8-D9) http://dd.eionet.europa.eu/vocabulary/wise/ObservedProperty/view	Eutrophication (D5)(EQRs) http://dd.eionet.europa.eu/vocabulary/wise/ObservedPropertyBiologyEQR/view	Eutrophication (D5) and contaminants (D8-D9) http://dd.eionet.europa.eu/vocabulary/wise/ObservedProperty/view	Eutrophication (D5)(EQRs) http://dd.eionet.europa.eu/vocabulary/wise/ObservedPropertyBiologyEQR/view	Eutrophication (D5)(EQRs) http://dd.eionet.europa.eu/vocabulary/wise/ObservedPropertyBiologyEQR/view
Element 2
Element 2 code
Element 2 code source
Element source	EU	EU	EU	EU	EU	EU	EU
Criterion	D5C1	D5C1	D5C2	D5C4	D5C5	D5C6	D5C7
Parameter	Other	Other	Concentration in water	Other	Concentration in water
Parameter other	Concentration of DIN in water	Concentration of DIP in water		Turbidity of the water column
Threshold value upper	8.7	0.24	1.44	2.0	3.0
Threshold value lower
Threshold qualitative
Threshold value source	National	National	National	National	Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC)
Threshold value source other
Value achieved upper	2.05	0.04	1.06	1.45	6.5
Value achieved lower	0.05	0.009	0.3	0.3	6.09
Value unit	micromole per litre	micromole per litre	microgram per litre	Other	milligram per litre
Value unit other				NTU
Proportion threshold value
Proportion value achieved	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0
Proportion threshold value unit	% area of MRU achieving threshold value	% area of MRU achieving threshold value	% area of MRU achieving threshold value	% area of MRU achieving threshold value	% area of MRU achieving threshold value
Trend	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
Parameter achieved	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
Description parameter	The indicator for this parameter allows the assessment of good nutrient status (DIN and DIP) at the scale of each coastal water body or grid box (intermediate and wide areas). In intermediate and wide areas: the parameter relating to "NID concentration in water" is based on data from the 3DVAR-OGSTM-BFM biogeochemical model associated with the Med-Currents hydrodynamic model. From these data, a metric is defined at the scale of each grid cell and corresponds to the median nitrate and DIP (phosphate) concentration for the evaluation period. The result of the metric calculation is then compared with the threshold values to determine whether or not the parameter has been reached in the cell under consideration. Thus, the evaluation of the parameter for nitrogen elements (DIN) shows that 100% of the wide area reaches the parameter. The absence of a threshold at the level of the percentage of the MRU in good condition does not make it possible to conclude whether the parameter evaluated at the MRU level has been reached.	The indicator for this parameter allows the assessment of good nutrient status (DIN and DIP) at the scale of each coastal water body or grid box (intermediate and wide areas). In intermediate and wide areas: the parameter relating to the "DIP concentration" is based on data from the 3DVAR-OGSTM-BFM biogeochemical model associated with the Med-Currents hydrodynamic model. From these data, a metric is defined at the scale of each mesh and corresponds to the median nitrate and DIP (phosphate) concentration for the evaluation period. The result of the metric calculation is then compared with the threshold values to determine whether or not the parameter has been reached in the cell under consideration. Thus, the evaluation of the parameter relating to phosphorus elements (DIP) shows that 100% of the wide area reaches the parameter. The absence of a threshold at the level of the percentage of the MRU in good condition does not make it possible to conclude whether or not the parameter evaluated at the MRU level has been reached.	In intermediate and wide areas, the parameter "concentration in water" of chlorophyll-a is based on data from satellite images (MODIS sensor). From these data, a metric is defined at the scale of each grid cell and corresponds to the 90 percentile of surface chlorophyll-a concentrations for the assessment period. The result of the calculation of the metric is then compared with the threshold values to determine whether or not the parameter has been reached in the grid cell in question. Thus, the assessment of the parameter relating to the chlorophyll-a concentration shows that 100% of the wide area reaches the parameter. The absence of a threshold at the level of the percentage of the MRU in good condition does not make it possible to conclude on whether the parameter assessed at the MRU level has been reached or not.	In intermediate and wide areas, the turbidity parameter in the water column is based on data from satellite images (MODIS sensor). From these data, a metric is defined at the scale of each grid cell and corresponds to the 90 percentile of the transparency of the water column for the evaluation period. The result of the metric calculation is then compared with the threshold values to determine whether or not the parameter has been reached in the grid box in question. Thus, the evaluation of the water transparency parameter shows that 100% of the wide area reaches the parameter. The absence of a threshold at the level of the percentage of the MRU in good condition does not make it possible to conclude on whether the parameter assessed at the MRU level has been reached or not.	In intermediate and large areas of the Western Sea marine sub-region, the parameter "bottom dissolved oxygen concentration" is based on surface dissolved oxygen data from the 3DVAR-OGSTM-BFM biogeochemical model associated with the Med-Currents hydrodynamic model. From these data, a metric is defined at the scale of each grid cell and corresponds to the 10 percentile of the surface dissolved oxygen concentrations for the evaluation period. Thus, the evaluation of the parameter relating to the surface dissolved oxygen concentration shows that 100% of the wide area evaluated reaches the parameter. It is important to note that the data available for the intermediate and wide area in the Mediterranean are surface oxygen data and not bottom oxygen data as defined in decision 2017/848/EU. The absence of a threshold at the level of the percentage of the MRU in good condition does not make it possible to conclude on whether the parameter assessed at the MRU level has been reached.
Related indicator	Concentrations en nutriments dans la colonne d'eau	Concentrations en nutriments dans la colonne d'eau	Concentration en chlorophylle-a dans la colonne d'eau	Turbidité de la colonne d'eau	Concentration en oxygène au fond
Criteria status	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Not assessed	Not assessed
Description criteria	The evaluation of criterion D5C1 shall be carried out at the scale of each grid box considered individually. The D5C1 status of each grid cell shall be obtained by a "One Out, All Out" integration of the parameters for DIn and DIP concentrations. In the absence of a threshold for the percentage of the MRU in good condition, the status of the D5C1 criterion is therefore indicated as "unknown".	The evaluation of criterion D5C1 shall be carried out at the scale of each grid box considered individually. The D5C1 status of each grid cell shall be obtained by a "One Out, All Out" integration of the parameters for DIn and DIP concentrations. In the absence of a threshold for the percentage of the MRU in good condition, the status of the D5C1 criterion is therefore indicated as "unknown".	The evaluation of criterion D5C2 shall be carried out at the scale of each grid box considered individually. The D5C2 status of each grid cell is obtained directly from the assessment of the chlorophyll-a concentration parameter. If there is no threshold at the percentage level of the MRU in good condition, the status of criterion D5C2 is therefore set to "unknown".	The evaluation of criterion D5C4 shall be carried out at the scale of each grid box considered individually. The status of each grid cell under D5C4 is obtained directly by evaluating the water transparency parameter . If there is no threshold at the percentage level of the MRU in good condition, the status of criterion D5C4 is therefore set to "unknown".	The evaluation of criterion D5C5 shall be carried out at the scale of each grid box considered individually. The status of each cell under D5C5 is obtained directly by evaluating the parameter relating to the dissolved oxygen concentration. If there is no threshold at the percentage level of the MRU in good condition, the status of criterion D5C5 is therefore set to "unknown".	Criterion D5C6 is "Not relevant" in this MRU, relating to the broad area of the Western Mediterranean Marine Sub-Region, as it is assessed only in the coastal zone. Indeed, opportunistic algal blooms are only expressed at the coastal level of French waters, via stranding phenomena.	Criterion D5C7 is "Not relevant" in this MRU, relating to the broad area of the Western Mediterranean Marine Sub-Region, as it is assessed only in the coastal zone. Indeed, perennial meadows and macroalgae do not develop at a certain depth (need for light), and the depth being generally proportional to the distance from the coast, most of these meadows and macroalgae population are mainly located in the coastal zone.
Element status	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Not assessed	Not assessed
Description element	The assessment of criterion D5C1 shows that 100 % of the MRU (i.e. 86668 km2 ) achieves good ecological status with respect to DIN and DIP concentrations.	The assessment of criterion D5C1 shows that 100 % of the MRU (i.e. 86668 km2 ) achieves good ecological status with respect to DIN and DIP concentrations.	The assessment of criterion D5C2 shows that 100 % of the MRU (i.e. 86668 km2 ) achieves good ecological status with respect to chlorophyll a concentration.	The assessment of criterion D5C4 shows that 100 % of the MRU (i.e. 86668 km2 ) achieves good ecological status with respect to water transparency.	The assessment of criterion D5C5 shows that 100 % of the MRU (i.e. 86668 km2 ) achieves good ecological status with respect to surface dissolved oxygen concentration. It is important to clarify that the data available for the intermediate and wide areas in the Mediterranean are surface oxygen data and not bottom oxygen data as defined in Decision 2017/848/EU.
