The environmental objectives are developed in association with the stakeholders concerned within the maritime frontier councils. They respond to the environmental issues identified in the initial assessment of the marine environment, with regard to the objective of good environmental status. The environmental challenges were identified in order to take into account the absence, in 2012, of an assessment of whether or not good environmental status has been achieved in the initial assessment, linked to the simultaneous timetable for the development of the first three elements of the action plans for the marine environment. The environmental issues have been identified in relation to the following criteria: - Presence of species, groups of species, or habitats with a particular role in ecosystem functioning, due to their abundance or their key role in the food web (spawning grounds, nursery, etc.). ), habitats with high biodiversity (e.g. engineering species), habitats with high endemism (e.g., the Mediterranean Sea), and habitats with high endemism (e.g., the Mediterranean Sea): and/or presence of sensitive or vulnerable species, groups of species, or habitats; - and/or presence of vulnerable species, groups of species, or habitats subject to high pressure to which they are sensitive; - and/or presence of species, groups of species, or habitats of heritage importance (notion of common heritage, symbolic value, cultural value, emblematic species or habitat); - and/or presence of species, or groups of species, intended for human consumption; - and/or existence of strong pressures and strong ecological impacts, whether proven or anticipated. The development of environmental objectives shall take into account existing or planned environmental regulations and objectives already contributing to the maintenance or achievement of good environmental status in the marine environment. Where appropriate, they shall be included as environmental objectives in the Marine Environmental Action Plan. Economic and social considerations, identified on the basis of the information available in the initial assessment and through the association of, in particular, socio-professional representatives and local authorities, shall also be taken into account in the drafting process. Consistency is particularly sought with the environmental objectives of the Member States bordering the Western Mediterranean Marine Sub-Region. Taking into account the evolving nature of the data and knowledge available on the marine environment, but also the need to take greater account of economic and social considerations in the development of measures by 2015, the environmental objectives defined in 2012 are mainly qualitative. They will be refined and complemented by 2015 by operational environmental objectives (development of the programme of measures). The environmental objectives include : - general environmental objectives, which refer to an environmental issue identified in the initial assessment of the marine environment, - specific environmental objectives, which specify the general objectives by providing, where the level of knowledge allows, additional information (pressure, source of pressure, ecosystem component or geographical area concerned). Some of them are described as "cross-cutting" (cf. Marine Action Plan environmental objectives, framework elements p6 and cross-cutting objectives p13).

Maintain or restore biodiversity and the functioning of deep-sea ecosystems (medio, infra and circalittoral)

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The Water Development and Management Master Plan Rhone Mediterranee and the Corsica Water Development and Management Master Plan. Corsica regional strategic analysis. National strategy for the creation and management of protected marine areas (March 2012). Anchorage management strategy for the Mediterranean coast. Grenelle de la Mer. Regulation of protected species (law of 16/07/1976 and environment code L411-*). Urban Residual Water Directive (91/271/EEC). Regulation (EC) 1967/2006 concerning management measures for the sustainable exploitation of fishery resources in the Mediterranean. Habitat, Fauna and Flora Directive 92/43/EEC (Natura 2000 sites). Barcelona Convention - Protocol on Specially Protected Areas - ICZM Protocol - Protocol on Land-based Activities. For more details, see Annex 1: Cross-reference table of existing environmental issues/objectives of strand 3 Environmental objectives of the Western Mediterranean Marine Sub-Region.