OSPAR Common Indicators
The common indicators have been adopted by the OSPAR Commission. These indicators are the basis for regular OSPAR assessments of the changing status of the marine environment and the intensity of pressures from human activities. Common indicators are adopted for specific OSPAR Regions and ensure consistency and comparability of updated assessments over time.
Indicators under development are referred to as candidate indicators. The list of candidate indicators is a live document and is not published here. OSPAR publishes pilot assessments based on the candidate indicators occasionally to demonstrate the concept and to make information from the candidate indicators available.
The common indicators deliver assessments at regular intervals which are published in the OSPAR Assessment Portal. The frequency of updates to the indicators vary depending e.g. on the frequency of monitoring efforts or the speed at which the indicator is foreseen to demonstrate a change. Typically, indicator assessments are update every 2 or 3 years or every 6 years.
The indicators are based on information from monitoring programmes described in the Coordinated Environment Monitoring Programme (CEMP). The programmes are described in the CEMP Appendices, and details, including method descriptions for the indicator calculations, are included in the CEMP Guideline Agreements.
Marine Mammal Common Indicators
Common indicator name | Common in OSPAR Region | Latest assessment (OAP) | CEMP appendix (OAP) | CEMP guideline |
Seal abundance and distribution (M3) | I, II, III | |||
Abundance and Distribution of marine mammals (M4) | II, III, IV | IA2017 - M4a1 - Coastal bottlenose dolphins | ||
Grey seal pup production (M5) | I, II, III | |||
Marine mammal bycatch (M6) | II, III, IV |
Seabird Common Indicators
Common indicator name | Common in OSPAR Region | Latest assessment (OAP) | CEMP appendix (OAP) | CEMP guideline |
Marine bird abundance (B1) | I, II, III, IV | |||
Marine Bird Breeding Success / Failure (B3) | I, II, III, IV |
Fish Community Common Indicators
Common indicator name | Common in OSPAR Region | Latest assessment (OAP) | CEMP appendix (OAP) | CEMP guideline |
Recovery in the population abundance of sensitive fish species (FC1) | II, III, IV, V | IA2017 - Recovery in population abundance of sensitive fish species | BB6 (FC1) |
Benthic Habitat Common Indicators
Common indicator name | Common in OSPAR Region | Latest assessment (OAP) | CEMP appendix (OAP) | CEMP guideline |
Typical species composition (BH1) | IV | N/A | ||
Condition of Benthic Habitat Communities (BH2) | II, III, IV | IA2017 BH2 - Condition of benthic habitat defining communities (Multi-metric indices) | BB8 (BH2) | |
| Condition of Benthic Habitat Communities (BH2) | II | IA2017 BH2 - Condition of benthic habitat defining communities (Multi-metric indices) BH2b - Benthic Multi-Metric Index quality assessment of the Southern North Sea | BB8 (BH2) | Agreement 2018-06 |
Extent of Physical Damage to Predominant and Special Habitats (BH3) | II, III, IV | IA2017- Extent of physical damage to predominant and special habitats |
Pelagic Habitat Common Indicators
Common indicator name | Common in OSPAR Region | Latest assessment (OAP) | CEMP appendix (OAP) | CEMP guideline |
Changes in plankton functional types (life form) index Ratio (PH1/FW5) | II, III, IV | IA2017 - Changes in phytoplankton and zooplankton communities | ||
Plankton biomass and/or abundance (PH2) | II, III, IV | IA2017 - Changes in phytoplankton biomass and zooplankton abundance | BB1 agreed at BDC 2022, not yet published | |
Changes in biodiversity index(s) (PH3) | III | BB12 agreed at BDC 2022, not yet published |
Food Web Common Indicators
Common indicator name | Common in OSPAR Region | Latest assessment (OAP) | CEMP appendix (OAP) | CEMP guideline |
Size composition in fish communities (FW3) | II, III, IV | |||
Change in average trophic level of marine predators in the Bay of Biscay (FW4) | IV | IA2017 - Changes in average trophic level of marine predators in the Bay of Biscay | ||
Proportion of large fish (Large Fish Index) (FC2) | II, III, IV, V |
Non-Indigenous Species Common Indicators
Common indicator name | Common in OSPAR Region | Latest assessment (OAP) | CEMP appendix (OAP) | CEMP guideline |
Trends in New Records of Non-Indigenous Species (NIS) Introduced by Human Activities (NIS) | II, III, IV | IA2017 - Trends in new records of non-indigenous species introduction by human activities | BB13 agreed at BDC 2022, not yet published |
Marine Litter Common Indicators
Common indicator name | Common in OSPAR Region | Latest assessment (OAP) | CEMP appendix (OAP) | CEMP guideline |
Beach litter | I, II, III, IV | Agreement 2020-02 | ||
Fulmar | II | BE3 - Monitoring of plastic particles in stomachs of seabirds | ||
Seabed litter | II, III, IV | IA2017 – Composition and spatial distribution of litter on the seafloor | ||
| Litter ingested by sea turtles | IV | N/A | BE8 | Agreement 2020-03 |
Underwater Noise Common Indicators
Common indicator name | Common in OSPAR Region | Latest assessment (OAP) | CEMP appendix (OAP) | CEMP guideline |
Impulsive noise | II, III, IV |
Eutrophication Common Indicators
Hazardous Substances Common Indicators
Other Indicator-Related OSPAR Publications and Resources
To support the coordinated effort to develop biodiversity common indicators an advice manual and background document was developed (publication 581).
When a new indicator is being developed, a common template is used.
When an indicator is proposed to be extended to another OSPAR Region, a template has been used to collect information from concerned Contracting Parties.