Integration rule type parameter	Other	Other	Other	Other	Other	Other	Other
Integration rule description parameter	The assessment of the status of criterion D5C1, at the scale of each grid cell, is obtained by integrating the two parameters relating to the NID and PID concentration. The integration method used is "One Out, All Out", which means that if one of the two parameters is not reached then the D5C1 criterion is not in good condition in the mesh considered. For the other criteria, the parameter status directly informs the corresponding criterion, no integration rule is required ("Not relevant" type).	The assessment of the status of criterion D5C1, at the scale of each grid cell, is obtained by integrating the two parameters relating to the NID and PID concentration. The integration method used is "One Out, All Out", which means that if one of the two parameters is not reached then the D5C1 criterion is not in good condition in the mesh considered. For the other criteria, the parameter status directly informs the corresponding criterion, no integration rule is required ("Not relevant" type).	The assessment of the status of criterion D5C1, at the scale of each grid cell, is obtained by integrating the two parameters relating to the NID and PID concentration. The integration method used is "One Out, All Out", which means that if one of the two parameters is not reached then the D5C1 criterion is not in good condition in the mesh considered. For the other criteria, the parameter status directly informs the corresponding criterion, no integration rule is required ("Not relevant" type).	The assessment of the status of criterion D5C1, at the scale of each grid cell, is obtained by integrating the two parameters relating to the NID and PID concentration. The integration method used is "One Out, All Out", which means that if one of the two parameters is not reached then the D5C1 criterion is not in good condition in the mesh considered. For the other criteria, the parameter status directly informs the corresponding criterion, no integration rule is required ("Not relevant" type).	The assessment of the status of criterion D5C1, at the scale of each grid cell, is obtained by integrating the two parameters relating to the NID and PID concentration. The integration method used is "One Out, All Out", which means that if one of the two parameters is not reached then the D5C1 criterion is not in good condition in the mesh considered. For the other criteria, the parameter status directly informs the corresponding criterion, no integration rule is required ("Not relevant" type).	The assessment of the status of criterion D5C1, at the scale of each grid cell, is obtained by integrating the two parameters relating to the NID and PID concentration. The integration method used is "One Out, All Out", which means that if one of the two parameters is not reached then the D5C1 criterion is not in good condition in the mesh considered. For the other criteria, the parameter status directly informs the corresponding criterion, no integration rule is required ("Not relevant" type).	The assessment of the status of criterion D5C1, at the scale of each grid cell, is obtained by integrating the two parameters relating to the NID and PID concentration. The integration method used is "One Out, All Out", which means that if one of the two parameters is not reached then the D5C1 criterion is not in good condition in the mesh considered. For the other criteria, the parameter status directly informs the corresponding criterion, no integration rule is required ("Not relevant" type).
Integration rule type criteria	HIE_WEI	HIE_WEI	HIE_WEI	HIE_WEI	HIE_WEI	HIE_WEI	HIE_WEI
Integration rule description criteria	At the level of each grid box (geographical unit of assessment), the integration of the criteria is done in two steps:1/ The first step is to give a score for each criterion on whether the GES has been achieved. Thus, a criterion for which the GES is met receives a score of 0; a criterion for which the GES is not met receives a score of 2 if it is a primary criterion and a score of 1 if it is a secondary criterion. For criterion D5C1, a score of 2 shall be given as soon as one of the phosphate or nitrate elements is downgraded ("One Out All Out").2/ The integration of the criteria is achieved, at the level of each grid cell, by adding up the scores for each criterion. Thus, if the sum of the scores is greater than or equal to 3, then the mesh considered does not reach the GES.	At the level of each grid box (geographical unit of assessment), the integration of the criteria is done in two steps:1/ The first step is to give a score for each criterion on whether the GES has been achieved. Thus, a criterion for which the GES is met receives a score of 0; a criterion for which the GES is not met receives a score of 2 if it is a primary criterion and a score of 1 if it is a secondary criterion. For criterion D5C1, a score of 2 shall be given as soon as one of the phosphate or nitrate elements is downgraded ("One Out All Out").2/ The integration of the criteria is achieved, at the level of each grid cell, by adding up the scores for each criterion. Thus, if the sum of the scores is greater than or equal to 3, then the mesh considered does not reach the GES.	At the level of each grid box (geographical unit of assessment), the integration of the criteria is done in two steps:1/ The first step is to give a score for each criterion on whether the GES has been achieved. Thus, a criterion for which the GES is met receives a score of 0; a criterion for which the GES is not met receives a score of 2 if it is a primary criterion and a score of 1 if it is a secondary criterion. For criterion D5C1, a score of 2 shall be given as soon as one of the phosphate or nitrate elements is downgraded ("One Out All Out").2/ The integration of the criteria is achieved, at the level of each grid cell, by adding up the scores for each criterion. Thus, if the sum of the scores is greater than or equal to 3, then the mesh considered does not reach the GES.	At the level of each grid box (geographical unit of assessment), the integration of the criteria is done in two steps:1/ The first step is to give a score for each criterion on whether the GES has been achieved. Thus, a criterion for which the GES is met receives a score of 0; a criterion for which the GES is not met receives a score of 2 if it is a primary criterion and a score of 1 if it is a secondary criterion. For criterion D5C1, a score of 2 shall be given as soon as one of the phosphate or nitrate elements is downgraded ("One Out All Out").2/ The integration of the criteria is achieved, at the level of each grid cell, by adding up the scores for each criterion. Thus, if the sum of the scores is greater than or equal to 3, then the mesh considered does not reach the GES.	At the level of each grid box (geographical unit of assessment), the integration of the criteria is done in two steps:1/ The first step is to give a score for each criterion on whether the GES has been achieved. Thus, a criterion for which the GES is met receives a score of 0; a criterion for which the GES is not met receives a score of 2 if it is a primary criterion and a score of 1 if it is a secondary criterion. For criterion D5C1, a score of 2 shall be given as soon as one of the phosphate or nitrate elements is downgraded ("One Out All Out").2/ The integration of the criteria is achieved, at the level of each grid cell, by adding up the scores for each criterion. Thus, if the sum of the scores is greater than or equal to 3, then the mesh considered does not reach the GES.	At the level of each grid box (geographical unit of assessment), the integration of the criteria is done in two steps:1/ The first step is to give a score for each criterion on whether the GES has been achieved. Thus, a criterion for which the GES is met receives a score of 0; a criterion for which the GES is not met receives a score of 2 if it is a primary criterion and a score of 1 if it is a secondary criterion. For criterion D5C1, a score of 2 shall be given as soon as one of the phosphate or nitrate elements is downgraded ("One Out All Out").2/ The integration of the criteria is achieved, at the level of each grid cell, by adding up the scores for each criterion. Thus, if the sum of the scores is greater than or equal to 3, then the mesh considered does not reach the GES.	At the level of each grid box (geographical unit of assessment), the integration of the criteria is done in two steps:1/ The first step is to give a score for each criterion on whether the GES has been achieved. Thus, a criterion for which the GES is met receives a score of 0; a criterion for which the GES is not met receives a score of 2 if it is a primary criterion and a score of 1 if it is a secondary criterion. For criterion D5C1, a score of 2 shall be given as soon as one of the phosphate or nitrate elements is downgraded ("One Out All Out").2/ The integration of the criteria is achieved, at the level of each grid cell, by adding up the scores for each criterion. Thus, if the sum of the scores is greater than or equal to 3, then the mesh considered does not reach the GES.
GES extent threshold
GES extent achieved	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00	100.00
GES extent unit	Proportion of area in good status	Proportion of area in good status	Proportion of area in good status	Proportion of area in good status	Proportion of area in good status	Proportion of area in good status	Proportion of area in good status
GES achieved	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
Description overall status	Achievement of good ecological status is quantitatively assessed on the basis of 4 criteria relating to the concentration of nutrients, chlorophyll-a and dissolved oxygen, as well as the transparency of the water column. The criteria relating to opportunistic macro-algae and macrophyte communities are not relevant to be assessed in this MRU. In this MRU, relating to the large area of the Western Mediterranean Marine Sub-Region (Western Sea Marine Sub-Region), the results of the integration of all the criteria show that 100% (i.e. 86668 km2 ) of the area achieves good status. It should be noted that 100% of the area of this MRU has been assessed. The large area therefore does not appear to be affected by eutrophication phenomena. However, the weaknesses of the assessment in the large area of this sub-region should be noted, in particular for the assessment of criterion D5C5, which does not correspond to the standards recommended by Decision 2017/848/EU. Moreover, this assessment was the subject of collaboration at both national and European level (adaptation of the methodologies of the joint OSPAR-COMP3 procedure). There has also been a clear improvement in the assessment methodology compared with the 2012 Initial Assessment, in particular with the use of products from satellite images and modelling, as well as proposals for thresholds for the wider area. Thus, this assessment made it possible to evaluate for the first time the eutrophication status of the Western Sea marine sub-region within the framework of an ecosystem approach to the ecological status of the marine environment with criteria harmonised at national level.	Achievement of good ecological status is quantitatively assessed on the basis of 4 criteria relating to the concentration of nutrients, chlorophyll-a and dissolved oxygen, as well as the transparency of the water column. The criteria relating to opportunistic macro-algae and macrophyte communities are not relevant to be assessed in this MRU. In this MRU, relating to the large area of the Western Mediterranean Marine Sub-Region (Western Sea Marine Sub-Region), the results of the integration of all the criteria show that 100% (i.e. 86668 km2 ) of the area achieves good status. It should be noted that 100% of the area of this MRU has been assessed. The large area therefore does not appear to be affected by eutrophication phenomena. However, the weaknesses of the assessment in the large area of this sub-region should be noted, in particular for the assessment of criterion D5C5, which does not correspond to the standards recommended by Decision 2017/848/EU. Moreover, this assessment was the subject of collaboration at both national and European level (adaptation of the methodologies of the joint OSPAR-COMP3 procedure). There has also been a clear improvement in the assessment methodology compared with the 2012 Initial Assessment, in particular with the use of products from satellite images and modelling, as well as proposals for thresholds for the wider area. Thus, this assessment made it possible to evaluate for the first time the eutrophication status of the Western Sea marine sub-region within the framework of an ecosystem approach to the ecological status of the marine environment with criteria harmonised at national level.	Achievement of good ecological status is quantitatively assessed on the basis of 4 criteria relating to the concentration of nutrients, chlorophyll-a and dissolved oxygen, as well as the transparency of the water column. The criteria relating to opportunistic macro-algae and macrophyte communities are not relevant to be assessed in this MRU. In this MRU, relating to the large area of the Western Mediterranean Marine Sub-Region (Western Sea Marine Sub-Region), the results of the integration of all the criteria show that 100% (i.e. 86668 km2 ) of the area achieves good status. It should be noted that 100% of the area of this MRU has been assessed. The large area therefore does not appear to be affected by eutrophication phenomena. However, the weaknesses of the assessment in the large area of this sub-region should be noted, in particular for the assessment of criterion D5C5, which does not correspond to the standards recommended by Decision 2017/848/EU. Moreover, this assessment was the subject of collaboration at both national and European level (adaptation of the methodologies of the joint OSPAR-COMP3 procedure). There has also been a clear improvement in the assessment methodology compared with the 2012 Initial Assessment, in particular with the use of products from satellite images and modelling, as well as proposals for thresholds for the wider area. Thus, this assessment made it possible to evaluate for the first time the eutrophication status of the Western Sea marine sub-region within the framework of an ecosystem approach to the ecological status of the marine environment with criteria harmonised at national level.	