OSPAR Science Agenda Knowledge Gap Portal
Welcome to the OSPAR Science Agenda knowledge gap portal. The page showcases important scientific questions and evidence needs identified by OSPAR to help protect and sustainably manage the North-East Atlantic. Use the filters and search options below to explore knowledge gaps by topic, category, region, and status, or browse visually to discover areas where new research, data, or collaborations are needed. The aim is to make it easy for anyone - scientists, funders, and policy makers to understand the current priorities, access key details, and get involved in helping to close these important gaps for a healthier ocean future.
Showing 276 - 300 of 539 items
Basking shark: Impacts of range shift in prey species, climate change, coastal development and potential habitats in MSP
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Impacts of range shifts in prey species as well as ocean warming and acidification should be investigated. Special attention should be drawn to any coastal development project, and potential habitat and/or hotspots included in national or regional marine spatial planning frameworks
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Status assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D1C2, D1C3
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Status Assessment 2021 - Basking shark
Basking shark: Critical areas
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: The importance of individual gatherings of basking sharks in the OSPAR Region is unknown at the global scale, but they might be associated with critical areas linked to foraging or reproduction
Topics:
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Status assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D1C4
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Status Assessment 2021 - Basking shark
Common skate: Further information on stock delineation, habitat use, and discarding
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Further studies on stock delineation, habitat use, and discarding could inform future management options
Topics:
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Status assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D1C4
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Status Assessment 2021 - Common skate
Common skate: Southern geographical limits
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Southern geographical limits need to be better understood
Topics:
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Status assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D1C4
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Status Assessment 2021 - Common skate
Common skate: Knowledge on essential habitats for spatial management measures
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Information on both species’ essential habitats for reproduction, nursery grounds, and feeding is needed to assess options for potential spatial management measures.
Topics:
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Status assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D1C4
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Status Assessment 2021 - Common skate
European eel: data on impacts of non-fisheries threats on status
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Increased data collection and development of data collection infrastructure to better acknowledge the impacts of non-fisheries threats on eel status
Topics:
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Status assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D1C2
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Status Assessment 2022 - European eel
European eel: Overview of the prevalence, abundance and condition over the distribution area
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Studies to gain an overview of the prevalence, abundance and condition of the eels over its distribution area and to assess the effects of contaminants and disease factors on lipid metabolism, condition, migration capacities and reproduction
Topics:
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Status assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D1C3, D1C4
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Status Assessment 2022 - European eel
Gulper shark: Distribution and stock structure
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: For the NE Atlantic, the knowledge on distribution and stock structure is very deficient. There is a need for increased and rigorous monitoring of deep-water shark populations.
Topics:
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Status assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D1C4
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Status Assessment 2021 - Gulper Shark
Gulper shark: Life-history and biological information
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Life-history and biological information are significantly lacking
Topics:
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Status assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D1C3
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Status Assessment 2021 - Gulper Shark
Porbeagle: Life history and population trends
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Research is needed on life-history, population trends of porbeagles
Topics:
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Status assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D1C3
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Status Assessment 2021 - Porbeagle
Porbeagle: Discard survival
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Research is needed on discard survival of porbeagles
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Status assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D1C3
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Status Assessment 2021 - Porbeagle
Deep-water sharks: Increase in population monitoring
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Increased and rigorous monitoring of deep-water shark populations
Topics:
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Status assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D1C3
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Status Assessment 2021 - Portuguese dogfish
Atlantic Salmon: Extend of the effects of climate change
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Limited data and understanding on the extent of the effects of climate change.
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Status assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D1C2
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Status Assessment 2022 - Atlantic salmon
Atlantic Salmon: Multiple pressures in different life stages
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Combined effect from multiple pressures during different life stages
Topics:
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Status assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D1C2
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Status Assessment 2022 - Atlantic salmon
Sea lamprey: lamprey-host interaction
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: More information is needed concerning the dynamic lamprey-host interactions
Topics:
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Status assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D1C3
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Status Assessment 2022 - Sea lamprey
Sea lamprey: Limiting factors for the number of spawners
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Studies on oceanographic limiting factors affecting the number of spawners
Topics:
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Status assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D1C3
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Status Assessment 2022 - Sea lamprey
Spurdog: Growth parameters and natural mortality
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Updated and validated growth parameters and better estimates of natural mortality
Topics:
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Status assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D1C3
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Status Assessment 2021 - Spurdog
Leatherback turtle: Contaminants and movement (via satellite tagging)
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Measuring the impact of contaminants on marine turtles, satellite tagging studies would help to increase knowledge on the movements.
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Status assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D1C2
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Status Assessment 2022 - Leatherback turtle
Loggerhead turtle: Condition and health
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Information on condition and health aspects of the species are uncertain.
Topics:
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Status assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D1C3
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Status Assessment 2022 - Loggerhead turtle
Loggerhead turtle: Post-release mortality
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Studies to estimate post-release mortality are required.
Topics:
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Status assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D1C1
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Status Assessment 2022 - Loggerhead turtle
Loggerhead turtle: Impact of contaminants
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Measuring the impact of contaminants on marine turtles,
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Status assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D1C2
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Status Assessment 2022 - Loggerhead turtle
Loggerhead turtle: satellite studies on movement and distribution
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Satellite tagging studies would help to increase knowledge on the movements and distribution of loggerheads to identify habitats, improve abundance estimations and knowledge on seasonal distribution
Topics:
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Status assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D1C4
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Status Assessment 2022 - Loggerhead turtle
Natural background inputs of heavy metals to the sea
ID Number: E13.03
Knowledge gap description: Reference levels and targets need to be set to quantify the natural background inputs of mercury, cadmium and lead and to improve harmonisation with the EU Water Framework Directive.
Topics:
Knowledge Gap Category:
2. thresholds & references
Assessment Category:
Common indicator assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
N/A
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Inputs of Mercury, Cadmium and Lead via Water and Air to the OSPAR Maritime Area
Validation of heavy metal atmospheric input estimates
ID Number: E13.05
Knowledge gap description: Modelling uses the European Monitoring and Evaluation Programme (EMEP) (land based and less representative over the sea surface) or OSPAR CAMP (coastal stations and more representative of marine deposition but with lower monitoring frequency). Additional sampling stations or frequency of sampling is required.
Topics:
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Common indicator assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
N/A
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Inputs of Mercury, Cadmium and Lead via Water and Air to the OSPAR Maritime Area
Harmonisation of heavy metal measurements in dissolved fraction and total water
ID Number: E13.08
Knowledge gap description: There is a mismatch between the requirements of the European Union Water Framework Directive to measure metal concentrations in the dissolved fraction and the OSPAR Agreement 2014-04 to quantify total heavy metal inputs. Harmonisation between these two instruments is needed, or clarification is need on which requirements should be prioritised.
Topics:
Knowledge Gap Category:
1. indicator development
Assessment Category:
Common indicator assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
N/A
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Inputs of Mercury, Cadmium and Lead via Water and Air to the OSPAR Maritime Area