The impact of fishing on benthic habitats has previously been investigated however; a conclusive classification of potentially sensitive habitats per gear type does not exist. Currently only qualitative estimates of fishery impact using Broad-scale habitat maps are possible. Here a sensitivity matrix using both fishing pressure (fishing Intensity) and habitat sensitivity is employed to define habitat disturbance categories. The predominant fishing activities associated with physical abrasion of the seafloor area are from bottom contacting towed fishing gear. The swept area of the aforementioned gear in contact with the seabed is generally considered a function of gear width, vessel speed and fishing effort (ICES. 2015). The varying characteristics of fishing gear, their interaction with the sea floor and species being targeted; provide scope for differing interactions with subsurface (infaunal) and surface (epifaunal) dwelling communities. An evaluation of the abrasion pressure and habitat sensitivity split into surface and subsurface pressure allows greater insight to the ecological effects. Fishing intensity was calculated annually and based on the area of sea floor being swept (or swept area ratio SAR) by gear type. Calculations are based on SAR’s of gear types per area, per year. Fishing pressure ranks and habitat sensitivity ranks obtained from WGSFD working group (01 WGSFD - Report of the Working Group on Spatial Fisheries Data 2015) can be incorporated within a GIS environment to existing ICES fisheries data to provide habitat disturbance maps (fishing pressure maps+ habitat sensitivity maps) ICES. 2015. Report of the Working Group on Spatial Fisheries Data (WGSFD), 8–12 June 2015, ICES Headquarters, Copenhagen, Denmark. ICES CM 2015/SSGEPI:18. 150 pp.

Intermediate Assessment 2017 - Seabed Litter - Litter is widespread on the seafloor across the area assessed, with plastic being the predominant material encountered. In the areas assessed, higher amounts of litter are found in the Eastern Bay of Biscay, Southern Celtic Seas and English Channel relative to the north of the Greater North Sea and Celtic Seas.

Portal to view and download observations of Vulnerable Marine Ecosystem (VME) indicators and habitats in the North Atlantic. A central portal for data on the distribution and abundance of Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs), (and organisms considered to be indicators of VMEs) across the North Atlantic has been set up by the Joint ICES/NAFO Working Group on Deep-water Ecology (WGDEC). Criteria used to select habitats and indicators for inclusion in the database were those described in the FAO International Guidelines for the Management of Deep-sea Fisheries in the High Seas (FAO, 2009). The database is comprised of: - 'VME habitats' that are records for which there is unequivocal evidence for a VME, e.g. ROV observations of a coral reef - 'VME indicators' which are records that suggest the presence of a VME with varying degrees of uncertainty. For VME indicators a weighting system of vulnerability and uncertainty is provided as part of the database to aid interpretation. The VME database may be used for many purposes. ICES uses it when providing scientifically-robust advice on the distribution of VMEs and recommending possible management solutions such as bottom fishing closures within North East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC)​ waters to protect VMEs.

Specification of the desirable and recommended products attributes for generating spatial layers of sea mid-water and sea-bottom temperature for the last 10, 50 and 100 years for the Mediterranean basin and for each NUTS3 region along the coast.

The database on shellfish aquaculture in the EU was created in 2014 by AND-International for the European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet). It is the result of the aggregation and harmonization of datasets provided by national sources across the EU (plus Norway) and by the project Euroshell. Data are available for viewing and download on EMODnet - Human Activities web portal (www.emodnet-humanactivities.eu). The database contains points representing shellfish farms or shellfish production areas (depending on available data) in the following countries: Bulgaria, Denmark, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway and United Kingdom. Spanish data is provided separately through WMS services. Data is missing for Germany, Portugal, Sweden, Croatia and Slovenia. Except for Germany, the shellfish production remains limited in those MS. There is no production in other MS. Each point has the following attributes (where available): status (active, inactive), country, owner name, farm type (Mussels, Oysters, Mussels-Oysters, Clams, Specialised (other), Mixed (other)), production method (Long lines, Trestles or trays, Tanks, Rafts, Beds, Raceways), production stage (Grow out for human consumption, Hatchery, Nursery, Broodstock, Reproduction, Harvest, Other), purpose (Commercial, Research, Education, Display, Other), species detailed (English translation of the information provided on species grown or authorised in the source), point information (Polygon centroid, Original) depending on how the information is provided in the source (polygons or points), site_id, distance to coast (metres), position from coastline (At sea, within the coastline). The farm type relies on a typology established by AND-International, based on available information on species grown or authorised. A relational table provides harmonised information about species grown or authorised using Eurostat nomenclature for the Species Group (Mussels; Oysters; Clams, cockles, arkshells; Scallops, pectens; Abalones, winkles, conchs; Sea-urchins and other echinoderms) and when available the species name (e.g. Blue mussels - Mytilus edulis). The distance to coast (EEA coastline shapefile) has been calculated using the original data map projections, where available. In the other cases it was used the UTM WGS84 Zone projected coordinate system where data fall in. Compared with the previous version this new version has been not only updated but was also reviewed (dataset schema and attributes values), in order to add information on production methods, production stages and purposes and to provide a more useful typology based on species grown. Data from Norway and Bulgaria have been added. Data from France relies on cadastral data rather than large production areas in the previous database.