Achievement of good ecological status is quantitatively assessed on the basis of 4 criteria relating to the concentration of nutrients, chlorophyll-a and dissolved oxygen, as well as the transparency of the water column. The criteria relating to opportunistic macro-algae and macrophyte communities are not relevant to be assessed in this MRU. In this MRU, relating to the large area of the Western Mediterranean Marine Sub-Region (Western Sea Marine Sub-Region), the results of the integration of all the criteria show that 100% (i.e. 86668 km2 ) of the area achieves good status. It should be noted that 100% of the area of this MRU has been assessed. The large area therefore does not appear to be affected by eutrophication phenomena. However, the weaknesses of the assessment in the large area of this sub-region should be noted, in particular for the assessment of criterion D5C5, which does not correspond to the standards recommended by Decision 2017/848/EU. Moreover, this assessment was the subject of collaboration at both national and European level (adaptation of the methodologies of the joint OSPAR-COMP3 procedure). There has also been a clear improvement in the assessment methodology compared with the 2012 Initial Assessment, in particular with the use of products from satellite images and modelling, as well as proposals for thresholds for the wider area. Thus, this assessment made it possible to evaluate for the first time the eutrophication status of the Western Sea marine sub-region within the framework of an ecosystem approach to the ecological status of the marine environment with criteria harmonised at national level.	Achievement of good ecological status is quantitatively assessed on the basis of 4 criteria relating to the concentration of nutrients, chlorophyll-a and dissolved oxygen, as well as the transparency of the water column. The criteria relating to opportunistic macro-algae and macrophyte communities are not relevant to be assessed in this MRU. In this MRU, relating to the large area of the Western Mediterranean Marine Sub-Region (Western Sea Marine Sub-Region), the results of the integration of all the criteria show that 100% (i.e. 86668 km2 ) of the area achieves good status. It should be noted that 100% of the area of this MRU has been assessed. The large area therefore does not appear to be affected by eutrophication phenomena. However, the weaknesses of the assessment in the large area of this sub-region should be noted, in particular for the assessment of criterion D5C5, which does not correspond to the standards recommended by Decision 2017/848/EU. Moreover, this assessment was the subject of collaboration at both national and European level (adaptation of the methodologies of the joint OSPAR-COMP3 procedure). There has also been a clear improvement in the assessment methodology compared with the 2012 Initial Assessment, in particular with the use of products from satellite images and modelling, as well as proposals for thresholds for the wider area. Thus, this assessment made it possible to evaluate for the first time the eutrophication status of the Western Sea marine sub-region within the framework of an ecosystem approach to the ecological status of the marine environment with criteria harmonised at national level.	Achievement of good ecological status is quantitatively assessed on the basis of 4 criteria relating to the concentration of nutrients, chlorophyll-a and dissolved oxygen, as well as the transparency of the water column. The criteria relating to opportunistic macro-algae and macrophyte communities are not relevant to be assessed in this MRU. In this MRU, relating to the large area of the Western Mediterranean Marine Sub-Region (Western Sea Marine Sub-Region), the results of the integration of all the criteria show that 100% (i.e. 86668 km2 ) of the area achieves good status. It should be noted that 100% of the area of this MRU has been assessed. The large area therefore does not appear to be affected by eutrophication phenomena. However, the weaknesses of the assessment in the large area of this sub-region should be noted, in particular for the assessment of criterion D5C5, which does not correspond to the standards recommended by Decision 2017/848/EU. Moreover, this assessment was the subject of collaboration at both national and European level (adaptation of the methodologies of the joint OSPAR-COMP3 procedure). There has also been a clear improvement in the assessment methodology compared with the 2012 Initial Assessment, in particular with the use of products from satellite images and modelling, as well as proposals for thresholds for the wider area. Thus, this assessment made it possible to evaluate for the first time the eutrophication status of the Western Sea marine sub-region within the framework of an ecosystem approach to the ecological status of the marine environment with criteria harmonised at national level.	Achievement of good ecological status is quantitatively assessed on the basis of 4 criteria relating to the concentration of nutrients, chlorophyll-a and dissolved oxygen, as well as the transparency of the water column. The criteria relating to opportunistic macro-algae and macrophyte communities are not relevant to be assessed in this MRU. In this MRU, relating to the large area of the Western Mediterranean Marine Sub-Region (Western Sea Marine Sub-Region), the results of the integration of all the criteria show that 100% (i.e. 86668 km2 ) of the area achieves good status. It should be noted that 100% of the area of this MRU has been assessed. The large area therefore does not appear to be affected by eutrophication phenomena. However, the weaknesses of the assessment in the large area of this sub-region should be noted, in particular for the assessment of criterion D5C5, which does not correspond to the standards recommended by Decision 2017/848/EU. Moreover, this assessment was the subject of collaboration at both national and European level (adaptation of the methodologies of the joint OSPAR-COMP3 procedure). There has also been a clear improvement in the assessment methodology compared with the 2012 Initial Assessment, in particular with the use of products from satellite images and modelling, as well as proposals for thresholds for the wider area. Thus, this assessment made it possible to evaluate for the first time the eutrophication status of the Western Sea marine sub-region within the framework of an ecosystem approach to the ecological status of the marine environment with criteria harmonised at national level.
Assessments period	2010-2016	2010-2016	2010-2016	2010-2016	2010-2016	2010-2016	2010-2016
Related pressures
Related targets

ZC SRM MO (MWE-FR-MS-MO-MEC2016)

Simplified table

GES component	D5	D5	D5	D5	D5	D5
Feature	Eutrophication	Eutrophication	Eutrophication	Eutrophication	Eutrophication	Eutrophication
Element	Chlorophyll-a	Transparency	Dissolved oxygen	Opportunistic macro-algae	Macrophyte communities	Macrophyte communities
Element code	EEA_3164-01-0	QE3-1-1	EEA_3132-01-2	QE1-2-1	QE1-2	QE1-2
Element code source	Eutrophication (D5) and contaminants (D8-D9) http://dd.eionet.europa.eu/vocabulary/wise/ObservedProperty/view	Eutrophication (D5)(EQRs) http://dd.eionet.europa.eu/vocabulary/wise/ObservedPropertyBiologyEQR/view	Eutrophication (D5) and contaminants (D8-D9) http://dd.eionet.europa.eu/vocabulary/wise/ObservedProperty/view	Eutrophication (D5)(EQRs) http://dd.eionet.europa.eu/vocabulary/wise/ObservedPropertyBiologyEQR/view	Eutrophication (D5)(EQRs) http://dd.eionet.europa.eu/vocabulary/wise/ObservedPropertyBiologyEQR/view	Eutrophication (D5)(EQRs) http://dd.eionet.europa.eu/vocabulary/wise/ObservedPropertyBiologyEQR/view
Element 2
Element 2 code
Element 2 code source
Element source	EU	EU	EU	EU	EU	EU
Criterion	D5C2	D5C4	D5C5	D5C6	D5C7	D5C7
Parameter	Concentration in water	Other	Concentration in water		Other	Other
Parameter other		Turbidity of the water column			EQR - Intertidal/mediolittoral macroalgae	EQR - Meadows
Threshold value upper			3.0
Threshold value lower
Threshold qualitative	The threshold used depends on the ecotype of the coastal water body: 10 µg.l-1 for ecotype 1, 3.6 µg.l-1 for ecotype 2A, 1.8 µg.l-1 for ecotype 3W and 1.22 µg.l-1 for ecotype W.	The threshold used for the coastal water body is 10 NTU (Nephelometric Turbidity Unit) for ecotypes 1 (rocky areas and Mediterranean coasts) and 45 NTU for ecotypes 3 (sandy/muddy areas and mouths of major rivers).			This parameter is based on the WFD (2000/60/EC) classification for the status of the quality element "intertidal hard substrate macroalgae" in each water body. It is achieved if the Ecological Quality Ratio (EQR) is greater than 0,6	This parameter is based on the WFD (2000/60/EC) classification for the status of the quality element "angiosperms" in each water body. It is achieved when the Ecological Quality Ratio (EQR) is greater than 0.55.
Threshold value source	Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC)	Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC)	Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC)		Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC)	Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC)
Threshold value source other
Value achieved upper	3.3	5.8	7.0
Value achieved lower	0.1	0.3
Value unit	microgram per litre	Other	milligram per litre
Value unit other		NTU
Proportion threshold value
Proportion value achieved	67.0	49.0	3.0		43.0	51.0
Proportion threshold value unit	% area of MRU achieving threshold value	% area of MRU achieving threshold value	% area of MRU achieving threshold value		% area of MRU achieving threshold value	% area of MRU achieving threshold value
Trend	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown		Unknown	Unknown
Parameter achieved	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown		Unknown	Unknown
Description parameter	Achievement of the "concentration in water" parameter for chlorophyll a is assessed at the scale of each coastal water body or grid box (intermediate and wide areas). In coastal areas: The indicator is based on in situ data collected through perennial monitoring networks. From these data, a metric is defined at the scale of each coastal water body (WFD) and corresponds to the 90 percentile of surface chlorophyll-a concentrations for the assessment period. The result of the metric calculation is then compared with a threshold value to determine whether or not the parameter has been reached in the coastal water body in question. For example, for the chlorophyll a concentration, 67% of the coastal zone reaches the parameter and 33% of the coastal zone is not assessed. The absence of a threshold at the level of the percentage of the MRU in good condition does not make it possible to conclude on whether the parameter assessed at the MRU level has been reached.	The transparency of the water is assessed on the basis of its turbidity level. Achievement of the water column turbidity parameter is assessed at the scale of each coastal water mass or grid cell (intermediate and wide areas). In coastal areas: The indicator is based on in situ data collected through perennial monitoring networks. From these data, a metric is defined at the scale of each coastal water mass (WFD) and corresponds to the 90 percentile of the turbidity of the water column for the assessment period. The result of the calculation of the metric is then compared with a threshold value to determine whether or not the parameter has been reached in the coastal water body in question. The evaluation of the parameter relating to the turbidity of the water column shows that 49% of the coastal area evaluated reaches the parameter and 51% of the coastal area could not be evaluated. The absence of a threshold at the level of the percentage of the MRU in good condition does not make it possible to conclude on whether the parameter assessed at the MRU level has been reached or not.	Achievement of the parameter relating to the "concentration in water" of dissolved oxygen at the bottom of the water column is assessed at the scale of each coastal water mass or grid cell (intermediate and wide areas). In coastal areas: The indicator is based on in situ data collected through perennial monitoring networks. From these data, a metric is defined at the scale of each coastal water mass (WFD) and corresponds to the 10th percentile of dissolved oxygen concentrations at the bottom for the assessment period. The result of the calculation of the metric is then compared with a threshold value to determine whether or not the parameter has been reached in the coastal water mass in question. In the coastal zone of the Western Mediterranean marine sub-region, the parameter relating to the concentration of dissolved oxygen at the bottom could only be assessed on a single coastal water mass (Racou Plage - Mouth of the Aude). The parameter is reached in this water mass. 97% of the coastal zone could not be evaluated (i.e. 45 coastal water masses). The absence of a threshold at the level of the percentage of the MRU in good condition does not make it possible to conclude whether or not the parameter assessed at the MRU level has been reached.		Achievement of the "Quality Index - Intertidal/mid-littoral macro-algae" parameter is achieved at the scale of each coastal water body and results in an Ecological Quality Ratio (EQR). The assessment of this parameter shows that: 43% of the area achieves the parameter, 11% does not achieve the parameter, 42% is not assessed, and 4% is not relevant to assess for this parameter. The absence of a threshold for the percentage of MRU in good status does not allow to conclude on whether the parameter assessed at the MRU scale is achieved or not.	Achievement of the parameter relating to the "Quality Index - Seagrasses" is carried out at the scale of each coastal water body and makes it possible to obtain an Ecological Quality Ratio (EQR). The evaluation of this parameter shows that: 51% of the area achieves the parameter, 4% does not achieve the parameter, 33% is not evaluated, and 12% is not relevant to evaluate for this parameter. The absence of a threshold for the percentage of MRU in good condition does not make it possible to conclude whether or not the parameter evaluated at the scale of the MRU has been achieved.
