Assessing benthic habitats’ sensitivity to human pressures: a methodological framework

00000Understanding benthic habitats’ sensitivity to anthropogenic pressures is central to the effective management of the marine environment and to deliver the objectives set out under European Directives (HD, MSFD, WFD). Sensitivity assessments help to: -identify those pressures that might impede the achievement of good environmental status (or favor able conservation status) for habitats, -assess habitats vulnerability or risk of being impacted by human activities, -identify and prioritise appropriate management measure that are consistent at a local, regional and national scale. The MNHN-SPN, at the request of the French Ministry of Environment, developed a scientific methodology to assess the sensitivity of French (mainland) benthic habitats to anthropogenic pressures, drawing on expertise from the wider scientific community. This methodology was developed to produce standardised results at a national level and to be consistent (insofar as possible) with other equivalent European methodologies, in order to support risk/vulnerability assessments at a national and international scale (under the HD, MSFD, OSPAR, etc.). The terminology, habitat and pressure units, methodological framework for marine habitat sensitivity evaluation as well as guidance on how to use the resulting evaluations are presented herein. Twelve physical pressures are defined in the document; other physical, biological and chemical pressures will be defined in the next phase of this project