OBAMA-NEXT Publishes Two Policy Briefs to Support EU Marine Biodiversity Policy
OBAMA-NEXT has produced two policy briefs addressing critical gaps in marine biodiversity monitoring and offering recommendations to support EU environmental directives. These outputs contribute directly to the project’s objective of aligning science and innovation with policy implementation.
The first brief, Towards Integrated Monitoring of Pelagic Ecosystems, focuses on plankton and pelagic biodiversity. It emphasises the value of innovative indicators and methods, including flow cytometry and molecular approaches (eDNA), to monitor ecosystem health and changes in plankton communities across European seas. The recommendations support enhanced coherence across Member States’ monitoring efforts and strengthen the evidence base for regional and EU policy frameworks.
The second brief, Advancing Benthic Monitoring for Marine Biodiversity Policy Implementation, outlines the need for harmonised monitoring approaches and better integration of technologies such as remote sensing, eDNA, and habitat modelling. The brief highlights how these tools can improve assessments of benthic habitat condition and ecosystem function, with direct relevance for the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), the Habitats Directive, and the Nature Restoration Regulation.
Both briefs consolidate knowledge generated through OBAMA-NEXT’s Information Products, ensuring that scientific advances are translated into practical, policy-relevant guidance.
Read the briefs:
- Pelagic Policy Brief: https://zenodo.org/records/17712335
- Benthic Policy Brief: https://zenodo.org/records/17712432
