Mapping Atlantic Area seabed habitats for better marine management

The Mesh Atlantic project aimed to promote harmonised production and use of marine habitat maps covering the Atlantic Area by adapting and enhancing previous achievements in this area.

The project undertook four main activities:

• Collation of existing maps and seabed habitat data and ensuring this data is harmonized in accordance with EU requirements (EUNIS classification) and across countries;
• New surveys, to test collaborative approaches to seabed mapping and improving existing knowledge on southern Atlantic sea bed habitats. This included mapping of some MPAs as pilot sites;
• Making new maps of local level MPA sites and for local/regional management, and a broad scale seabed map for EU policy making;
• Communication and dissemination of results – dialogue with scientists, policy makers, fishing communities, NGOs and other stakeholders that use seabed maps has been an important part of the project. External communication with the public has also helped to raise awareness of the work being undertaken.

The final outputs of Mesh Atlantic include a web-based GIS portal for seabed mapping. This data has now been incorporated into EMODnet’s Seabed Habitats portal.

Project partners:

• Institut Français de Recherche pour l'Exploitation de la Mer - Lead Partner (FR)
• Universidade do Algarve (PT)
• Instituto das Pescas da Investigação e do Mar (PT)
• Universidade de Aveiro (PT)
• Universidade dos Açores (PT)
• Instituto Español de Oceanografia (ES)
• Fundacion AZTI - AZTI Fundazioa (ES)
• Institut des Milieux Aquatiques (FR)
• Marine Institute (Foras na Mara) (IE)
• DIREN Bretagne (FR)
• Instituto da Conservação da Natureza e Biodiversidade, I.P. (PT)