Related indicator	Concentration en chlorophylle-a dans la colonne d'eau	Turbidité de la colonne d'eau	Concentration en oxygène au fond		Macroalgues des étages médio et infralittoraux supérieurs	Herbiers de Posidonie
Criteria status	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Not assessed	Unknown	Unknown
Description criteria	The assessment of criterion D5C2 shall be carried out at the scale of the individual coastal water body. The status of the water body for D5C2 is obtained directly from the assessment of the chlorophyll-a concentration parameter. If there is no threshold at the percentage level of the MRU in good condition, the status of criterion D5C2 is therefore set to "unknown".	The assessment of criterion D5C4 is carried out at the scale of the individual coastal water body. The status of the water body under D5C4 is obtained directly from the assessment of the water transparency parameter . If there is no threshold at the percentage level of the MRU in good condition, the status of criterion D5C4 is therefore set to "unknown".	The assessment of criterion D5C5 shall be carried out at the scale of the individual coastal water body. The status of the water body under D5C5 is obtained directly from the assessment of the dissolved oxygen concentration parameter. If there is no threshold at the percentage level of the MRU in good condition, the status of criterion D5C5 is therefore set to "unknown".	The evaluation of criterion D5C6 is not relevant in the Western Mediterranean Marine Sub-Region as there are no reported strandings of opportunistic algae in this area.	The evaluation of the D5C7 is based on a combination of several indicators used in the framework of the WFD. These WFD indicators are made up of a number of metrics allowing the calculation of an Ecological Quality Ratio (EQR). The assessment of criterion D5C7 is carried out at the scale of the coastal water body considered individually. The status of the water body under D5C7 is finally obtained by considering only the assessment of the parameter ("Quality Index - Intertidal/mid-littoral macro-algae" and "Quality Index - Seagrasses") which is the most degrading parameter of the coastal water body (integration of the "One Out, All Out" type). In the absence of a threshold for the percentage of the MRU in good condition, the status of criterion D5C7 is indicated as "unknown".	The evaluation of the D5C7 is based on a combination of several indicators used in the framework of the WFD. These WFD indicators are made up of a number of metrics allowing the calculation of an Ecological Quality Ratio (EQR). The assessment of criterion D5C7 is carried out at the scale of the coastal water body considered individually. The status of the water body under D5C7 is finally obtained by considering only the assessment of the parameter ("Quality Index - Intertidal/mid-littoral macro-algae" and "Quality Index - Seagrasses") which is the most degrading parameter of the coastal water body (integration of the "One Out, All Out" type). In the absence of a threshold for the percentage of the MRU in good condition, the status of criterion D5C7 is indicated as "unknown".
Element status	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Not assessed	Unknown	Unknown
Description element	The assessment of criterion D5C2 shows that for chlorophyll-a concentrations 67 % of the MRU (3108 km2 ) achieves good ecological status and 33 % of the MRU (1524 km2 ) is not assessed.	The assessment of criterion D5C4 shows that for turbidity 49 % of the MRU (i.e. 2259 km2 ) achieves good ecological status and 51 % of the MRU (i.e. 2372 km2 ) is not assessed.	The assessment of criterion D5C5 shows that for bottom dissolved oxygen concentrations: 3 % of the MRU (152 km2 ) achieves good ecological status and 97 % of the MRU (4479 km2 ) is not assessed.		The assessment of criterion D5C7 shows that for the abundance of perennial macro-algae and sea grass: 15 % of the MRU (i.e. 694 km2 ) does not achieve good ecological status, 53,2 % of the MRU (i.e. 2464 km2 ) achieves good ecological status, 3,3 % of the MRU (i.e. 152 km2 ) is not relevant for this criterion, and 28,5 % of the MRU (i.e. 1321 km2 ) is not assessed.	The assessment of criterion D5C7 shows that for the abundance of perennial macro-algae and sea grass: 15 % of the MRU (i.e. 694 km2 ) does not achieve good ecological status, 53,2 % of the MRU (i.e. 2464 km2 ) achieves good ecological status, 3,3 % of the MRU (i.e. 152 km2 ) is not relevant for this criterion, and 28,5 % of the MRU (i.e. 1321 km2 ) is not assessed.
Integration rule type parameter	Other	Other	Other	Other	Other	Other
Integration rule description parameter	The assessment of criterion D5C7 is carried out at the scale of the individual coastal water body. The status of the water body under D5C7 is obtained by a 'One Out, All Out' integration between the two parameters 'Quality Index - Intertidal/mid-littoral macro-algae' and 'Quality Index - Seagrasses'. For the other criteria, the state of the parameter directly informs the corresponding criterion, no integration rule is necessary ("Not relevant" type).	The assessment of criterion D5C7 is carried out at the scale of the individual coastal water body. The status of the water body under D5C7 is obtained by a 'One Out, All Out' integration between the two parameters 'Quality Index - Intertidal/mid-littoral macro-algae' and 'Quality Index - Seagrasses'. For the other criteria, the state of the parameter directly informs the corresponding criterion, no integration rule is necessary ("Not relevant" type).	The assessment of criterion D5C7 is carried out at the scale of the individual coastal water body. The status of the water body under D5C7 is obtained by a 'One Out, All Out' integration between the two parameters 'Quality Index - Intertidal/mid-littoral macro-algae' and 'Quality Index - Seagrasses'. For the other criteria, the state of the parameter directly informs the corresponding criterion, no integration rule is necessary ("Not relevant" type).	The assessment of criterion D5C7 is carried out at the scale of the individual coastal water body. The status of the water body under D5C7 is obtained by a 'One Out, All Out' integration between the two parameters 'Quality Index - Intertidal/mid-littoral macro-algae' and 'Quality Index - Seagrasses'. For the other criteria, the state of the parameter directly informs the corresponding criterion, no integration rule is necessary ("Not relevant" type).	The assessment of criterion D5C7 is carried out at the scale of the individual coastal water body. The status of the water body under D5C7 is obtained by a 'One Out, All Out' integration between the two parameters 'Quality Index - Intertidal/mid-littoral macro-algae' and 'Quality Index - Seagrasses'. For the other criteria, the state of the parameter directly informs the corresponding criterion, no integration rule is necessary ("Not relevant" type).	The assessment of criterion D5C7 is carried out at the scale of the individual coastal water body. The status of the water body under D5C7 is obtained by a 'One Out, All Out' integration between the two parameters 'Quality Index - Intertidal/mid-littoral macro-algae' and 'Quality Index - Seagrasses'. For the other criteria, the state of the parameter directly informs the corresponding criterion, no integration rule is necessary ("Not relevant" type).
