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 1 - 25 of 148 items
Understand the effects of by-catch on the Balearic shearwater
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Need to better understand and address the issue of by-catch.
Knowledge Gap Category:
5. cumulative effects & integration
Assessment Category:
Status assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D1C1, D10C4
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Status Assessment 2022 - Balearic shearwater
The impacts of plastic on Balearic shearwater
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Information on impact of plastics
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
Gap in understanding joint impact from stressors responsible for Lesser black-backed gull population decline
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
Impacts from human activities on blue whale
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Impact of human activities such as shipping, underwater noise, entanglement and contaminants on species
Knowledge Gap Category:
5. cumulative effects & integration
Assessment Category:
Status assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D1C2, D11C1, D11C2
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Status Assessment 2020 - Blue Whale
Interactions between science and policy
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: More working and scientific policy interactions are still needed, at both regional-sea and European levels. The coordination and additional resources shared through common projects are key to enabling this work to proceed under commonly agreed and defined timelines and priorities.
Topics:
Knowledge Gap Category:
5. cumulative effects & integration
Assessment Category:
Thematic assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
N/A
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Benthic Habitats Thematic Assessment
Improvement of monitoring and progress on the scientific policy process for integrated assessment
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Greatly improved monitoring and progress on the scientific policy process itself are needed to enable sufficient technical, methodological and management progress towards a more integrated assessment, as well as provide information and evidence to support evaluation of the efficiency of management measures.
Topics:
Knowledge Gap Category:
5. cumulative effects & integration
Assessment Category:
Thematic assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
N/A
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Benthic Habitats Thematic Assessment
Climate change predictions to assess future impacts of benthic habitats
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Climate Change: There are some uncertainties in the climate change predictions, which will require additional research in order to increase accuracy on the future impacts of benthic habitats, particularly along the coastline.
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Thematic assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D6C4, D6C5
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Benthic Habitats Thematic Assessment
Monitoring programs to measure the effects of climate change and ocean acidification on benthic habitats and species
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Climate Change: There is not always a wide range of datasets available to systematically measure the effects of climate change and ocean acidification on benthic habitats and species, due to the paucity of the monitoring programme.
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Thematic assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D6C4, D6C5
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Benthic Habitats Thematic Assessment
Climate change: Acquisition of information on habitats
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Climate Change: For example, carbonate mounds, Haploops habitat and Cymodocea meadows were excluded due to the lack of information available within the Marine Evidence based Sensitivity Assessment (MarESA) sources.
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Thematic assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D6C4, D6C5
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Benthic Habitats Thematic Assessment
Climate Change: predictions of future trends for the condition of deep-sea sponge aggregations
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Climate Change: The predictions of future trends (2020-2030) for the condition of deep-sea sponge aggregations are challenging. Future environmental conditions in the OSPAR Maritime Area may contribute to deterioration in the condition of deep-sea sponge aggregations. However, further research is needed to advance scientific knowledge on this front.
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Thematic assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D6C4, D6C5
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Benthic Habitats Thematic Assessment
Impacts of climate change and ocean acidification on carbonate mounds
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Climate Change: Climate change and ocean acidification impacts on carbonate mounds remain unknown.
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Thematic assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D6C4, D6C5
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Benthic Habitats Thematic Assessment
Impacts of ocean acidification on coral gardens
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Climate Change: The current and immediate future impacts on coral gardens from ocean acidification are difficult to quantify. Predictions tend not to take into account the potential increased vulnerability of early life stages to ocean acidification.
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Thematic assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D6C4, D6C5
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Benthic Habitats Thematic Assessment
Adaptation of adult vent organisms to climate change.
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Climate Change: Although adult vent organisms are adapted to oscillations and variable low pH, high temperature and low oxygen in vent fluids, it is not known whether species are adapted to permanent change in environmental variables.
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Thematic assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D6C4, D6C5
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Benthic Habitats Thematic Assessment
Effectiveness of measures to improve the status of benthic habitats
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: It is difficult to measure the effectiveness of measures to improve the status of benthic habitats, due to the multiple activities and pressures involved, and because the effects of measures on the recovery of habitats
may take a long time to become evident.
