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 101 - 125 of 148 items
Environmental impacts of noise from wind farms during construction, production, decommissioning phase.
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Knowledge gap on environmental impacts of noise from wind farms during construction, production, decommissioning phase.
Knowledge Gap Category:
1. indicator development
Assessment Category:
Other assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D11C1, D11C2
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Feeder Report 2021 - Offshore Renewable Energy Generation
Potential impacts of increased shipping activities on recreation sector in the Arctic
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: It is unknown whether increased shipping activities (expected from climate change) could interfere with the recreation sector in the Arctic.
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Other assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
N/A
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Feeder Report 2021 - Recreation and Tourism in the North-East Atlantic
Availability of economic data for Norway, Iceland, and Faroe Islands regarding shipping activities
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Economic data (Gross value added/employment in the Blue Economy) is not included for Norway, Iceland, and Faroe Islands.
Topics:
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Other assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
N/A
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: Arctic Waters
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Feeder Report 2021 - Shipping and Ports
Uncertainties regarding the growth of global shipping volumes in OSPAR waters.
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Growth in global volumes in the short and longer terms is anticipated, but with uncertainties about the extent of growth in OSPAR waters.
Topics:
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Other assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
N/A
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Feeder Report 2021 - Shipping and Ports
Impact of COVID-19 on global and regional trade flows
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Impact of COVID-19 on global and regional trade flows is not yet known.
Topics:
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Other assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
N/A
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Feeder Report 2021 - Shipping and Ports
Consider risks associated with changes in shipping routes
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Navigational risk assessments will need to consider risks associated with changes in shipping routes (e.g., resulting from windfarm construction).
Knowledge Gap Category:
1. indicator development
Assessment Category:
Other assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
N/A
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Feeder Report 2021 - Shipping and Ports
Uncertainties regarding the increase in maritime traffic in Arctic waters
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Further increase in shipping activity is anticipated for Arctic waters, buy how significant this will be as well as the market potential for most types of shipments) is uncertain (as well as the market potential).
Topics:
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Other assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
N/A
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: Arctic Waters
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Feeder Report 2021 - Shipping and Ports
Uncertainties related to fleet changes, impacts, and risks
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Fleet compositions changes are expected but there are uncertainties with the pace and details of fleet change. These need to be considered to understand impacts and risks.
Topics:
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Other assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
N/A
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Feeder Report 2021 - Shipping and Ports
Confidence in data on trends on number of new introductions of non-indigenous species.
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: There is fairly low confidence in data on trends on number of new introductions of non-indigenous species.
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Other assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D2C1
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Feeder Report 2021 - Shipping and Ports
Monitoring of non-indigenous species
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Monitoring of non-indigenous species is a knowledge gap for implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive.
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Other assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D2C1, D2C2, D2C3
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Feeder Report 2021 - Shipping and Ports
Continuous noise from shipping and impact of different designs and operations on environment.
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Continous noise from shipping needs more research to understand the impact of different designs, operations, and environmental impacts.
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Other assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D11C1, D11C2
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Feeder Report 2021 - Shipping and Ports
Baseline of litter inputs from commercial shipping
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: There is no reliable baseline of litter inputs from commercial shipping, which makes it unclear what the effectiveness of measures to address plastic litter are.
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Other assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D10C1, D10C2
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Feeder Report 2021 - Shipping and Ports
Identification of sources of pollution and substances of detection spills
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Oil spills: the source of pollution was identified for only 30% of detected spills. There were 114 detections of unknown substances.
Topics:
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Other assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D8C3
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Feeder Report 2021 - Shipping and Ports
Monitoring implementation of measures for management of impacts
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: OSPAR could consider monitoring implementation of measures for management of impacts (e.g., on ballast water, air pollution, litter) and evidence of success.