Integration rule type criteria	HIE_WEI	HIE_WEI	HIE_WEI	HIE_WEI	HIE_WEI	HIE_WEI
Integration rule description criteria	At the level of each coastal water body (geographical unit of assessment), the integration of criteria is carried out in two stages:1/ The first stage consists in assigning a mark for each criterion as to whether or not good status has been achieved. Thus, a criterion for which the good condition is reached receives a score of 0, a criterion for which the good condition is not reached receives a score of 2 if it is a primary criterion and 1 if it is a secondary criterion. For criterion D5C1, a score of 2 shall be assigned as soon as one of the phosphate or nitrate elements is downgraded ("One Out All Out").2/ The integration of the criteria is achieved, for each coastal water body, by adding up the scores for each criterion. Thus, if the sum of the scores is greater than or equal to 5, then the coastal water body in question is not in good condition. Note that if good status is not achieved for criterion D5C6, then the coastal water body in question is systematically downgraded.	At the level of each coastal water body (geographical unit of assessment), the integration of criteria is carried out in two stages:1/ The first stage consists in assigning a mark for each criterion as to whether or not good status has been achieved. Thus, a criterion for which the good condition is reached receives a score of 0, a criterion for which the good condition is not reached receives a score of 2 if it is a primary criterion and 1 if it is a secondary criterion. For criterion D5C1, a score of 2 shall be assigned as soon as one of the phosphate or nitrate elements is downgraded ("One Out All Out").2/ The integration of the criteria is achieved, for each coastal water body, by adding up the scores for each criterion. Thus, if the sum of the scores is greater than or equal to 5, then the coastal water body in question is not in good condition. Note that if good status is not achieved for criterion D5C6, then the coastal water body in question is systematically downgraded.	At the level of each coastal water body (geographical unit of assessment), the integration of criteria is carried out in two stages:1/ The first stage consists in assigning a mark for each criterion as to whether or not good status has been achieved. Thus, a criterion for which the good condition is reached receives a score of 0, a criterion for which the good condition is not reached receives a score of 2 if it is a primary criterion and 1 if it is a secondary criterion. For criterion D5C1, a score of 2 shall be assigned as soon as one of the phosphate or nitrate elements is downgraded ("One Out All Out").2/ The integration of the criteria is achieved, for each coastal water body, by adding up the scores for each criterion. Thus, if the sum of the scores is greater than or equal to 5, then the coastal water body in question is not in good condition. Note that if good status is not achieved for criterion D5C6, then the coastal water body in question is systematically downgraded.	At the level of each coastal water body (geographical unit of assessment), the integration of criteria is carried out in two stages:1/ The first stage consists in assigning a mark for each criterion as to whether or not good status has been achieved. Thus, a criterion for which the good condition is reached receives a score of 0, a criterion for which the good condition is not reached receives a score of 2 if it is a primary criterion and 1 if it is a secondary criterion. For criterion D5C1, a score of 2 shall be assigned as soon as one of the phosphate or nitrate elements is downgraded ("One Out All Out").2/ The integration of the criteria is achieved, for each coastal water body, by adding up the scores for each criterion. Thus, if the sum of the scores is greater than or equal to 5, then the coastal water body in question is not in good condition. Note that if good status is not achieved for criterion D5C6, then the coastal water body in question is systematically downgraded.	At the level of each coastal water body (geographical unit of assessment), the integration of criteria is carried out in two stages:1/ The first stage consists in assigning a mark for each criterion as to whether or not good status has been achieved. Thus, a criterion for which the good condition is reached receives a score of 0, a criterion for which the good condition is not reached receives a score of 2 if it is a primary criterion and 1 if it is a secondary criterion. For criterion D5C1, a score of 2 shall be assigned as soon as one of the phosphate or nitrate elements is downgraded ("One Out All Out").2/ The integration of the criteria is achieved, for each coastal water body, by adding up the scores for each criterion. Thus, if the sum of the scores is greater than or equal to 5, then the coastal water body in question is not in good condition. Note that if good status is not achieved for criterion D5C6, then the coastal water body in question is systematically downgraded.	At the level of each coastal water body (geographical unit of assessment), the integration of criteria is carried out in two stages:1/ The first stage consists in assigning a mark for each criterion as to whether or not good status has been achieved. Thus, a criterion for which the good condition is reached receives a score of 0, a criterion for which the good condition is not reached receives a score of 2 if it is a primary criterion and 1 if it is a secondary criterion. For criterion D5C1, a score of 2 shall be assigned as soon as one of the phosphate or nitrate elements is downgraded ("One Out All Out").2/ The integration of the criteria is achieved, for each coastal water body, by adding up the scores for each criterion. Thus, if the sum of the scores is greater than or equal to 5, then the coastal water body in question is not in good condition. Note that if good status is not achieved for criterion D5C6, then the coastal water body in question is systematically downgraded.
GES extent threshold
GES extent achieved	81.00	81.00	81.00	81.00	81.00	81.00
GES extent unit	Proportion of area in good status	Proportion of area in good status	Proportion of area in good status	Proportion of area in good status	Proportion of area in good status	Proportion of area in good status
GES achieved	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
Description overall status	The achievement of good ecological status for descriptor 5 is quantitatively assessed on the basis of 4 criteria relating to chlorophyll-a and dissolved oxygen concentration, water column transparency and macrophyte communities. In this MRU, relating to the coastal zone of the Western Mediterranean Marine Sub-Region, the results of the integration of all the criteria show that 81% (i.e. 3766 km2 ) of the area achieves good status and that 19% (i.e. 865 km2 ) of the area has not been assessed. Therefore, the results obtained after integration did not identify any eutrophication-related problems in this area. However, the weaknesses of the assessment in the coastal zone of this sub-region should be noted, in particular for criterion D5C5 (only 3% of the area could be assessed) and criterion D5C1 (not assessed). Reading the results by criterion, it appears that there are some coastal water bodies that do not reach the GES for criterion D5C7, which relates to macrophyte communities in benthic habitats. Moreover, this assessment has been the subject of collaboration both at national and European level (adaptation of the methodologies of the common OSPAR-COMP3 procedure). There has also been a clear improvement in the assessment methodology compared with the 2012 Initial Assessment. This assessment made it possible to evaluate for the first time the eutrophication status of the Western Sea marine sub-region within the framework of an ecosystem approach to the environmental status of the marine environment with nationally harmonised criteria.	The achievement of good ecological status for descriptor 5 is quantitatively assessed on the basis of 4 criteria relating to chlorophyll-a and dissolved oxygen concentration, water column transparency and macrophyte communities. In this MRU, relating to the coastal zone of the Western Mediterranean Marine Sub-Region, the results of the integration of all the criteria show that 81% (i.e. 3766 km2 ) of the area achieves good status and that 19% (i.e. 865 km2 ) of the area has not been assessed. Therefore, the results obtained after integration did not identify any eutrophication-related problems in this area. However, the weaknesses of the assessment in the coastal zone of this sub-region should be noted, in particular for criterion D5C5 (only 3% of the area could be assessed) and criterion D5C1 (not assessed). Reading the results by criterion, it appears that there are some coastal water bodies that do not reach the GES for criterion D5C7, which relates to macrophyte communities in benthic habitats. Moreover, this assessment has been the subject of collaboration both at national and European level (adaptation of the methodologies of the common OSPAR-COMP3 procedure). There has also been a clear improvement in the assessment methodology compared with the 2012 Initial Assessment. This assessment made it possible to evaluate for the first time the eutrophication status of the Western Sea marine sub-region within the framework of an ecosystem approach to the environmental status of the marine environment with nationally harmonised criteria.	The achievement of good ecological status for descriptor 5 is quantitatively assessed on the basis of 4 criteria relating to chlorophyll-a and dissolved oxygen concentration, water column transparency and macrophyte communities. In this MRU, relating to the coastal zone of the Western Mediterranean Marine Sub-Region, the results of the integration of all the criteria show that 81% (i.e. 3766 km2 ) of the area achieves good status and that 19% (i.e. 865 km2 ) of the area has not been assessed. Therefore, the results obtained after integration did not identify any eutrophication-related problems in this area. However, the weaknesses of the assessment in the coastal zone of this sub-region should be noted, in particular for criterion D5C5 (only 3% of the area could be assessed) and criterion D5C1 (not assessed). Reading the results by criterion, it appears that there are some coastal water bodies that do not reach the GES for criterion D5C7, which relates to macrophyte communities in benthic habitats. Moreover, this assessment has been the subject of collaboration both at national and European level (adaptation of the methodologies of the common OSPAR-COMP3 procedure). There has also been a clear improvement in the assessment methodology compared with the 2012 Initial Assessment. This assessment made it possible to evaluate for the first time the eutrophication status of the Western Sea marine sub-region within the framework of an ecosystem approach to the environmental status of the marine environment with nationally harmonised criteria.	The achievement of good ecological status for descriptor 5 is quantitatively assessed on the basis of 4 criteria relating to chlorophyll-a and dissolved oxygen concentration, water column transparency and macrophyte communities. In this MRU, relating to the coastal zone of the Western Mediterranean Marine Sub-Region, the results of the integration of all the criteria show that 81% (i.e. 3766 km2 ) of the area achieves good status and that 19% (i.e. 865 km2 ) of the area has not been assessed. Therefore, the results obtained after integration did not identify any eutrophication-related problems in this area. However, the weaknesses of the assessment in the coastal zone of this sub-region should be noted, in particular for criterion D5C5 (only 3% of the area could be assessed) and criterion D5C1 (not assessed). Reading the results by criterion, it appears that there are some coastal water bodies that do not reach the GES for criterion D5C7, which relates to macrophyte communities in benthic habitats. Moreover, this assessment has been the subject of collaboration both at national and European level (adaptation of the methodologies of the common OSPAR-COMP3 procedure). There has also been a clear improvement in the assessment methodology compared with the 2012 Initial Assessment. This assessment made it possible to evaluate for the first time the eutrophication status of the Western Sea marine sub-region within the framework of an ecosystem approach to the environmental status of the marine environment with nationally harmonised criteria.	The achievement of good ecological status for descriptor 5 is quantitatively assessed on the basis of 4 criteria relating to chlorophyll-a and dissolved oxygen concentration, water column transparency and macrophyte communities. In this MRU, relating to the coastal zone of the Western Mediterranean Marine Sub-Region, the results of the integration of all the criteria show that 81% (i.e. 3766 km2 ) of the area achieves good status and that 19% (i.e. 865 km2 ) of the area has not been assessed. Therefore, the results obtained after integration did not identify any eutrophication-related problems in this area. However, the weaknesses of the assessment in the coastal zone of this sub-region should be noted, in particular for criterion D5C5 (only 3% of the area could be assessed) and criterion D5C1 (not assessed). Reading the results by criterion, it appears that there are some coastal water bodies that do not reach the GES for criterion D5C7, which relates to macrophyte communities in benthic habitats. Moreover, this assessment has been the subject of collaboration both at national and European level (adaptation of the methodologies of the common OSPAR-COMP3 procedure). There has also been a clear improvement in the assessment methodology compared with the 2012 Initial Assessment. This assessment made it possible to evaluate for the first time the eutrophication status of the Western Sea marine sub-region within the framework of an ecosystem approach to the environmental status of the marine environment with nationally harmonised criteria.	The achievement of good ecological status for descriptor 5 is quantitatively assessed on the basis of 4 criteria relating to chlorophyll-a and dissolved oxygen concentration, water column transparency and macrophyte communities. In this MRU, relating to the coastal zone of the Western Mediterranean Marine Sub-Region, the results of the integration of all the criteria show that 81% (i.e. 3766 km2 ) of the area achieves good status and that 19% (i.e. 865 km2 ) of the area has not been assessed. Therefore, the results obtained after integration did not identify any eutrophication-related problems in this area. However, the weaknesses of the assessment in the coastal zone of this sub-region should be noted, in particular for criterion D5C5 (only 3% of the area could be assessed) and criterion D5C1 (not assessed). Reading the results by criterion, it appears that there are some coastal water bodies that do not reach the GES for criterion D5C7, which relates to macrophyte communities in benthic habitats. Moreover, this assessment has been the subject of collaboration both at national and European level (adaptation of the methodologies of the common OSPAR-COMP3 procedure). There has also been a clear improvement in the assessment methodology compared with the 2012 Initial Assessment. This assessment made it possible to evaluate for the first time the eutrophication status of the Western Sea marine sub-region within the framework of an ecosystem approach to the environmental status of the marine environment with nationally harmonised criteria.
