Coastal and transitional waters North East Atlantic geographic intercalibration group: Opportunistic macroalgae ecological assessment methods

• Main Authors: WILKES Robert, BEST Mike, SCANLAN C, ROSSI Nadege, KOLBE Kerstin, SALAS HERRERO Maria Fuensanta
• Language: English
• Published: Publications Office of the European Union 2018
• Subjects: North East Atlantic
• Online Access: https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC115074; https://doi.org/10.2760/167718

The European Water Framework Directive (WFD) requires the national classifications of good ecological status to be harmonised through an intercalibration exercise. In this exercise, significant differences in status classification among Member States are harmonized by comparing and, if necessary, adjusting the good status boundaries of the national assessment methods. Intercalibration is performed for rivers, lakes, coastal and transitional waters, focusing on selected types of water bodies (intercalibration types), anthropogenic pressures and Biological Quality Elements. Intercalibration exercises are carried out in Geographical Intercalibration Groups - larger geographical units including Member States with similar water body types - and followed the procedure described in the WFD Common Implementation Strategy Guidance document on the intercalibration process (European Commission, 2011). The Technical report on the Water Framework Directive intercalibration describes in detail how the intercalibration exercise has been carried out for the water categories and biological quality elements. The Technical report is organized in volumes according to the water category (rivers, lakes, coastal and transitional waters), Biological Quality Element and Geographical Intercalibration group. This volume addresses the intercalibration of the Coastal and Transitional Waters-North East Atlantic Opportunistic macroalgae ecological assessment methods. JRC.D.2 - Water and Marine Resources