Using Decision Support Tools for effective planning of sea uses under an Ecosystem-based Approach

Marine ecosystems are facing more anthropogenic pressures than ever before, and the ecosystem-based approach (EbA) is recognized as the best practice for managing multiple ocean-use sectors, because it addresses their cumulative impacts on ecosystem components and looks at respective trade-offs. Ecosystem-based management (EBM) is however portrayed as too complex to be fully implemented, and tackling existing challenges is key to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Marine spatial planning (MSP), being a process that has the potential to balance demands for ocean space with environmental protection, is increasingly considered crucial for achieving global ocean goals.This study was conducted at the Diapontia plateau in the Ionian Sea, representing a rather pristine natural environment; part of the area is a Natura 2000 site for migrating birds, while other conservation priority species, such as the loggerhead turtles and the monk seals, exist there. Regarding human activities, transport services connecting the Islands with Corfu, fishing and particularly small scale that is conducted by the few fishers inhabiting the islets, as well as recreational boating during summer months are those that mainly take place. In this rather unspoilt environment, there are official plans for the establishment of an offshore wind farm (OWF) that will promote the islands’ energy self-sufficiency, in line with prerequisites set by the EU Green Deal. The strategic environmental assessment that was conducted to accommodate OWF planning in Greek waters was based on broad-scale low-resolution data, and in fact, the latter is one of the reasons, proclaimed by the local communities for being against the establishment of the specific OWF. Hence, the aim of this effort was to investigate potential conflicts between key ecosystem components and the future use of energy production via the proposed OWF. In this vein, the Netica Bayesian Network (BN) software has been applied to investigate potential conflicts and/or synergies. The BN Network analyzes the aforementioned interactions as a function of the intensity of sea uses existing at a properly defined spatial scale and the sensitivity of the respective ecosystem components to those uses. Indeed, as both data accuracy and resolution influence the interpretation of cumulative impact assessment (CIA) outcomes, the results reflecting the relative extent of potential impacts may differ depending on the scale and spatial resolution used in the assessment. What is more, spatial interactions among existing uses and the potential installation of the OWF were explored through spatial analysis, in the frame of which, each activity has been characterized by a set of factors including its vertical, spatial, and temporal scale and whether it is mobile or fixed. Outcomes, based on the application of the aforementioned decision support tools (DSTs) contribute to filling fine-scale analysis gaps, elucidating thus potential interactions with conservation priority habitats/species, as well as between uses competing for the same marine space. Robust scientific advice, stemming from efforts linked to the effective implementation of the EU MSP Directive, is crucial for developing comprehensive tailor-made spatial plans, based on the respective characteristics of social-ecological systems, promoting the EbA in decision-making.