Assessments period	2010-2015	2010-2015	2010-2015	2010-2015	2010-2015	2010-2015
Related pressures
Related targets

ZI SRM MO (MWE-FR-MS-MO-ZI)

Simplified table

GES component	D5	D5	D5	D5	D5	D5	D5
Feature	Eutrophication	Eutrophication	Eutrophication	Eutrophication	Eutrophication	Eutrophication	Eutrophication
Element	Nutrients (N, P)	Nutrients (N, P)	Chlorophyll-a	Transparency	Dissolved oxygen	Opportunistic macro-algae	Macrophyte communities
Element code	QE3-1-6	QE3-1-6	EEA_3164-01-0	QE3-1-1	EEA_3132-01-2	QE1-2-1	QE1-2
Element code source	Eutrophication (D5)(EQRs) http://dd.eionet.europa.eu/vocabulary/wise/ObservedPropertyBiologyEQR/view	Eutrophication (D5)(EQRs) http://dd.eionet.europa.eu/vocabulary/wise/ObservedPropertyBiologyEQR/view	Eutrophication (D5) and contaminants (D8-D9) http://dd.eionet.europa.eu/vocabulary/wise/ObservedProperty/view	Eutrophication (D5)(EQRs) http://dd.eionet.europa.eu/vocabulary/wise/ObservedPropertyBiologyEQR/view	Eutrophication (D5) and contaminants (D8-D9) http://dd.eionet.europa.eu/vocabulary/wise/ObservedProperty/view	Eutrophication (D5)(EQRs) http://dd.eionet.europa.eu/vocabulary/wise/ObservedPropertyBiologyEQR/view	Eutrophication (D5)(EQRs) http://dd.eionet.europa.eu/vocabulary/wise/ObservedPropertyBiologyEQR/view
Element 2
Element 2 code
Element 2 code source
Element source	EU	EU	EU	EU	EU	EU	EU
Criterion	D5C1	D5C1	D5C2	D5C4	D5C5	D5C6	D5C7
Parameter	Other	Other	Concentration in water	Other	Concentration in water
Parameter other	Concentration of DIN in water	Concentration of DIP in water		Turbidity of the water column
Threshold value upper	20.3	0.56	2.0	5.0	3.0
Threshold value lower
Threshold qualitative
Threshold value source	National	National	National	National	Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC)
Threshold value source other
Value achieved upper	34.6	0.46	2.7	9.2	6.8
Value achieved lower	0.06	0.009	0.34	0.25	6.2
Value unit	micromole per litre	micromole per litre	microgram per litre	Other	milligram per litre
Value unit other				NTU
Proportion threshold value
Proportion value achieved	99.8	100.0	99.8	99.7	100.0
Proportion threshold value unit	% area of MRU achieving threshold value	% area of MRU achieving threshold value	% area of MRU achieving threshold value	% area of MRU achieving threshold value	% area of MRU achieving threshold value
Trend	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
Parameter achieved	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
Description parameter	The indicator for this parameter makes it possible to assess good nutrient status (DIN and DIP) at the scale of each coastal water body or grid box (intermediate and wide areas). In intermediate and wide areas: the parameter relating to "DIN concentration in water" is based on data from the 3DVAR-OGSTM-BFM biogeochemical model associated with the Med-Currents hydrodynamic model. From these data, a metric is defined at the scale of each grid cell and corresponds to the median nitrate and DIP (phosphate) concentration for the evaluation period. The result of the metric calculation is then compared with the threshold values to determine whether or not the parameter has been reached in the cell under consideration. For the intermediate zone for DINs, 99.8 % of the zone reaches the parameter and 0.2 % does not reach the parameter. The area not reaching the parameter corresponds to a small area (36 km2 ) opposite the mouth of the Rhône. The absence of a threshold at the level of the percentage of the MRU in good condition does not make it possible to conclude whether or not the parameter assessed at the MRU level has been reached.	The indicator for this parameter makes it possible to assess good nutrient status (DIN and DIP) at the scale of each coastal water body or grid box (intermediate and wide areas). In intermediate and wide areas: the parameter relating to the "DIP concentration" is based on data from the 3DVAR-OGSTM-BFM biogeochemical model associated with the Med-Currents hydrodynamic model. From these data, a metric is defined at the scale of each mesh and corresponds to the median nitrate and DIP (phosphate) concentration for the evaluation period. The result of the metric calculation is then compared with the threshold values to determine whether or not the parameter has been reached in the cell under consideration. For the intermediate zone for DIP, 100% of the intermediate zone reaches the parameter. The absence of a threshold at the level of the percentage of the MRU in good condition does not make it possible to conclude whether or not the parameter evaluated at the MRU level has been reached.	In intermediate and wide areas, the parameter "concentration in water" of chlorophyll-a is based on data from satellite images (MODIS sensor). From these data, a metric is defined at the scale of each grid cell and corresponds to the 90 percentile of surface chlorophyll-a concentrations for the assessment period. The result of the calculation of the metric is then compared with the threshold values to determine whether or not the parameter has been reached in the grid cell in question. For example, chlrophylla-a concentrations in the intermediate zone show that 99.8% of the zone meets the parameter and 0.2% does not meet the parameter. Two areas do not reach the parameter, the first is located at the mouth of the Rhône and the second is close to the coast in the Gulf of Lion. The absence of a threshold at the level of the percentage of the MRU in good condition does not make it possible to conclude whether or not the parameter assessed at the MRU level has been reached.	In intermediate and wide areas, the turbidity parameter in the water column is based on data from satellite images (MODIS sensor). From these data, a metric is defined at the scale of each grid cell and corresponds to the 90 percentile of the transparency of the water column for the evaluation period. The result of the metric calculation is then compared with the threshold values to determine whether or not the parameter has been reached in the grid box in question. Thus, the evaluation of the parameter relating to the turbidity of the water column shows that 99.7 % of the intermediate zone reaches the parameter and that 0.3 % does not reach the parameter at the mouth of the Rhône. The absence of a threshold at the level of the percentage of the MRU in good condition does not make it possible to conclude whether the parameter evaluated at the MRU level has been reached.	In intermediate and large areas of the Western Mediterranean marine sub-region, the parameter "bottom dissolved oxygen concentration" is based on surface dissolved oxygen data from the 3DVAR-OGSTM-BFM biogeochemical model associated with the Med-Currents hydrodynamic model. From these data, a metric is defined at the scale of each grid cell and corresponds to the 10 percentile of the surface dissolved oxygen concentrations for the evaluation period. Thus, the evaluation of the parameter relating to the surface dissolved oxygen concentration shows that 100% of the intermediate zone reaches the parameter. It is important to note that the data available for the intermediate and wide areas in the Mediterranean Sea are surface oxygen data and not bottom oxygen data as defined in Decision 2017/848/EU. The absence of a threshold at the level of the percentage of the MRU in good condition does not allow to conclude on whether the parameter assessed at the MRU level is reached or not.
Related indicator	Concentrations en nutriments dans la colonne d'eau	Concentrations en nutriments dans la colonne d'eau	Concentration en chlorophylle-a dans la colonne d'eau	Turbidité de la colonne d'eau	Concentration en oxygène au fond
Criteria status	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Not assessed	Not assessed
Description criteria	The evaluation of criterion D5C1 shall be carried out at the scale of each grid box considered individually. The D5C1 status of each grid cell shall be obtained by a "One Out, All Out" integration of the parameters for DIn and DIP concentrations. In the absence of a threshold for the percentage of the MRU in good condition, the status of the D5C1 criterion is therefore indicated as "unknown".	The evaluation of criterion D5C1 shall be carried out at the scale of each grid box considered individually. The D5C1 status of each grid cell shall be obtained by a "One Out, All Out" integration of the parameters for DIn and DIP concentrations. In the absence of a threshold for the percentage of the MRU in good condition, the status of the D5C1 criterion is therefore indicated as "unknown".	The evaluation of criterion D5C2 shall be carried out at the scale of each grid box considered individually. The D5C2 status of each grid cell is obtained directly from the assessment of the chlorophyll-a concentration parameter. If there is no threshold at the percentage level of the MRU in good condition, the status of criterion D5C2 is therefore set to "unknown".	The evaluation of criterion D5C4 shall be carried out at the scale of each grid box considered individually. The status of each grid cell under D5C4 is obtained directly by evaluating the water transparency parameter . If there is no threshold at the percentage level of the MRU in good condition, the status of criterion D5C4 is therefore set to "unknown".	The evaluation of criterion D5C5 shall be carried out at the scale of each grid box considered individually. The status of each cell under D5C5 is obtained directly by evaluating the parameter relating to the dissolved oxygen concentration. If there is no threshold at the percentage level of the MRU in good condition, the status of criterion D5C5 is therefore set to "unknown".	Criterion D5C6 is "Not relevant" in this MRU, relating to the broad area of the Western Mediterranean Marine Sub-Region, as it is assessed only in the coastal zone. Indeed, opportunistic algal blooms are only expressed at the coastal level of French waters, via stranding phenomena.	Criterion D5C7 is "Not relevant" in this MRU, relating to the broad area of the Western Mediterranean Marine Sub-Region, as it is assessed only in the coastal zone. Indeed, perennial meadows and macroalgae do not develop at a certain depth (need for light), and the depth being generally proportional to the distance from the coast, most of these meadows and macroalgae population are mainly located in the coastal zone.
