The corresponding sea demarcation does not act as a sink for any of the source populations.

D1C1 ? The death rate for incidental catches does not achieve levels that jeopardise the viability of the population.
D1C2 ? The abundance of sea turtles remains at a level that secures their
sustainability within the sub-region.
D1C3 ? The body condition index for sea turtles is consistent with a population of GES.


GES not determined at sub-regional level as laid down in Article 3 (5) (b) of the MSFD. Only D1C1 was assessed.

The death rate for incidental catches does not achieve levels that jeopardise the viability of the population.

The abundance of marine turtles remains at a level that ensures their sustainability within the sub-region.

The Body Condition Index for sea turtles is consistent with a population of GES.

Inadequate criterion for assessing GES in the subdivision of the Azores

Inadequate criterion for assessing GES in the subdivision of the Azores

D1.3: Continent: Insufficient information to assess primary criteria (except D1C1).


D1C1: FishDemersalShellf


D1C3: Establishment of GES established at the level of the Macaronesian biogeographic region through the PROJECTS SEAS II for marine mammals, birds and sea turtles. For commercially-exploited fish and cephalopods, see D3C3.


D1C4: The species of megafauna of the waters of Macaronesia are highly migratory and present extensive distribution limits, which often extend to the coastal waters of several islands and ocean waters, to a scale greater than the biogeographical region. For these highly mobile, the area and the pattern of distribution are difficult to determine and quantify precisely. Establishing thresholds, benchmarks, measurable targets and interpreting trends in the distribution of these populations to assess GES appears unrealistic. D1C4 is considered unsuitable for assessing cetacean and sea turtles in Macaronesia, although monitoring of the distribution extension could be part of the surveillance of D1C2 (MISIC SERAS II consortium, 2018).


D1C5: The extent and quality of the Azores Sea habitat do not seem to limit the large fauna to GES but there are several species whose life cycle does not entirely follow in the subdivision of the Azores. An assessment of the habitat condition requires an appropriate mapping, either in distance to the coast or in depth, and an integrated understanding of the state of the associated communities and species. Additional efforts for a coherent classification of marine habitats, supported by an appropriate mapping, are essential for a habitat assessment, taking into account variations over the gradient of coast and depth (coastal, platform and deep-sea habitat). For these reasons and the explanation also presented for D1C4, this criterion was considered inadequate to assess GES in the subdivision of the Azores.

D1.3: None of the indicators are currently operational for the assessment of Descriptor 1 for any marine turtle species, due to the lack of threshold values and too patchy data, although some data are available that provide information on incidental catch mortality (D1C1), abundance (D1C2), and distribution (D1C4) of marine turtles. The methodological standards associated with the D1 criteria will be specified following further studies, as provided for in Ministerial Order 2019 on the definition of good environmental status of marine waters. The summary of the assessment is available via this link: https://doi.org/10.13155/60198

D1.3: Criterion D1C1: It is not possible to provide a threshold value for incidental capture caused by incidental capture, as it is not known what proportion of juveniles enters into the DM and therefore it is not possible to assess criterion D1C1.
Criterion D1C2: There is no model for estimating the load capacity for the species of turtles in question, which makes it impossible to give a threshold value for the population density.
Criterion D1C3: Not assessed. Secondary.
Criterion D1C4: Presence of the species in their potential area of potential distribution. assessed criterion.
Criterion D1C5: It has not been possible to identify the characteristics that define the marine habitat of these species precisely despite the modelling efforts made, making it impossible to give a threshold value and to assess criterion D1C5.

D1.3: Continental: lists of representative species and at risk of by-catch that are not defined at sub-regional level: Coordination with the Spanish and French authorities in progress. Thresholds for each species for the sub-region not established: Insufficient pressure and population data