New capability of monitoring and predicting marine ecosystems: the NECCTON project

The ocean is facing the triple planetary crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. Their impacts are monitored by the European Copernicus Marine Service, which integrates ocean observations and models to deliver routine information on ocean physical, ice, and biogeochemical variables. However, variables to monitor changes in marine biodiversity and pollution are not yet monitored directly.

New marine ecosystem variables characterizing the state of the ocean, its marine life, and climate and other human impacts are being developed for the Copernicus Marine Service by the European Horizon NECCTON project. This project has coupled models of ocean life (fish and marine mammals), benthic flora and fauna (e.g., seagrasses, bivalves, crabs), and marine stressors (e.g., metal and plastic pollution in the water column, bottom trawling, compound climate stressors) with the models that are run operationally in the Copernicus Marine Service.

Model outputs for twenty-seven new marine ecosystem variables, computed across all seas monitored by the Copernicus Marine Service, are presented in this contribution. Here, we discuss the insights into marine ecosystem state provided by these new variables. Their readiness level for operational production within Copernicus Marine is assessed. Future uptake by stakeholders is expected to enable new services for marine protected area monitoring and the sustainable management of fisheries.