Last month, the EFFECTIVE project proudly supported a crucial workshop hosted by our partner, Ocean Ecostructures, that brought together a diverse group of scientists to advance the concept of Good Environmental Status (GES) within selected Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).

Held on July 2nd at the Biblioteca Municipal de L’Estartit in Girona, Spain, the session was highly productive. It marked a significant first step in downscaling GES to specific MPAs, a critical task for the project. We convened a robust panel of experts, each bringing invaluable knowledge to the table. Specialists in marine ecology, fisheries science, oceanography, biodiversity conservation, and environmental monitoring were all represented, ensuring comprehensive coverage of the relevant fields.

Key outcomes from the discussions include the foundation for a pressure matrix, which will be vital for next year’s decision-making tool for the Ecosystem Based Management System, and the initial groundwork for a scientific paper. This collaborative effort underscores our commitment to strengthening the robustness of future work within the EFFECTIVE project!