Element status	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Not assessed	Not assessed
Description element	The assessment of criterion D5C1 shows that for DIN concentrations: 0,2 % of the MRU (i.e. 36 km2 ) does not achieve good ecological status and 99,8 % of the MRU (i.e. 19715 km2 ) achieves good ecological status. The assessment of criterion D5C1 shows that for DIP concentrations, 100 % of the MRU (i.e. 19751 km2 ) achieves good ecological status.	The assessment of criterion D5C1 shows that for DIN concentrations: 0,2 % of the MRU (i.e. 36 km2 ) does not achieve good ecological status and 99,8 % of the MRU (i.e. 19715 km2 ) achieves good ecological status. The assessment of criterion D5C1 shows that for DIP concentrations, 100 % of the MRU (i.e. 19751 km2 ) achieves good ecological status.	The assessment of criterion D5C2 shows that for chlorophyll-a concentrations: 0,2 % of the MRU (i.e. 32 km2 ) does not achieve good ecological status and 99,8 % of the MRU (i.e. 19725 km2 ) achieves good ecological status.	The assessment of criterion D5C4 shows that for turbidity: 0,3 % of the MRU (i.e. 58 km2 ) does not achieve good ecological status and 99,7 % of the MRU (i.e. 19699 km2 ) achieves good ecological status.	The assessment of criterion D5C5 shows that for the surface dissolved oxygen concentration, 100 % of the MRU (i.e. 19757 km2 ) achieves good ecological status. It is important to clarify that the data available for the intermediate and wide areas in the Mediterranean are surface oxygen data and not bottom oxygen data as defined in Decision 2017/848/EU.
Integration rule type parameter	Other	Other	Other	Other	Other	Other	Other
Integration rule description parameter	The assessment of the status of criterion D5C1, at the scale of each grid cell, is obtained by integrating the two parameters relating to the NID and PID concentration. The integration method used is "One Out, All Out", which means that if one of the two parameters is not reached then the D5C1 criterion is not in good condition in the mesh considered. For the other criteria, the parameter status directly informs the corresponding criterion, no integration rule is required ("Not relevant" type).	The assessment of the status of criterion D5C1, at the scale of each grid cell, is obtained by integrating the two parameters relating to the NID and PID concentration. The integration method used is "One Out, All Out", which means that if one of the two parameters is not reached then the D5C1 criterion is not in good condition in the mesh considered. For the other criteria, the parameter status directly informs the corresponding criterion, no integration rule is required ("Not relevant" type).	The assessment of the status of criterion D5C1, at the scale of each grid cell, is obtained by integrating the two parameters relating to the NID and PID concentration. The integration method used is "One Out, All Out", which means that if one of the two parameters is not reached then the D5C1 criterion is not in good condition in the mesh considered. For the other criteria, the parameter status directly informs the corresponding criterion, no integration rule is required ("Not relevant" type).	The assessment of the status of criterion D5C1, at the scale of each grid cell, is obtained by integrating the two parameters relating to the NID and PID concentration. The integration method used is "One Out, All Out", which means that if one of the two parameters is not reached then the D5C1 criterion is not in good condition in the mesh considered. For the other criteria, the parameter status directly informs the corresponding criterion, no integration rule is required ("Not relevant" type).	The assessment of the status of criterion D5C1, at the scale of each grid cell, is obtained by integrating the two parameters relating to the NID and PID concentration. The integration method used is "One Out, All Out", which means that if one of the two parameters is not reached then the D5C1 criterion is not in good condition in the mesh considered. For the other criteria, the parameter status directly informs the corresponding criterion, no integration rule is required ("Not relevant" type).	The assessment of the status of criterion D5C1, at the scale of each grid cell, is obtained by integrating the two parameters relating to the NID and PID concentration. The integration method used is "One Out, All Out", which means that if one of the two parameters is not reached then the D5C1 criterion is not in good condition in the mesh considered. For the other criteria, the parameter status directly informs the corresponding criterion, no integration rule is required ("Not relevant" type).	The assessment of the status of criterion D5C1, at the scale of each grid cell, is obtained by integrating the two parameters relating to the NID and PID concentration. The integration method used is "One Out, All Out", which means that if one of the two parameters is not reached then the D5C1 criterion is not in good condition in the mesh considered. For the other criteria, the parameter status directly informs the corresponding criterion, no integration rule is required ("Not relevant" type).
Integration rule type criteria	HIE_WEI	HIE_WEI	HIE_WEI	HIE_WEI	HIE_WEI	HIE_WEI	HIE_WEI
Integration rule description criteria	At the level of each grid box (geographical unit of assessment), the integration of the criteria is done in two steps:1/ The first step is to give a score for each criterion on whether the GES has been achieved. Thus, a criterion for which the GES is met receives a score of 0; a criterion for which the GES is not met receives a score of 2 if it is a primary criterion and a score of 1 if it is a secondary criterion. For criterion D5C1, a score of 2 shall be given as soon as one of the phosphate or nitrate elements is downgraded ("One Out All Out").2/ The integration of the criteria is achieved, at the level of each grid cell, by adding up the scores for each criterion. Thus, if the sum of the scores is greater than or equal to 3, then the mesh considered does not reach the GES.	At the level of each grid box (geographical unit of assessment), the integration of the criteria is done in two steps:1/ The first step is to give a score for each criterion on whether the GES has been achieved. Thus, a criterion for which the GES is met receives a score of 0; a criterion for which the GES is not met receives a score of 2 if it is a primary criterion and a score of 1 if it is a secondary criterion. For criterion D5C1, a score of 2 shall be given as soon as one of the phosphate or nitrate elements is downgraded ("One Out All Out").2/ The integration of the criteria is achieved, at the level of each grid cell, by adding up the scores for each criterion. Thus, if the sum of the scores is greater than or equal to 3, then the mesh considered does not reach the GES.	At the level of each grid box (geographical unit of assessment), the integration of the criteria is done in two steps:1/ The first step is to give a score for each criterion on whether the GES has been achieved. Thus, a criterion for which the GES is met receives a score of 0; a criterion for which the GES is not met receives a score of 2 if it is a primary criterion and a score of 1 if it is a secondary criterion. For criterion D5C1, a score of 2 shall be given as soon as one of the phosphate or nitrate elements is downgraded ("One Out All Out").2/ The integration of the criteria is achieved, at the level of each grid cell, by adding up the scores for each criterion. Thus, if the sum of the scores is greater than or equal to 3, then the mesh considered does not reach the GES.	At the level of each grid box (geographical unit of assessment), the integration of the criteria is done in two steps:1/ The first step is to give a score for each criterion on whether the GES has been achieved. Thus, a criterion for which the GES is met receives a score of 0; a criterion for which the GES is not met receives a score of 2 if it is a primary criterion and a score of 1 if it is a secondary criterion. For criterion D5C1, a score of 2 shall be given as soon as one of the phosphate or nitrate elements is downgraded ("One Out All Out").2/ The integration of the criteria is achieved, at the level of each grid cell, by adding up the scores for each criterion. Thus, if the sum of the scores is greater than or equal to 3, then the mesh considered does not reach the GES.	At the level of each grid box (geographical unit of assessment), the integration of the criteria is done in two steps:1/ The first step is to give a score for each criterion on whether the GES has been achieved. Thus, a criterion for which the GES is met receives a score of 0; a criterion for which the GES is not met receives a score of 2 if it is a primary criterion and a score of 1 if it is a secondary criterion. For criterion D5C1, a score of 2 shall be given as soon as one of the phosphate or nitrate elements is downgraded ("One Out All Out").2/ The integration of the criteria is achieved, at the level of each grid cell, by adding up the scores for each criterion. Thus, if the sum of the scores is greater than or equal to 3, then the mesh considered does not reach the GES.	At the level of each grid box (geographical unit of assessment), the integration of the criteria is done in two steps:1/ The first step is to give a score for each criterion on whether the GES has been achieved. Thus, a criterion for which the GES is met receives a score of 0; a criterion for which the GES is not met receives a score of 2 if it is a primary criterion and a score of 1 if it is a secondary criterion. For criterion D5C1, a score of 2 shall be given as soon as one of the phosphate or nitrate elements is downgraded ("One Out All Out").2/ The integration of the criteria is achieved, at the level of each grid cell, by adding up the scores for each criterion. Thus, if the sum of the scores is greater than or equal to 3, then the mesh considered does not reach the GES.	At the level of each grid box (geographical unit of assessment), the integration of the criteria is done in two steps:1/ The first step is to give a score for each criterion on whether the GES has been achieved. Thus, a criterion for which the GES is met receives a score of 0; a criterion for which the GES is not met receives a score of 2 if it is a primary criterion and a score of 1 if it is a secondary criterion. For criterion D5C1, a score of 2 shall be given as soon as one of the phosphate or nitrate elements is downgraded ("One Out All Out").2/ The integration of the criteria is achieved, at the level of each grid cell, by adding up the scores for each criterion. Thus, if the sum of the scores is greater than or equal to 3, then the mesh considered does not reach the GES.
