The EuroGOOS Coastal working group examines the entire coastal value chain from coastal observations to services for coastal users. The main objective of the working group is to review the status quo, identify gaps and future steps needed to secure and improve the sustainability of the European coastal service provision. Within this framework, our white paper defines a EuroGOOS roadmap for sustained “community coastal downstream service” provision, provided by a broad EuroGOOS community with focus on the national and local scale services. After defining the coastal services in this context, we describe the main components of coastal service provision and explore community benefits and requirements through sectoral examples (aquaculture, coastal tourism, renewable energy, port, cross-sectoral) together with the main challenges and barriers to user uptake. Technology integration challenges are outlined with respect to multiparameter observations, multi-platform observations, the land-coast-ocean continuum, and multidisciplinary data integration. Finally, the technological, financial, and institutional sustainability of coastal observing and coastal service provision are discussed. The paper gives special attention to the delineation of upstream and downstream services, public-private partnerships and the important role of Copernicus in better covering the coastal zone. Therefore, our white paper is a policy and practice review providing a comprehensive overview, in-depth discussion and actionable recommendations (according to key short-term or medium-term priorities) on the envisaged elements of a roadmap for sustained coastal service provision. EuroGOOS, as an entity that unites European national operational oceanography centres, research institutes and scientists across various domains within the broader field of operational oceanography, offers to be the engine and intermediary for the knowledge transfer and communication of experiences, best practices and information, not only amongst its members, but also amongst the different (research) infrastructures, institutes and agencies that have interests in coastal oceanography in Europe
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RBINS Staff Publications 2023
The study of stranded animals is a valuable aid to monitoring marine mammals globally. However, the utility of strandings data depends on their quality and representativeness, which is affected by various biological, physical, social and economic factors. An analysis of how stranding networks work could help understand limitations in the data collected and facilitate correcting for or even eliminating them. In 2021, the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea’s Working Group on Marine Mammal Ecology carried out an expert consultation using a questionnaire to provide insight into the contribution of European stranding networks as a monitoring tool in European countries with Northeast Atlantic and adjacent coasts (hence also including some networks operating along the Mediterranean coast). A key aim was to identify ways to improve data on mortality of marine mammals due to fishery bycatch. The present paper is the first of a two-part series based on the responses to the questionnaire by 45 organisations from 19 countries, and focuses on characterising the activities and capacities of the stranding networks surveyed, identifying differences within and between countries, highlighting strengths and weaknesses, and providing recommendations to enhance the value and credibility of the information collected. The second paper will focus on the information specifically related to mortality due to fishery bycatch. Stranding networks provide extensive spatio-temporal coverage of European coastlines, but their activities may be constrained by limited resources as well as limitations imposed by the stranding process. There is a need for better coordination and standardisation of the collection and analysis of data and samples and increased spatial coverage to fill gaps. To improve data quality, in particular to support assessment of impacts of threats such as bycatch, more necropsies and associated sample analysis are needed. It would also be advantageous to collect more information from less fresh animals, record search effort, and give greater attention to pinnipeds and non-marine mammal taxa. We also highlight the need to make information available and the potential value of a common database. Streamlining the reporting of results at the European level and providing systematic funding to stranding networks in accordance with their needs are necessary steps to optimise their role as a tool for the long-term monitoring of marine mammals and other marine megafauna in Europe.
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RBINS Staff Publications 2025
