Role of Case Studies in ATLAS

<p><strong>Role of Case Studies in ATLAS</strong></p> <p>Introductory presentation given at the 1st ATLAS General Assembly, June 2016. </p> <p>To achieve the trans-Atlantic scale and incorporate the diversity of sensitive Atlantic deep-water ecosystems, ATLAS has assembled 12 Case Studies that follow the major Atlantic current patterns. These were selected on basis of:</p> <ol> <li>proximity to Blue Growth activities;</li> <li>presence of focal ecosystems;</li> <li>availability of existing data/samples;</li> <li>and opportunities for offshore cruises during the ATLAS project.</li> </ol> <p>Research cruises for ATLAS are available from national contributions with additional shiptime provided by our N American partners and industry associate partners. ATLAS Case Studies lie along critical paths of the AMOC with some currently classified as VMEs or EBSAs or in areas that have been proposed as such. Case Studies cross-cut the project and give the biogeographic, regulatory and jurisdictional range needed to meet ATLAS’s objectives.