National interpretation in Marine Strategy part 2, monitoring
Marine Strategy part 2 comprises the monitoring programme. This shows an overview of the monitoring cycle, the monitoring strategy and the measurement programmes that the Netherlands is implementing to assess the status of the Dutch section of the North Sea. The data from the MSFD monitoring programme shall be processed to generate information and made accessible by institutions including the Informatiehuis Marien. The updated Marine Strategy part 2 was adopted by the government of the Netherlands on 4 September 2020.
Monitoring programme
The monitoring programme describes the way in which the Netherlands meets the obligation of monitoring environmental status in its own section of the North Sea and how this goes hand in hand with monitoring the implementation of the Birds and Habitats Directives. The starting point is the existing monitoring practice that stems from national and international obligations (such as the WFD, BD & HD/Natura 2000, CFP, IMO, OSPAR). The monitoring programme is updated annually on the basis of the latest developments, new insights, and international coordination within OSPAR and the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES).
The monitoring programme consists of two parts: part A develops the actual monitoring of the 32 indicators of the Marine Strategy in depth, while part B describes the monitoring cycle from information needs to the measurement plan inclusive. The measurement plan sketches the chain of steps that result in an approach that is both feasible and affordable for each cluster of indicators.
Informatiehuis Marien (IHM - Marine Information and Data Centre)
The IHM is a partnership of the ministries of Infrastructure and Water Management, Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, and Defence. The IHM offers a platform where data on the North Sea can be both found and shared. It also unlocks the government's marine data and prepares it so that the information is accessible.
The IHM is also responsible for the monitoring agenda and the operational coordination of monitoring under the MSFD.