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The Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD)
From Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Published on
Last updated on
The Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) is European legislation which aims to achieve Good Environment Status (GES) for all marine waters in Europe and protect the resource base for marine related economic and social activities.
It was adopted on June 17th, 2008, establishing a framework for EU Community Action specifically regarding marine environmental policy.
The MSFD is implemented in cycles of 6 years, with member state being obliged to report to the EU every 2 years. Ireland has reached the end of cycle 2, and cycle 3 (2023 – 2028) is underway.
The third cycle of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive. The MSFD is implemented through a national Marine Strategy. This strategy is split into three parts; each part is reported in 2 year intervals.
The MSFD places obligations on European member states to ensure Good Environmental Status (GES) is achieved and maintained in our marine waters. (The term ‘marine waters’ includes our coastal and outer marine areas, the seabed, and appropriate subsoil areas).
By achieving and maintaining Good Environmental Status (GES) in the marine environment our seas will be:
Under Article 3 of the General Provisions of the MSFD ‘good environmental status’ means the environmental status of marine waters where these provide ecologically diverse and dynamic oceans and seas which are clean, healthy and productive within their intrinsic conditions, and the use of the marine environment is at a level that is sustainable, thus safeguarding the potential for uses and activities by current and future generations.
Because of the wide scope of marine issues, four other government departments work with us to complete the work required by the directive. These are the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Transport, the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, and the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications. The Marine Institute will also have a major role to play in the delivery of the Directive.
There are eleven categories by which Good Environmental Status is measured and monitored. These are:
1. Biological diversity
2. Non-indigenous species
3. Population of commercial fish / shellfish
4. Elements of marine food webs
5. Eutrophication
6. Sea floor integrity
7. Alteration of hydrographical conditions
8. Concentration of contaminations
9. Contaminants in fish / seafood for human consumption
10. Marine Litter
11. Introduction of energy including underwater noise
In order to achieve and maintain Good Environmental Status a number of steps are taken including assessing the current status of the marine environment, developing monitoring programmes to collect data on the marine environment, identifying environmental targets and developing actions, i.e. the Programme of Measures (POMs) to ensure all descriptors reach or maintain GES.
Irelands Marine Strategy Part 1 incorporated an Assessment of the Marine Environment (Article 8), determination of Good Environmental Status (Article 9) and the establishment of Environmental Targets and Indicators (Article 10). In 2020, Ireland reported its Marine Strategy Part 1 under cycle 2 of the MSFD. In this assessment five of the 11 descriptors achieved or maintained GES. This included non-indigenous species, eutrophication, hydrographical conditions, contaminants and contaminants in seafood.
GES was also achieved for certain features assessed under two descriptors; marine litter (beach litter) and noise (impulsive noise). A lack of data and methodologies prevented assessment of the remaining features for these two descriptors. In addition, three descriptors partially achieved GES: biodiversity, commercial fish and shellfish and sea floor integrity. Some elements of the primary criteria for these descriptors did not achieve GES and some elements and criteria were not assessed.
Ireland’s 2020 Marine Strategy Part 1: Art 8, 9 and 10 Assessment can be found here:
Information on GES assessments reported by all EU member states can be found at Marine water information for Europe
Ireland is currently updating its Marine Strategy Part 1. A public consultation on this strategy was launched on 17 July 2024 and will run for 10 weeks. Details of the Public Consultation on Ireland’s Marine Strategy Framework Directive Marine Strategy Part 1: Assessment (Article 8), Determination of Good Environmental Status (Article 9) and Environmental Targets (Article 10) .
In 2021, Ireland reviewed its monitoring programmes for the 11 descriptors of the MSFD. The main purpose of these monitoring programmes is to gather scientific data and information to enable the ongoing assessment of Ireland’s marine environment. The newly revised monitoring strategy included 20 monitoring programmes and 36 surveys or campaigns. This included revisions to 5 existing monitoring programmes, or their associated assessments, and more than 10 new surveys or campaigns that were not captured in the first cycle.
Ireland’s 2021 Marine Strategy Part 2: Monitoring Programmes can be found Article 17 Update to Ireland's Marine Strategy Part 2 .
Irelands Programme of Measures (PoMs) was first developed in 2015. The 2022 updated PoMs includes 152 measures (Figure 1.4). This reflects the consolidation of 227 existing measures brought forward from 2015 to 112, the modification of 28 measures and the development of 12 new measures. New and/or updated measures have been included for all 11 descriptors of the MSFD. Ireland’s PoMs is built on existing national, European and International policy frameworks. The programme comprises a suite of actions targeting biodiversity, non-indigenous species, pollution, underwater noise, marine litter and the impacts of increased human activity.
A commitment to develop Nature-based Solutions in coastal and marine systems is included; with the goal of protecting biodiversity while safeguarding and improving resilience to climate change and supporting ecosystem services such as nutrient regulation.
The delivery of Irelands Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) ambitions is a key action under the programme with 10 % coverage expected as soon as is practical and 30 % MPAs by 2030. You can follow the progress of the MPA Bill here: Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) - Ireland .
Ireland’s 2022 Marine Strategy Part 3: Programme of Measures can be found Article 17 update to Ireland’s Marine Strategy Part 3 .
Ireland (as one of only 3 island Member States of the EU) occupies a relatively unique position within the greater marine territories of the EU. Situated off the west coast of mainland Europe we share sea borders with our UK neighbours and our marine area extends to the west and north of the North East Atlantic Ocean region – Ireland’s Marine Area .
As an island nation we rely heavily on our seas’ for employment, energy, food and associated resources, leisure, wellbeing and tourism, transport, communications and education and research. A significant level of our culture and heritage is integrally embedded within our relationship with the marine environment.
The transboundary nature of the marine environment requires a similar coordinated approach to management across territorial boundaries. This ensures comparable and consistent implementation of the MSFD across EU Member States and facilitates cooperation between large and small states with benefits in terms of access to scientific data, best practise methodologies and policy and scientific expertise. Regional coordination is facilitated through participation in collaborative EU, regional and international governance structures and can result in multiple benefits.
Ireland works regionally with 15 other countries in the North East Atlantic and the European Commission through the Oslo Paris Convention for the North East Atlantic (OSPAR) to deliver an overarching North-East Atlantic Environment Strategy to 2030, which was signed by all 16 contracting parties, including Ireland in 2021. Through work in OSPAR common assessments and actions are delivered to understand and protect the marine environment.
Nationally, facilitating all interested parties to play an active role in the MSFD process ensures the needs of all stakeholders are considered including civic society, scientific experts, and policy levels other government departments and agencies and environmental non-government organisations (eNGO’s).
This includes engagement through the MSFD National Steering Group; public consultations on key elements of Ireland’s marine strategies; technical groups, workshops and stakeholder forums as specified in Article 19 of the MSFD Directive Marine Strategy Framework Directive (2008/56/EC)
MSFD implementation nationally incorporates an ecosystem-based approach to management. An ecosystem approach is one “which integrates the connections between land, air, water and all living things including human beings and their institutions”.
The ecosystem-based approach recognises that human social systems occur within, and are entirely dependent on, the ecosystems that contain them. Hence protecting the environment must go hand-in-hand with maintaining sustainable use of the marine area thus protecting the seas capacity to deliver services for present and future generations.
For further information on the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, please contact the marine environment section of the department at marine.env@housing.gov.ie