A METHOD FOR THE SPATIAL ANALYSIS OF ANTHROPOGENIC PRESSURES IN SPANISH MARINE WATERS

Isabel Moreno,Irene Del Barrio,Ana Lloret,Ainhoa Pérez-Puyol

doi:10.9753/icce.v33.management.64

Abstract

In 2008, the European Community adopted the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, aiming to achieve or maintain good environmental status in the European marine environment by 2020, applying an ecosystem-based approach to the management of human activities. Spatial information of the distribution of the human activities and their related pressures is essential to accomplish this task successfully. After compiling the available data from official sources, the spatial extent of the land-based and ocean-based human activities that could have an impact on the Spanish marine waters were estimated and mapped using GIS tools. In addition, a series of indexes were created in order to develop a cumulative analysis, taking into account the different relevance of pressures and that single pressures have different intensities. The identification of areas with an accumulation of pressures revealed that it is in coastal waters around big cities where the greater part of the pressures concentrates for each of the five Spanish marine districts. Human impacts emanating from the identified pressures could not be evaluated and this task is proposed to be accomplished in further projects. Nonetheless, the resulting information is considered very useful for managers and technical staff to support not only marine management but also other planning and decision making in Spain.

Highlights

In recent years, an increasing interest in the compatibility of uses involving the ocean, including its protection, has arisen
Marine strategies shall apply an ecosystem-based approach to the management of human activities, ensuring that the collective pressure of such activities is kept within levels compatible with the achievement of good environmental status and that the capacity of marine ecosystems to respond to human-induced changes is not compromised, while enabling the sustainable use of marine goods and services by present and future generations (Art. 3 MSFD; European Commission, 2008)
For the analysis of pressures related to physical disturbance, several groups of stressors were distinguished depending on their effects: those affecting the sea-floor, those modifying the hydrographical properties of marine waters, those generating submarine noise and those introducing litter into the sea

Summary

Introduction

An increasing interest in the compatibility of uses involving the ocean, including its protection, has arisen. This work has been prepared to meet the requirements of the Directive 2008/56/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council, of 17 June 2008, establishing a framework for community action in the field of marine environmental policy (Marine Strategy Framework Directive, MSFD). This Directive aims to protect more effectively the marine environment across Europe by achieving Good Environmental Status of the European marine waters by 2020. Diffuse pollution from runoff Farming of fish, shellfish and seaweed. Escapes from aquariums Extraction of species with a commercial interest Farming of fish, shellfish and seaweed. Human Activity Shipping, anchoring Shipping Aquaculture Industry Ports activity Recreation and research Commercial fishing Aquaculture Harvesting of shellfish Recreation Commercial fishing

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