Topics:
Knowledge Gap Category:
6. effectiveness of measures
Assessment Category:
Thematic assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D6C4, D6C5
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Benthic Habitats Thematic Assessment
Maerl beds: knowledge of human activities and pressure/sensitivity studies
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Improved knowledge of human activities and pressure/sensitivity studies will increase understanding of the status of maerl beds.
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Status assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D6C4, D6C5
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Status Assessment 2019 - Maerl beds
Knowledge about the resilience of communities to disturbance and change
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Knowledge gaps of biodiversity and resilience of communities to disturbance and change (e.g. fishing, climate change, potential future deep-seabed mining).
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Status assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D6C4, D6C5
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Status Assessment 2022 - Oceanic Ridges with hydrothermal vents
Impact of aquatic noise and electromagnetic fields on diadromous fish
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Lack of knowledge on impact of aquatic noise, electromagnetic fields on diadromous fish behaviour
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Status assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D11C1, D11C2
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Status Assessment 2022 - Allis shad
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
Cumulative effects from offshore renewable energy developments
ID Number: A3.02a
Knowledge gap description: Knowledge gaps around cumulative effects of offshore renewable energy, especially at large scale.
Knowledge Gap Category:
7. emerging issues of human activities
Assessment Category:
Thematic assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
no MSFD Descriptor/Criterion
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Climate Change Thematic Assessment
Links between changes in the physical and chemical ocean climate
ID Number: A3.03
Knowledge gap description: Improved understanding of the fundamental links between changes in the physical and chemical ocean climate, the marine ecosystem, and human activities in the marine environment. Causal links between these changes and other OSPAR receptors (species, habitats, hazardous substances, marine litter, eutrophication, radioactive substances) are unknown, including the complex interactions between these.
Topics:
Knowledge Gap Category:
7. emerging issues of human activities
Assessment Category:
Thematic assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
N/A
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Climate Change Thematic Assessment
Impacts of climate change and ocean acidification
ID Number: A3.04
Knowledge gap description: A lack of distinction of the impacts of climate change and ocean acidification from those of other processes that are either primary or managed drivers. This includes how indicators change in response to these multiple stressors.
Knowledge Gap Category:
1. indicator development
Assessment Category:
Thematic assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
N/A
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Climate Change Thematic Assessment
Uncertainty in reduced rate of introduction of non-indigenous species
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: The noted trend of reduced rate of introduction of non-indigenous species (NIS) in the assessed regions of the Greater North Sea, Celtic Seas and Bay of Biscay and Iberian Coast is associated with great uncertainty.
Topics:
Knowledge Gap Category:
6. effectiveness of measures
Assessment Category:
Thematic assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D2C1
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Non-Indigenous Species Thematic Assessment
Target all vectors of introduction and spread
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Some vectors of introduction and spread could also be better targeted. For instance, while (commercial) shipping has been well targeted, management of leisure boating is still in the early stages.
Knowledge Gap Category:
1. indicator development
Assessment Category:
Thematic assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
N/A
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Non-Indigenous Species Thematic Assessment
Climate modelling to quantify risk of introduction and spread of non-indigenous species
ID Number: TBC
Knowledge gap description: Climate change-induced change in marine environmental conditions is anticipated to affect the introduction and spread of non-indigenous species (NIS), but more climate modelling is required to quantify this risk.
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Thematic assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
N/A
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Non-Indigenous Species Thematic Assessment
Identify sources of marine litter
ID Number: BE01.01
Knowledge gap description: Nearly 13% of beach litter observed in the OSPAR Maritime Area are non-identifiable fragments. This means they cannot be linked to specific sources or activities, which prevents implementing dedicated measures. More research is needed to improve the knowledge of the composition and sources of fragments.
Knowledge Gap Category:
4. data coverage
Assessment Category:
Common indicator assessment
Relevant for MSFD Art 8:
D10C1
Implementation Status
OSPAR Region: All Regions
Source of knowledge gap: QSR2023 - Abundance, Composition and Trends of Beach Litter