Knowledge Gap Category:
6. effectiveness of measures
Assessment Category:
Other assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
N/A
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Feeder Report 2021 - Shipping and Ports
Consider the significance of newly emerging or poorly understood issues and risks
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Consider the significance of newly emerging or poorly understood issues and risks and potential OSPAR involvement (e.g. discharges from scrubbers, microplastics in ship paints; potential increase in risks or impact from collision/accident due to expansion of wind farms or larger ships; better understanding of the impact of ship wakes; effects of new low-sulphur fuels in terms of toxicity and difficulty in clean-up)
Knowledge Gap Category:
7. emerging issues of human activities
Assessment Category:
Other assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
N/A
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Feeder Report 2021 - Shipping and Ports
Monitoring and control tools for Exhaust Gas Cleaning System discharges
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Effective enforcement of Exhaust Gas Cleaning System (EGCS) discharges needed. Tools to monitor and enforce.
Topics:
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Other assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
N/A
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Feeder Report 2021 - Shipping and Ports
Impact of ship wakes on protected species and habitats
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Within European seas, the North Sea has the highest proportion of its area potentially disturbed by ship wakes. This may affect some protected species and habitats, but there is no available information demonstrating this impact.
Topics:
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Other assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
N/A
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Feeder Report 2021 - Shipping and Ports
Integrating combined effects and potential mixture toxicity into the existing assessment schemes of waste water
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Consider integrating combined effects and potential mixture toxicity into the existing assessment schemes.
Topics:
Knowledge Gap Category:
5. cumulative effects & integration
Assessment Category:
Other assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
N/A
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Feeder Report 2021 - Waste water
Impact of human induced pressures on Balearic shearwater
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Need to better understand and address the issue of by-catch. while the occurrence and impact of plastics on the species, as well as the influence of climate change, should also be addressed.
Knowledge Gap Category:
5. cumulative effects & integration
Assessment Category:
Status assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D1C1, D1C2, D10C4
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Status Assessment 2022 - Balearic shearwater
Improved evaluation of discard reduction measures
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: The reduction of discards associated to the Common Fisheries Policy's (CFP) landing obligation should be properly evaluated.
Topics:
Knowledge Gap Category:
5. cumulative effects & integration
Assessment Category:
Status assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D1C2
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Status Assessment 2022 - Balearic shearwater
Impact of wind farms on Balearic shearwater
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Regarding new/increasing potential threats, windfarm development should receive particular attention
Knowledge Gap Category:
5. cumulative effects & integration
Assessment Category:
Status assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D1C2
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Status Assessment 2022 - Balearic shearwater
Impact of plastic litter on Balearic shearwater
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Information on impact of plastics
Topics:
Knowledge Gap Category:
5. cumulative effects & integration
Assessment Category:
Status assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D10C4
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Status Assessment 2022 - Balearic shearwater
Impact of combined stressors on lesser black-backed gull
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: The assessment of threats suffers from a lack of understanding of the joint impact of the stressors potentially responsible for the continuation of the population decline
Topics:
Knowledge Gap Category:
5. cumulative effects & integration
Assessment Category:
Status assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D1C2
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Status Assessment 2020 - Lesser black-backed gull
Causal relations between changing state of the marine environment and ecosystem services
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Refine the methodology for assessing the impacts of a changing state of the marine environment on ecosystem services: It is difficult to estimate magnitude of state change impacts on ecosystem services because of limited information in the scientific literature, and little is known about causality linkages.
Topics:
Knowledge Gap Category:
1. indicator development
Assessment Category:
Other assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
N/A
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Impacts on ecosystem services due to changes in the state of the environment in the North-East Atlantic Ocean
Improve data on changing state of the marine environment and ecosystem services
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Refine the methodology for assessing the impacts of a changing state of the marine environment on ecosystem services: There is a lack of quantitative data regarding provision of marine ecosystem services and changes in their provision as a result of marine state change impacts, particularly at the North-East Atlantic scale.
Topics:
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Other assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
N/A
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Impacts on ecosystem services due to changes in the state of the environment in the North-East Atlantic Ocean