GES extent threshold
GES extent achieved	99.00	99.00	99.00	99.00	99.00	99.00	99.00
GES extent unit	Proportion of area in good status	Proportion of area in good status	Proportion of area in good status	Proportion of area in good status	Proportion of area in good status	Proportion of area in good status	Proportion of area in good status
GES achieved	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown
Description overall status	Achievement of good ecological status is quantitatively assessed on the basis of 4 criteria relating to the concentration of nutrients, chlorophyll-a and dissolved oxygen, as well as the transparency of the water column. The criteria relating to opportunistic macro-algae and macrophyte communities are not relevant to be assessed in this MRU. In this MRU, relating to the intermediate zone of the Western Mediterranean marine sub-region, the results of the integration of all the criteria show that 99.9% (i.e. 19744 km2 ) of the area achieves good status. On the other hand, 0.1% (i.e. 13 km2 ) of the MRU area does not achieve good status. It should be noted that 100% of the area of this MRU has been assessed. The results obtained after integration highlight a problem linked to eutrophication only over an area of 13 km2 at the mouth of the Rhône. Reading the results by criterion, it appears that eutrophication problems at the mouth of the Rhône are associated with the combined action of high nutrient concentrations, chlorophyll-a and turbidity. However, the weaknesses of the assessment in the intermediate zone of this sub-region should be noted, in particular for the assessment of criterion D5C5, which does not correspond to the standards recommended by Decision 2017/848/EU. Moreover, this assessment has been the subject of collaboration at both national and European level (adaptation of the methodologies of the joint OSPAR-COMP3 procedure). There has also been a marked improvement in the evaluation methodology compared with the 2012 Initial Evaluation, in particular with the use of products from satellite images and modelling, as well as proposals for thresholds for the intermediate zone. Thus, this assessment made it possible to evaluate for the first time the eutrophication status of the Western Mediterranean marine sub-region within the framework of an ecosystem approach to the ecological status of the marine environment with criteria harmonized at the national level.	Achievement of good ecological status is quantitatively assessed on the basis of 4 criteria relating to the concentration of nutrients, chlorophyll-a and dissolved oxygen, as well as the transparency of the water column. The criteria relating to opportunistic macro-algae and macrophyte communities are not relevant to be assessed in this MRU. In this MRU, relating to the intermediate zone of the Western Mediterranean marine sub-region, the results of the integration of all the criteria show that 99.9% (i.e. 19744 km2 ) of the area achieves good status. On the other hand, 0.1% (i.e. 13 km2 ) of the MRU area does not achieve good status. It should be noted that 100% of the area of this MRU has been assessed. The results obtained after integration highlight a problem linked to eutrophication only over an area of 13 km2 at the mouth of the Rhône. Reading the results by criterion, it appears that eutrophication problems at the mouth of the Rhône are associated with the combined action of high nutrient concentrations, chlorophyll-a and turbidity. However, the weaknesses of the assessment in the intermediate zone of this sub-region should be noted, in particular for the assessment of criterion D5C5, which does not correspond to the standards recommended by Decision 2017/848/EU. Moreover, this assessment has been the subject of collaboration at both national and European level (adaptation of the methodologies of the joint OSPAR-COMP3 procedure). There has also been a marked improvement in the evaluation methodology compared with the 2012 Initial Evaluation, in particular with the use of products from satellite images and modelling, as well as proposals for thresholds for the intermediate zone. Thus, this assessment made it possible to evaluate for the first time the eutrophication status of the Western Mediterranean marine sub-region within the framework of an ecosystem approach to the ecological status of the marine environment with criteria harmonized at the national level.	Achievement of good ecological status is quantitatively assessed on the basis of 4 criteria relating to the concentration of nutrients, chlorophyll-a and dissolved oxygen, as well as the transparency of the water column. The criteria relating to opportunistic macro-algae and macrophyte communities are not relevant to be assessed in this MRU. In this MRU, relating to the intermediate zone of the Western Mediterranean marine sub-region, the results of the integration of all the criteria show that 99.9% (i.e. 19744 km2 ) of the area achieves good status. On the other hand, 0.1% (i.e. 13 km2 ) of the MRU area does not achieve good status. It should be noted that 100% of the area of this MRU has been assessed. The results obtained after integration highlight a problem linked to eutrophication only over an area of 13 km2 at the mouth of the Rhône. Reading the results by criterion, it appears that eutrophication problems at the mouth of the Rhône are associated with the combined action of high nutrient concentrations, chlorophyll-a and turbidity. However, the weaknesses of the assessment in the intermediate zone of this sub-region should be noted, in particular for the assessment of criterion D5C5, which does not correspond to the standards recommended by Decision 2017/848/EU. Moreover, this assessment has been the subject of collaboration at both national and European level (adaptation of the methodologies of the joint OSPAR-COMP3 procedure). There has also been a marked improvement in the evaluation methodology compared with the 2012 Initial Evaluation, in particular with the use of products from satellite images and modelling, as well as proposals for thresholds for the intermediate zone. Thus, this assessment made it possible to evaluate for the first time the eutrophication status of the Western Mediterranean marine sub-region within the framework of an ecosystem approach to the ecological status of the marine environment with criteria harmonized at the national level.	Achievement of good ecological status is quantitatively assessed on the basis of 4 criteria relating to the concentration of nutrients, chlorophyll-a and dissolved oxygen, as well as the transparency of the water column. The criteria relating to opportunistic macro-algae and macrophyte communities are not relevant to be assessed in this MRU. In this MRU, relating to the intermediate zone of the Western Mediterranean marine sub-region, the results of the integration of all the criteria show that 99.9% (i.e. 19744 km2 ) of the area achieves good status. On the other hand, 0.1% (i.e. 13 km2 ) of the MRU area does not achieve good status. It should be noted that 100% of the area of this MRU has been assessed. The results obtained after integration highlight a problem linked to eutrophication only over an area of 13 km2 at the mouth of the Rhône. Reading the results by criterion, it appears that eutrophication problems at the mouth of the Rhône are associated with the combined action of high nutrient concentrations, chlorophyll-a and turbidity. However, the weaknesses of the assessment in the intermediate zone of this sub-region should be noted, in particular for the assessment of criterion D5C5, which does not correspond to the standards recommended by Decision 2017/848/EU. Moreover, this assessment has been the subject of collaboration at both national and European level (adaptation of the methodologies of the joint OSPAR-COMP3 procedure). There has also been a marked improvement in the evaluation methodology compared with the 2012 Initial Evaluation, in particular with the use of products from satellite images and modelling, as well as proposals for thresholds for the intermediate zone. Thus, this assessment made it possible to evaluate for the first time the eutrophication status of the Western Mediterranean marine sub-region within the framework of an ecosystem approach to the ecological status of the marine environment with criteria harmonized at the national level.	Achievement of good ecological status is quantitatively assessed on the basis of 4 criteria relating to the concentration of nutrients, chlorophyll-a and dissolved oxygen, as well as the transparency of the water column. The criteria relating to opportunistic macro-algae and macrophyte communities are not relevant to be assessed in this MRU. In this MRU, relating to the intermediate zone of the Western Mediterranean marine sub-region, the results of the integration of all the criteria show that 99.9% (i.e. 19744 km2 ) of the area achieves good status. On the other hand, 0.1% (i.e. 13 km2 ) of the MRU area does not achieve good status. It should be noted that 100% of the area of this MRU has been assessed. The results obtained after integration highlight a problem linked to eutrophication only over an area of 13 km2 at the mouth of the Rhône. Reading the results by criterion, it appears that eutrophication problems at the mouth of the Rhône are associated with the combined action of high nutrient concentrations, chlorophyll-a and turbidity. However, the weaknesses of the assessment in the intermediate zone of this sub-region should be noted, in particular for the assessment of criterion D5C5, which does not correspond to the standards recommended by Decision 2017/848/EU. Moreover, this assessment has been the subject of collaboration at both national and European level (adaptation of the methodologies of the joint OSPAR-COMP3 procedure). There has also been a marked improvement in the evaluation methodology compared with the 2012 Initial Evaluation, in particular with the use of products from satellite images and modelling, as well as proposals for thresholds for the intermediate zone. Thus, this assessment made it possible to evaluate for the first time the eutrophication status of the Western Mediterranean marine sub-region within the framework of an ecosystem approach to the ecological status of the marine environment with criteria harmonized at the national level.	Achievement of good ecological status is quantitatively assessed on the basis of 4 criteria relating to the concentration of nutrients, chlorophyll-a and dissolved oxygen, as well as the transparency of the water column. The criteria relating to opportunistic macro-algae and macrophyte communities are not relevant to be assessed in this MRU. In this MRU, relating to the intermediate zone of the Western Mediterranean marine sub-region, the results of the integration of all the criteria show that 99.9% (i.e. 19744 km2 ) of the area achieves good status. On the other hand, 0.1% (i.e. 13 km2 ) of the MRU area does not achieve good status. It should be noted that 100% of the area of this MRU has been assessed. The results obtained after integration highlight a problem linked to eutrophication only over an area of 13 km2 at the mouth of the Rhône. Reading the results by criterion, it appears that eutrophication problems at the mouth of the Rhône are associated with the combined action of high nutrient concentrations, chlorophyll-a and turbidity. However, the weaknesses of the assessment in the intermediate zone of this sub-region should be noted, in particular for the assessment of criterion D5C5, which does not correspond to the standards recommended by Decision 2017/848/EU. Moreover, this assessment has been the subject of collaboration at both national and European level (adaptation of the methodologies of the joint OSPAR-COMP3 procedure). There has also been a marked improvement in the evaluation methodology compared with the 2012 Initial Evaluation, in particular with the use of products from satellite images and modelling, as well as proposals for thresholds for the intermediate zone. Thus, this assessment made it possible to evaluate for the first time the eutrophication status of the Western Mediterranean marine sub-region within the framework of an ecosystem approach to the ecological status of the marine environment with criteria harmonized at the national level.	Achievement of good ecological status is quantitatively assessed on the basis of 4 criteria relating to the concentration of nutrients, chlorophyll-a and dissolved oxygen, as well as the transparency of the water column. The criteria relating to opportunistic macro-algae and macrophyte communities are not relevant to be assessed in this MRU. In this MRU, relating to the intermediate zone of the Western Mediterranean marine sub-region, the results of the integration of all the criteria show that 99.9% (i.e. 19744 km2 ) of the area achieves good status. On the other hand, 0.1% (i.e. 13 km2 ) of the MRU area does not achieve good status. It should be noted that 100% of the area of this MRU has been assessed. The results obtained after integration highlight a problem linked to eutrophication only over an area of 13 km2 at the mouth of the Rhône. Reading the results by criterion, it appears that eutrophication problems at the mouth of the Rhône are associated with the combined action of high nutrient concentrations, chlorophyll-a and turbidity. However, the weaknesses of the assessment in the intermediate zone of this sub-region should be noted, in particular for the assessment of criterion D5C5, which does not correspond to the standards recommended by Decision 2017/848/EU. Moreover, this assessment has been the subject of collaboration at both national and European level (adaptation of the methodologies of the joint OSPAR-COMP3 procedure). There has also been a marked improvement in the evaluation methodology compared with the 2012 Initial Evaluation, in particular with the use of products from satellite images and modelling, as well as proposals for thresholds for the intermediate zone. Thus, this assessment made it possible to evaluate for the first time the eutrophication status of the Western Mediterranean marine sub-region within the framework of an ecosystem approach to the ecological status of the marine environment with criteria harmonized at the national level.
Assessments period	2010-2016	2010-2016	2010-2016	2010-2016	2010-2016	2010-2016	2010-2016
Related pressures
Related targets