On 10-11 June 2021, UNEP/MAP-SPA/RAC organized the CORMON Biodiversity & Fisheries meeting to discuss, in particular, the elements of monitoring and assessment of marine turtles, birds and mammals, and non-indigenous species

The implementation of the ecosystem approach within the Barcelona Convention is a living process. It is based on a system of governance structured around an Ecosystem Approach Coordination Group, the Focal Points of the MAP and its components, and three thematic Correspondence Groups on monitoring (CORMON). These three groups work respectively on the Good Environmental Status and Targets, monitoring and on economic and social analysis.

The main objective of the CORMON Biodiversity & Fisheries meeting, organised on 10-11 June 2021 by UNEP/MAP-SPA/RAC, was to review the following documents:

• Updated guidelines/protocols for monitoring common indicators 1 and 2 related to benthic habitats
• Monitoring and assessments elements (Assessment criteria/thresholds/baseline values) for the common indicators (CIs) 3, 4, 5 related to marine mammals and marine turtles and CI6 related to non-indigenous species
• Data dictionaries and data standards related to species
• Methodological approach for mapping interrelation between pressures-impacts and the status of marine ecosystem components for the biodiversity cluster; and
• Comparative analysis undertaken regarding IMAP and the European Commission GES Decision 2017/848/EU for biodiversity.

Several expert meetings beforehand 

At the last CORMON meeting on Biodiversity and Fisheries (Teleconference, 1-2 December 2020), participants agreed to reactivate the Online Working Groups (OWG) on Biodiversity Common Indicators. These working groups are intended to provide the necessary scientific support to the Biodiversity and Fisheries’ CORMON during the thematic intersessional meetings and to help revising the documents to be discussed at the next CORMON Biodiversity and Fisheries meetings.

Thematic experts designated by volunteer Contracting Parties compose the working groups.

Several of the documents to be presented at the CORMON meeting were revised by the experts of the online working groups between March and April 2021. Below is an overview of what was discussed by the experts.

Online Working Group on marine turtles
(Videoconference, 29 March 2021)
The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the project the draft document on the monitoring and assessment scales, assessment criteria, thresholds and baseline values of the IMAP common indicators 3, 4 and 5 on sea turtles.
This document presents information, perspectives and recommendations on i) revising the existing scales of monitoring, ii) establishing suitable scales of assessment and appropriate assessment criteria, and iii) establishing appropriate baseline and threshold values on which to base the assessment of the Good Environmental Status (GES) in the Mediterranean. The document is being elaborated with the financial support of the European Union (EU) in the framework of the IMAP-MPA project.

Online Working Group on marine mammals
(Videoconference, 7 April 2021)
The aim of the meeting was to discuss the draft document on the monitoring and assessment scales, assessment criteria, thresholds and baseline values of the IMAP common indicators 3, 4 and 5 on marine mammals.
This document contains the same elements as the document on marine turtles. It was also developed with financial support from the EU under the IMAP-MPA project.

Online Working Group on Non-Indigenous Species (NIS)
(Videoconference, 20 April 2021)
The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the revised Guidance Factsheet of the IMAP common indicator 6 (CI6) on NIS which reflects the proposed changes requested by the Contracting Parties during the Integrated Meetings of the Ecosystem Approach Correspondence Groups on IMAP Implementation (CORMONs), held by Videoconference, between 1 and 3 December 2020.
Discussions also focused on a draft document on the monitoring and assessment scales, assessment criteria and thresholds values of the IMAP CI6 on NIS. This document is being elaborated with the financial support of the EU in the framework of the IMAP-MPA project.

Online Working Group on sea birds
(Videoconference, 16 April 2021)
The discussion and consultation meeting focused on the species to be considered for the elaboration of monitoring and assessment scales, assessment criteria, thresholds and baseline values of the IMAP common indicators on sea birds.