Implementation of species and habitat Recommendations

Protective actions for each of the listed features are defined in the associated OSPAR Recommendation (OSPAR listed features).

The OSPAR Commission is working to ensure the protection of the species and habitats on the list either through its own programmes and measures or, where appropriate, through cooperation with other international authorities. Cooperation with other authorities is appropriate if the OSPAR Listed feature is threatened by human activities where management of the activity is not within the OSPAR legal competency but under that of another authority, for example fishing and deep sea mining.

The OSPAR Recommendations identify actions that are to be undertaken by each Contracting Party and actions undertaken by OSPAR collectively. Implementation of the collective actions is facilitated through a Roadmap for the implementation of collective actions within the Recommendations for the protection and conservation of OSPAR listed Species and Habitats shown in the dropdowns below.

Contracting Parties undertake regular cycles of implementation reporting to inform of the actions that have been undertaken. The year when the first implementation report is due is specified when each Recommendation is adopted. After the initial period, implementation reporting is required every six years.

With the aim to ensure a general level of protection from new human activities, the OSPAR Recommendation 2010‐05 recommends that the ‘OSPAR List of threatened and/or declining species and habitats’ is taken into consideration when assessments of environmental impacts (EIAs) of human activities are prepared. Environmental impact assessments of human activities are needed when the activities may affect the marine environment of the OSPAR maritime area. The latest overview assessment of OSPAR Recommendation 2010/5 on assessment of environmental impact in relation to threatened and/or declining species and habitats was published in 2018.