Title:

QUIETMED2 Project « Joint Programme for GES assessment on D11-noise in the Mediterranean Marine Region »

Execution and partners:

QuietMED2 is a project developed by a consortium made up of 11 entities including SPA/RAC, and coordinated by the CTN-Marine Technology Center del Mar.

Background:

Underwater noise is considered as a major threat to cetacean. Monitoring underwater noise is a component of the regional policies related to the marine environment monitoring, in particular within the framework of the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), as well as its complementary process at the Mediterranean level within the Ecosystem Approach (EcAp) process led by the Barcelona Convention (UNEP/MAP) to reduce its impact on marine biodiversity, in particular on cetaceans.

Several important achievements were obtained in the framework of the EU funded QuietMed Project.

The ACCOBAMS Permanent Secretariat, in collaboration with specific experts, lead and/or contribute to several activities in particular the development of guidance on underwater-noise modelling and mapping, the development of a regional noise register.

QUIETMED2 Project is the continuity of these processes and aims to Strength synergies with these processes to harmonize and coordinate approaches and to not duplicate efforts.

The project goals:

The project aims to support Member States Competent Authorities in the Assessment of the extent to which GES on Descriptor 11-Underwater noise, has been achieved in the Mediterranean Region by providing practical outcomes to implement the new GES Decision through:

• A joint proposal of a candidate for an impulsive noise indicator in the Mediterranean Region.
• A common methodology for competent authorities to establish thresholds values, together with associated lists of elements and integration rules.
• A data and information tool to support the implementation of the monitoring programmes of impact of impulsive noise based on the current ACCOBAMS register which will be demonstrated on
• An operational pilot of the tool.
• Several activities to boost current regional cooperation efforts of Barcelona Convention developing new Mediterranean region cooperation measures.

Activities:

the project includes 3 axes of activities, each axis representing a priority:

Priority 1. Support the assessment of GES on D11 in MED Region

• Joint Proposal of a candidate for an impulsive noise indicator in MED area.
• Assessment on existing guidelines and tools on biodiversity protection.
• Joint proposal of a methodology to establish thresholds in the Med area.
• Training session I and a workshop for Competent Authorities on GES.

Priority 2. Complete gaps in monitoring data D11. Information and collection tools

• Information tool to support the update monitoring programmes of the impulsive noise impact indicator.
• Operational pilot of an impulsive noise impact monitoring.

Priority 3. MED Region coordinated measures

• Dissemination and communication
• ACCOBAMS joint register promotion
• Training session II for Competent Authorities on regionally coordinated measures

Beneficiaries coutnries:

Spain, Italy, Malta, Greece, Cyprus, Croatia, Slovenia and Denmark.

Duration:

This Project has a duration of 24 months starting on February 2019.

Funding:

This project has received funding from DG Environment of the European Commission within the “DG ENV/MSFD 2018 call” under grant agreement No. 110661/2018/794481/SUB/ENV.C2

For more information on the QuietMed2 Project, please contact

Lobna BEN NAKHLA
Program officer - species conservation
lobna.bennakhla@spa-rac.org

For more information on the QuietMed2 Project, visit the project Website:https://quietmed2.eu/

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