QUIETSEAS
QUIETSEAS is a project funded by the DG Environment of the European Commission within the “DG ENV/MSFD 2020 call”, aiming to support the practical development of the second implementation cycle under the MSFD for D11 (underwater noise). The full project title is “Assisting (sub) regional cooperation for the practical implementation of the MSFD second cycle by providing methods and tools for D11 (underwater noise)” and it covers thematic priorities 1e), 1f) and 2b) of the call by i) identifying specific impact indicators (for sensitive species-marine mammals) to enable D11C2 risk-based assessment; ii) promoting the consolidation of pressure and impact indicators for D11C1; iii) providing common methodologies to facilitate the implementation of assessment frameworks and setting thresholds values; iv) delivering two tools for effective risk based management of D11C1 and D11C2 to assist regional and subregional cooperation for the GES assessment ; v) assessing the effectiveness of potential coordinated measures to reduce the pressure caused by the opportunistic slowdown of the maritime traffic during COVID-19 and vi) building capacities to ensure knowledge transfer, capitalization of results beyond the life of the project and results that align with and support MSFD.
To achieve its main goal, QUIETSEAS proposes a comprehensive work plan that breaks down into nine (9) activities to address the four (4) main thematic blocks according to the specific objectives (SO) proposed: Thematic Block 1 (TB1) – Indicators and thresholds (SO1, SO2 and SO3), Thematic Block 2 (TB2) – Coordinated (sub) regional assessment (SO4), Thematic Block 3 (TB3) – Measures (SO5) and Thematic Block 4 (TB4) – (Sub)regional cooperation (SO6).
The consortium brings together 10 entities from 10 countries (Cyprus, Denmark, France, Greece, Italy, Monaco, Slovenia, Spain, Romania and Tunis). The eight of them share sub-regions in the Mediterranean Sea (the Western Mediterranean Sea, the Adriatic Sea, the Ionian Sea and the Central Mediterranean Sea, the Aegean-Levantine Sea), while the sister basin of Black Sea will be also studied. France and Denmark are representatives of the North East Atlantic Ocean, thus contributing to the exchange of knowledge between regions. The entities participating in QUIETSEAS are some of the most relevant organisations in each country for supporting the Competent Authorities in the implementation of the MSFD. The two (2) non-EU countries, Monaco and Tunis, are represented by: i) ACCOBAMS which has been appointed by the Secretariat of the Barcelona Convention (UNEP/MAP) to develop a basin-wide strategy for underwater noise monitoring in the Mediterranean, and ii) SPA/RAC, key actor in the implementation of the Ecosystem Approach (EcAp) also supporting the work carried out by UNEP/MAP.
The project is coordinated by CTN (Spain). HCMR is a main partner of the project’s consortium and leader of the Activity 4 (Specificities for the practical implementation of the Assessment Framework for Continuous Noise (D11C2) at (sub)regional level (Mediterranean Sea and Black Sea Regions)).
Geographic Coverage: Mediterranean and Black Seas; also European - Cyprus, Denmark, France, Greece, Italy, Monaco, Slovenia, Spain, Romania, Tunisia (partners in alphabetical order)
Duration: 24 months (start: 1st February 2021)
Project website: http://www.quietseas.eu