The Benefits of Transnational Co-operation. operation. Jan van Dalfsen & all

Transcription

1 The Benefits of Transnational Co-operation operation Jan van Dalfsen & all

2 Why co-operate? operate? I am an expert, I know what is best Co-operation needs more planning Find some sort of agreement Less flexible

3 Why co-operate? Co-operation broadening expertise, equipment not normally available improving quality by using best practise, tools and procedures for data acquisition, analysis and interpretation Result as a researcher or stakeholder better comparison and use of data Comfortable in presenting results Wider acceptance, fit for purpose Share equipment, technology and so Costs reduction

4 Work as a team

5 MESH co-operation operation Start No full coverage habitat map NW Europe No harmonized methods How did we co-operate in MESH? Meetings Work shops Survey s & Cruises Working Groups

6 Workshops Intercalibration workshop Marine Landscape workshop Video workshop Backscatter workshop (incl. Univ. Coleraine) Eastern English Channel grab sample workshop

7 Intercalibration Workshop Brest, sept Shallow sub tidal & intertidal habitats Aim: Comparing results of several tools operated by different people on a given Habitat Intertidal Zostera mapping Saltmarsh mapping Subtidal Macro-algae mapping Soft bottom (B & F) Contact person: Jacques Populus

8 Intercalibration Workshop II There is a need to have guidelines showing how various tools can be combined where appropriate Single beam echo sounder is a valid technique to detect underwater vegetation Discrimination between eelgrass and kelp thanks to the echo integration techniques Echo sounder systems offer a real cost effective alternative to scuba diving

9 Surveys & Cruises National and transnational cruises Survey data base > 68 surveys

10 NW Shelf Consortium Shelf Seas of NW Europe (NW Atlantic) Greencastle and Hempton s Turbot Bank areas, North Channel, North Maidens Peak, Shamrock Pinnacle, Laconia Bank,Pisces Reef, Loch Linnhe Artificial Reef and Firth of Lorne & Irish Sea Mud Patch Transnational and multidisciplinary research cruises Modelling Testing the protocols and standards Gyre Sands Confidence rating for habitat data Update habitat classification schemes Synergies, intercompatability and inter-calibration of techniques Standardised interpretation of habitat mapping data Standards and protocols for deeper sub-tidal (acoustic) mapping techniques

11 Dutch-Belgium Shelf Vlakte van de Raan Brown Bank en Thornton Bank Combined Remote sensing & ground-truthing Testing of the additional value of a technique Focus on morfological & sedimentological gradients and of biotic structures MBES Gradient 2m 1,5 m 250 m

12 Dutch-Belgium Shelf II Detection of biological structures using high resolution data => benthic community mapping Delft Cluster 2 Vlakte v Raan Owenia fusiformis, Mysella bidentata Similarity DC-7 06DC-14 06DC-6 06DC-18 06DC-5 06DC-2 06DC-13 06DC-8 06DC-9 06DC023 06DC021 06DC DC-3 06DC DC-1 80

13 Working groups Biotope Matching Program A statistical routine comparing an infaunal samples to standards providing best 10 matches within a standards set Accuracy and Confidence Accuracy relates to the statistical measure of data set, what a map is trying to show against real world. Confidence is more subjective and relates to how a user relates to the map. Most important aspect of confidence is the statistical accuracy of the map, however confidence is still very personal to the user, specifically to the user s purpose Marine landscapes Reporting and reviewing of MESH products Metadata catalogue Case studies Standards & Protocols Final Guidance Document

14 Results Getting acquainted to each others problems & solutions Sharing field experience => harmonized data interpretation and map production Sharing equipment Cost reduction Marine landscape approach

15 Results II Data and Maps, also crossborder Meta-database & meta data catalogue Review of Standards and Protocols Best Practise Guidelines, SOP s & ROG s Catalogue of Habitat Signatures Guidance Document

16 Conclusions pros & cons of cooperation - Planning well in advance - Sometimes need to compromise + Sharing knowledge leads to harmonizing of standards and protocols + Higher degree of acceptance + Reduces costs + it s fun

17 Conclusions II Need of a central accessible data base EU supports ecosystem approach, so habitat maps are essential, but need to cross borders Habitat Maps must be brought into practice Challenge is to continue improve the MESH goals, add in new expertise and knowledge bring these into practise and so support marine management and spatial planning To get YOU involved

18 Co-operation operation It is difficult to get people working together, once done, its fruitful! Co-operation needs communication & Management

19 MESH Partners Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) Ghent University Ifremer Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute Natural England WAGENINGEN IMARES Marine Institute IMARES Envision Mapping Ltd Amgueddfa Cymru National Museum of Wales TNO Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research British Geological Survey (BGS) NWE ENO INTERREG IIIB North West Europe