Three initial OSPAR tests of ecological coherence: heuristics in a data-limited situation

As marine protected area (MPA) networks become established worldwide, it will be necessary to track the progress made in meeting the networks' underlying ecological goals. The 12 coastal European nations of the OSPAR Convention have agreed to establish an "ecologically coherent" network of MPAs within the waters of the Northeast Atlantic by 2010. However, the meaning of ecological coherence has not been explicitly defined, and it has not been explained how it can be assessed. OSPAR's work on this topic over the past 4 years is summarized here. As the 2010 deadline approaches, the urgency to assess ecological coherence increases. Proper scientific assessment is hampered by the current lack of detailed ecological data, and policy-makers are concerned that collecting data for indicators will tax already limited resources. Unconventional approaches that can make do with what little information is available are being developed, and three initial spatial tests are presented here. A personal perspective of lessons learnt is provided.