Marine Habitats
Conventions and Legislation
OSPAR - Oslo and Paris Convention
EC Habitats Directive
EU Water Framework Directive
Convention on Biological Diversity
Data Management
Monitoring and surveillance
Habitat Mapping
EUNIS Classification
Marine Habitat Classification

Ecological Quality Objectives (EcoQOs)

A series of EcoQOs are being developed for the North Sea that aim to provide a means of assessing the ecological status of the North Sea ecosystem. EcoQOs are being developed for aspects of the sea mammal, seabird, fish, benthic and plankton communities together with habitats, nutrient budgets, oxygen consumption and threatened species. The EcoQOs are at various stages of development and the EcoQO project as a whole is being evaluated before deciding whether to move to an implementation phase. JNCC has led the development of EcoQOs for seals, harbour porpoises and black-legged kittiwakes.