Re: Stakeholder meetings May 28, 2019 - draft meeting notes for review

Hello,

Please find attached some minor amendments to the notes from the REA meeting on May 28^th. As promised, here is some more information on the Atlas Project (https://www.eu-atlas.org/) MSP Work Package, where there is a case study on the Flemish Cap. I’ve also attached a recent paper from the Atlas project on impacts of climate change on deep ocean ecosystems in the North Atlantic that may be of relevance.

Susanna

WP6 Maritime Spatial Planning

With the increasing number of stakeholders and activities occurring on the high seas, managing and planning across such open spaces is more important than ever. Fully integrated spatial planning products on basin and regional scales allow stakeholders to explore, and respond to, various scenarios of ocean dynamics and cross-sectoral Blue Growth. The Monitoring and Evaluation of Spatially Managed Areas framework is being used to develop an adaptive Atlantic Marine Strategic Planning approach within ATLAS.

Key objectives

• Case Studies are used to understand the impact of different governance regimes across the Atlantic basin
• Harmonised approaches to mapping, habitat classification, ecosystem goods and services valuation, and impact assessment in support of the Atlantic Strategy
• A framework for joint public/industry data collection to ensure industry EIS/EIA (Environmental Impact Statement/Assessment) compliance is achieved in a more cost-effective manner

And below is the text under WP6 on the Flemish Cap:

Case Study 11. Flemish Cap

The Flemish Cap is an Oceanic Bank located in an Area Beyond National Jurisdiction within the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organisation Regulatory Area (NAFO) and separated from the Grand Banks by the Flemish Pass. It is situated in a transition area between the cold-waters of the Labrador Current and warmer waters influenced by the Gulf Stream. It is mainly covered with soft sediments and there are stones scattered in the entire area. The main focal ecosystems are sponge grounds and cold-water corals.

The Flemish Cap includes important international fishing grounds and has the potential to become an important zone for oil, gas and bioprospecting. Current NAFO enforcement and conservation measures include catch and effort limitations, fisheries footprint, Vessel Monitoring Systems, observers and closed areas to protect Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems.

Blue Growth Sectors: Biotechnology, Fisheries, Oil and Gas.