National implementation of Marine Strategy Part 2 - Monitoring
Marine Strategy Part 2 sets out the monitoring programme, providing an overview of the monitoring cycle, the monitoring strategy and the measurement programmes carried out by the Netherlands to assess the status of the Dutch section of the North Sea.
Data collected through the MSFD monitoring programme are processed into usable information and made accessible by, among others, the Marine Information and Data Centre (Informatiehuis Marien).
The updated Marine Strategy Part 2 was adopted by the Dutch Cabinet on 4 September 2020.
Monitoring programme
The monitoring programme outlines how the Netherlands fulfils its obligation to monitor the environmental status of its section of the North Sea, including the monitoring required for the implementation of the Birds and Habitats Directives (VHR). The programme builds on existing monitoring practices stemming from both national and international obligations, such as the Water Framework Directive (WFD), VHR/Natura 2000, Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), IMO and the OSPAR Convention.
The monitoring programme is updated annually, incorporating the latest developments, new scientific insights and international coordination, particularly within the frameworks of OSPAR and the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES).
The programme is divided into two parts. Part A provides a detailed elaboration of the concrete monitoring approach for the 32 indicators used in the Marine Strategy. Part B describes the full monitoring cycle, from information needs to the actual measurement plan. For each cluster of indicators, the measurement plan outlines the sequential steps that lead to an implementable and cost-effective monitoring strategy.
Marine Information and Data Centre (Informatiehuis Marien – IHM)
The Marine Information and Data Centre (IHM) is a collaborative initiative between the Ministries of Infrastructure and Water Management; Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature; and Defence. It provides a platform for both accessing and sharing data on the North Sea.
IHM contributes to making marine data from the Dutch national government accessible and discoverable, for example by publishing datasets through the Open Data Viewer. The centre is also responsible for maintaining the monitoring agenda and for the operational coordination of the MSFD monitoring activities.