One of the Marine Board’s assets is its capacity to catalyse the identification of research priorities through the setting up and support of Working Groups (WG). These WG are composed of high level European scientists who elaborate on marine science and technology topics which need to be addressed. In principle the expected output is a position paper to be used subsequently at national or European levels.

On going Working Groups

• Risk Assessment and Monitoring of Existing and Emerging New Chemicals in the European Marine and Coastal Environment

This Working Group aims at reviewing the need to monitor and assess the substances currently being monitored and/or assessed in the marine environment; reviewing the existing knowledge on the environmental effects and risks of chemicals released by the offshore oil-industry in the North Sea; analysing the existing methods used to evaluate the impact/risks of chemicals in marine systems, based on recent scientific knowledge; and proposing improved procedures and identify future R&D needs. Members only access here

• Science Dimensions of Ecosystem Approach to Management of Biotic Ocean Resources - SEAMBOR

The work of this Working Group is oriented towards the elicitation of the scientific needs to support the implementation of a proper ecosystem-based management of living resources. It relies on previous science documents that have been generated by ICES/EFARO initiatives with the objective to recommend new research processes and to complement ongoing activities for the further integration of ecosystem variability into institutional advice. Members only access here

Completed Working Groups

• Climate Change Impact
  Climate for the 21st century is expected to be largely different from the present and the recent past. Temperatures are rising, 1998 has broken the record of the last millennium and 2002 arrived just behind. Clearly our climate is changing rapidly and climate change will impact regional sea environments in different ways. In 2006, the Marine Board established a Working Group of Experts to prepare a Strategic Position Paper summarising predicted climate change impact scenarios for Europe’s Regional Seas and identifying future marine monitoring and R&D needs. This position paper has been launched in March 2007 and is downloadable here.
  Members only access here.
  
  
• Remote Sensing of Sea Shelf Ecosystems
  Approximately 50% of the area covered by Europe consists of the waters of shelf and semi-enclosed seas, which are of great importance to their neighbouring countries. In order to meet legislative obligations, as well as to provide comprehensive and immediate knowledge of conditions in the sea to those with responsibility for managing the health of the marine environment, regular monitoring of environmental processes in the shelf seas is required. In 2006, the Marine Board established a Working Group of Experts to write a Strategic Position Pape to address these issues. The final report will be published in the autumn 2007 and be downloadable on the Marine Board webpage. Members only access here.
  
  
• Ocean Research Fleets Working Group
  European research fleets represent a scientific infrastructure which needs both national funding and European support. To highlight these facts and to contribute to European research infrastructure integration, the Marine Board decided to create an Ocean Research Fleets Working Group (OFWG) composed of national fleet managers. Its mandate was to describe the existing fleets and their management, to formulate recommendations towards enhanced use and improved management at the European level. This position paper has been launched in March 2007 and is downloadable here.

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