Member State report / Art9 / 2018 / D1-M / Mediterranean
| Report type | Member State report to Commission |
| MSFD Article | Art. 9 Determination of GES (and Art. 17 updates) |
| Report due | 2018-10-15 |
| GES Descriptor | D1 Mammals |
| Region/subregion | Mediterranean |
| Reported by | Member state |
| Member state | United Kingdom |
Spain |
France |
Italy |
Malta |
Slovenia |
Croatia |
Greece |
Cyprus |
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| Marine reporting units | MRUs used |
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| Structure, functions and processes of marine ecosystems: Species | All mammals |
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| Structure, functions and processes of marine ecosystems: Species | Baleen whales |
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| Structure, functions and processes of marine ecosystems: Species | Deep-diving toothed cetaceans |
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| Structure, functions and processes of marine ecosystems: Species | Small toothed cetaceans |
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| GES description | D1 Mammals |
D1C1: Incidental catches: The mortality rate per species from incidental by-catch is below levels which threaten the species, such that its long-term viability is ensured.
D1C2: The population abundance of the species is not adversely affected due to anthropogenic pressures, such that its long-term viability is ensured. D1C3: The demographic characteristics of the population (e.g. size class or age class structure, sex ratio, fecundity and survival rates) of the species are indicative of a healthy population that is not adversely affected due to anthropogenic pressures. D1C4: The range of the species and, where relevant, the pattern is consistent with the prevailing physiographic, geographic and climatic conditions. D1C5: Habitat for the species has the length and condition necessary to sustain the different stages of its life cycle |
Biological diversity is conserved. The quality of habitats and their number, as well as the distribution and abundance of species are adapted to existing physiographic, geographic and climatic conditions (Directive 2008/56/EC).
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| GES description | D1C1 Mortality rate from incidental by-catch |
G 1.1 Marine species listed in the Habitats Directive, the Birds Directive and the SPA/BD Protocol to the Barcelona Convention maintain or attain favourable conservation status
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Levels of incidental by-catch of marine reptiles, marine mammals and seabirds do not result in declines in the population abundance of the representative species. |
The mortality rate per species from incidental by-catch is below levels which threaten the species, such that its long- term viability is ensured. |
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| GES description | D1C2 Population abundance (1.2, 1.2.1) |
G 1.1 Marine species listed in the Habitats Directive, the Birds Directive and the SPA/BD Protocol to the Barcelona Convention maintain or attain favourable conservation status
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The population abundance of marine reptiles and marine mammals as listed in Annex IV to Directive 92/43/EEC is stable and not declining taking into consideration natural variation, and not smaller than Favourable Reference Population values where established under Directive 92/43/EEC. |
The population abundance of the species is not adversely affected due to anthropogenic pressures, such that its long-term viability is ensured. |
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| GES description | D1C3 Population demographic characteristics (1.3, 1.3.1) | The age structure, mortality and reproduction, as relevant for marine reptiles and marine mammals, are not deviating from normal. |
The population demographic characteristics (e.g. body size or age class structure, sex ratio, fecundity, and survival rates) of the species are indicative of a healthy population which is not adversely affected due to anthropogenic pressures. |
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| GES description | D1C4 Population distributional range and pattern (1.1, 1.1.1, 1.1.2, 1.1.3) | The distributional range of marine reptiles and marine mammals as listed in Annex IV to Directive 92/43/EEC is stable and not declining taking into consideration natural variation, and not smaller than Favourable Reference Range values where established under Directive 92/43/EEC. |
The species distributional range and, where relevant, pattern is in line with prevailing physiographic, geographic and climatic conditions. |
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| GES description | D1C5 Habitat for the species | The habitat for the species has the necessary extent and condition to support the different stages in the life history of the species. |
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| Justification for non-use of criterion | D1C1: [CoastalFish]: Criterion D1C1 not used, since not relevant for this species group, composed by selected species belonging to fish coastal communities of hard substrates, not subject to catches from industrial fisheries. No MS was informed about. D1C4: [Mammals and Reptiles]: Criterion D1C4 is considered irrelevant for the definition of GES of wideranging species such as cetaceans and marine turtles since their migratory nature leads to wide species home ranges whose eventual contraction cannot be detected in time periods relevant to identify trends D1C5: [Mammals and Reptiles]: Criterion D1C5 is difficult to assess given the species' migratory nature and wide home ranges. No MS was informed about. |
D1C1: Updated GES is not targeting non-commercial species of fish and cephalopods as per Commission Decision (EU) 2017/848, pending more data on by-catch as per Malta’s Work Plan for data collection in the fisheries and aquaculture sectors 2017-2019. D1C3: GES has been elaborated in relation to D1C3 for commercial cephalopods as follows: “The size distribution of commercially exploited species of fish and cephalopods, in comparison with long-term historical average, is indicative of healthy stocks. D1C4: GES in relation to D1C4 was only elaborated for marine reptiles and marine mammals as follows: “The distributional range of marine reptiles and marine mammals as listed in Annex IV to Directive 92/43/EEC is stable and not declining taking into consideration natural variation, and not smaller than Favourable Reference Range values where established under Directive 92/43/EEC”. This GES is not elaborated for fish species, since none of the species under consideration are listed in the Habitats Directive. D1C5: GES in relation to D1C5 has not been elaborated for marine mammals since the interaction of marine mammals with Maltese waters needs to be better defined. As indicated in D1C4, none of the fish species under consideration are listed in the Habitats Directive. |
D1: The GES definition is placed at the descriptor level according to the data currently available for the assessment of the situation and as such is fully relevant for specific groups of species.
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D1C1: None
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| Justification for delay in setting EU/regional requirements |
D1.2: The update of the definitions of BEA for the marine mammal group has been achieved at the criterion level and the recommendations of Commission Decision (EU) 2017/848 have been used.
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D1.2: Criteria D1C1 and D1C2 could not be entered in SRM MO due to lack of method. No indicators are available for the evaluation of criterion D1C4 for marine mammals in the Western Mediterranean Marine Sub-Region. Criterion D1C5 could not be reported for any marine mammal species in this assessment due to the lack of adequate data on the habitats of the species assessed. In some cases, such data do exist but require a significant research effort to define the favourable habitat for each of the species assessed and to develop robust indicators of changes in their ranges. This limit may be exceeded for the next cycle. The methodological standards relating to criteria D1C1, D1C2, D1C4 and D1C5 for marine mammals will be specified following additional studies, as provided for in Ministerial Order 2019 on the definition of good environmental status of marine waters.
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D1C2: None
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