ANS-EN-MS-MMN: Good environmental status is the combination of well-functioning marine ecosystems, their good health and the environmental sustainability of their use for human activities. The definition of good environmental status takes into account the existence of human activities at sea or on land that have an impact on the environment. As such, it is not a state unaffected by human activities, sometimes called "pristine". In defining good environmental status, certain contextual elements need to be taken into account. In addition to the existence of anthropogenic pressures, it is therefore necessary to consider their impacts on the environment, the long-term or short-term natural variability of ecosystems and their resilience, and global changes, in particular climate change. On the basis of the content elements of the Directive, France has chosen to define good environmental status as the long-term level of ambition for the environmental status of the marine environment, i.e. the acceptable level of impact of human activities on environmental status that does not affect the proper functioning of ecosystems. The methodology for defining good environmental status distinguishes between two bases: 1: the description of the Good Environmental Status at the level of descriptors and, where appropriate, at the level of criteria. 2: the characterization of the Good Environmental Status, which includes several elements: - the identification of "units of assessment" and relevant scales ; - definition of the method for identifying issue areas/characteristic areas ; - The development of indicators to judge the achievement of the EEB for the marine environment, based on the above choices; - the definition of levels/thresholds/trends associated with these indicators and the setting of these levels/thresholds/trends; - the development of an intra-descriptor aggregation method. It should be noted that the proper functioning of an ecosystem is a scientific concept, based on an ecosystem approach, which can be qualified or even quantified, in some cases today, in other cases in the future, subject to further studies, research and data acquisition. This definition will have to be revised every 6 years on the basis of new knowledge and data and will have to take into account the evolution of anthropogenic pressures and global changes. The effects of climate change are being felt on the marine environment and its functioning: they will be taken into account in the revision of the definition of Good Environmental Status as part of the context.

Good environmental status is achieved when marine litter and its decomposition products do not cause or no longer cause significant impacts noted below in order of importance: 1) The litter and its degradation products present and entering the marine sub-region are significantly reduced over time and do not pose a significant risk to marine life at the population level, either a risk of direct mortality or a risk of indirect impacts such as reduced fecundity or mobility, or bioaccumulation in trophic chains. 2) Wastes and their degradation products present and entering the marine sub-region are not a significant vector for the introduction of invasive species. 3) Marine litter present and entering the Marine Sub-region does not pose a direct or indirect risk to human health. (4) The waste and its degradation products present and entering the waters of the Marine Sub-region do not cause significant adverse economic impacts on marine activities, industries and coastal communities. (5) Wastes at sea do not pose an unacceptable risk to navigation.

The indicators related to criterion 10.1 that are relevant for characterising good environmental status are defined as follows : Indicator 10.1.1: Trends in the amount of waste spread and/or deposited on the shoreline, including analysis of the composition, spatial distribution and, where possible, source of the waste. The indicator consists of the amount of waste larger than 2.5cm on selected beaches in the marine sub-region, taking into account the existence of specific inputs, natural or anthropogenic, and allowing analysis at the scale of the marine sub-region. The origin of the waste shall be identified as far as possible. Indicator 10.1.2 Trends in the quantities of wastes in the water column (including those floating on the surface) and resting on the seabed, including analysis of the composition, spatial distribution and, where possible, the source of the waste. The indicator consists of the amount of waste of each of the size categories described above present in the water column and resting on the seabed, estimated from systematic or opportunistic monitoring. The origin of the waste will be identified as far as possible. Indicator 10.1.3 Trends in the quantity, distribution and, where possible, composition of microparticles [including microplastics]. The indicator consists of the quantity of microparticles, less than 5mm in size, and their distribution in the marine sub-region. The composition of the microparticles shall be specified as far as possible. The indicator for criterion 10.2 relevant to characterising good environmental status is defined as follows: Indicator 10.2.1 Trends in the amount and composition of waste ingested by marine animals [e.g. stomach content analysis] For the Channel and North Sea Marine Sub-region, this is the amount of waste ingested by fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis), measured in g of plastic particles in the stomachs of fulmars stranded on beaches in the Marine Sub-region over a period of at least 5 years. Good ecological status is characterised in the North Channel Sea for this indicator by 10% of fulmars having more than 0.1g of plastics in their stomachs.

The levels and trends characterising good environmental status for the indicators associated with criterion 10.1 as well as the aggregation rules at the level of the criteria and, where appropriate, the descriptor will be specified following further studies, as provided for in Article 4 of the Order of 17 December 2012 on the definition of good environmental status of marine waters. These elements will be developed with a view to updating the definition of good environmental status by 2018.