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Integrated Ecosystem Assessments (IEA) require consideration of the full suite of pressures and impacts affecting ecosystems. However, capacity limitations often severely limit our ability to do everything that we want or ‘should’ do, outside of short-term fully-funded focused research projects. In order to make IEA a reality in many contexts, priority consideration has to be given to how to achieve such comprehensive assessments. Ecoregions and Large Marine Ecosystems (LMEs) have been identified as potential management units, however these large areas encompass diverse habitats, and multiple nations with diverse human communities and use of marine environments, and a multitude of different management strategies. In this context, how can we make IEA an operational tool that can be applied at such high-level in a comparable, yet regionally-relevant adaptable approach? This paper outlines the demonstration and adaptation of an established risk assessment approach (Options for Delivering Ecosystem-Based Marine Management: ODEMM) to a rapid risk scoping tool, and how this approach has been applied using open source common analytical tools to improve operationality in both the Mission Atlantic project and the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES) Integrated Ecosystem Assessment Working Groups. Furthermore, a hierarchical approach is detailed that allows the integration of different levels of detail into a common format. The resulting assessments are then ground-truthed with stakeholders to identify issues, omissions, potential conflicts, and key areas of interest for the next steps of the IEA process.

Deep-sea ecosystems are facing degradation which could have severe consequences for biodiversity and the livelihoods of coastal populations. Ecosystem restoration as a natural based solution has been regarded as a useful means to recover ecosystems. The study provides a social cost-benefit analysis for a proposed project to restore the Dohrn Canyon cold water corals and the deep-sea ecosystem in the Bay of Naples, Italy. By incorporating ecosystem service benefits and uncertainties related to a complex natural-technological-social system surrounding restoration activities, the study demonstrated how to evaluate large-scale ecosystem restoration activities. The results indicate that an ecosystem restoration project can be economic (in terms of welfare improvement) even if the restoration costs are high. Our study shows the uncertainty associated with restoration success rate significantly affects the probability distribution of the expected net present values. Identifying and controlling the underlying factors to improve the restoration successful rate is thus crucial.

Abstract Gilthead seabream is a key fish species for farming in the Mediterranean region and is farmed in a large geographical area under various production circumstances. However, more than 80% of the genetically improved fingerlings originate from a single country, Greece, which poses a potential risk for genotype by environment interaction (GxE). Therefore, the objective of this study was to quantify GxE for several traits of gilthead seabream in two distinct commercial production sites, one in south of Greece (Galaxidi Marine Farm) and another in southeast of Spain (Cudomar). For this GxE experiment, a population of juveniles was produced by mass spawning of 33 males and 20 females on a single day. These juveniles were stocked in sea cages in both locations when they reached stocking size (~3 g) and grown under commercial conditions. Management conditions during the grow-out period were kept the same between the production sites, while the fish were subject to naturally occurring differences such as water temperature, dissolved oxygen, and salinity. Phenotypes were recorded when the fish reached commercial harvest size (~400 g). Genetic parameters were estimated by using a genomic relationship matrix that was built by using ~30 k SNP. All traits studied had higher genetic variation and heritabilities in Cudomar. For instance, the heritability of harvest weight was 0.37 ± 0.05 in Galaxidi and 0.55 ± 0.05 in Cudomar. GxE was estimated as genetic correlations between the same trait measured on different fish in the two environments. Moderate GxE was found for harvest weight (0.45 ± 0.11), growth (0.43 ± 0.11), fillet weight (0.49 ± 0.12), liver weight (0.61 ± 0.11), and viscera weight (0.62 ± 0.10). Weak GxE was found for fillet fat (0.87 ± 0.06), heart weight (0.76 ± 0.11), cardiosomatic index (0.93 ± 0.14), viscerosomatic index (0.90 ± 0.05), and hepatosomatic index (0.79 ± 0.09). In conclusion, moderate GxE estimates for growth traits indicate that with a single breeding program, performance data from both environments should be included, or that two separate breeding programs may be needed for the two environments. The higher genetic variances observed in Cudomar suggest that this environment is a more suitable test environment for selective breeding.

The term ‘coastal fisheries’ designates a form of fishing which is under heavy pressure due to competition by large-scale high sea fishing. Setting up markets for seafood from coastal fisheries might offer possibilities of product differentiation when appreciated by consumers. The aim of this research is to analyse the potential of marketing seafood from coastal fisheries by investigating consumers’ perception of coastal fisheries and their attitudes towards a label for coastal fishery products in France and Italy. This research combined qualitative (focus groups) and quantitative methods (online survey) in two different steps. ‘Coastal fisheries’ were mainly perceived positively, as they provide fresh products, and are healthy and important for coastal areas. Although opinions on labelling in general, and on coastal fisheries specifically, varied widely, about 70% of the respondents were in favour of a coastal fisheries label. The willingness to use a coastal fisheries label increased significantly when domestic origin, high-quality products, eco-friendliness, support of local/coastal communities and artisanal fishing practices were part of this kind of label. It is concluded that using a label for communicating the origin coastal fisheries appears to be promising for the two study countries: France and Italy. A prerequisite for the success of this kind of approach is that the seafood products must fully comply with consumer expectations, as they are of domestic origin, be of very high product quality and fished in an artisanal or eco-friendly manner. International audience

There is now high-level recognition that the UN Sustainable Development Goals can only be achieved if the decline of ecosystems and biodiversity can be halted and reversed. This will require effective control of ongoing pressures, meaningful protection and enforcement of protected areas, and significant investments in ecosystem restoration. This paper explores the possible use of economic valuation and appraisal in achieving these goals in marine systems and discusses the European marine policy instruments where they should have an important role The paper first briefly reviews the tools of economic valuation and appraisal for marine ecosystem management. A critique of the use of economic valuation and appraisal in marine conservation and restoration is then presented. The paper argues that while progress has been made there remains a pressing need for better integration of marine environmental values in policy processes. It also highlights the fact that the focus on natural capital accounting, and more generally on green/blue growth and market instruments, could create a reliance on exchange values at the expense of welfare values required for policy appraisal.

European small-scale fisheries are confronted with several challenges, notably a decrease in the number of people engaged in capture fishing, growing competition from less expensive extra-EU markets, rising operational costs, strict regulations and the depletion of fishing stocks. Many small-scale fishers must adapt to change to maintain or increase their income using different business strategies. In this respect, we argue that new and diversified institutional arrangements combined with building social capital can help reach long-term economic sustainability for small-scale fisheries businesses, as well as the social-ecological resilience of coastal areas. In order to understand and analyse the multiplicity of strategies applied by small-scale fishers – including expansion towards non–productivist activities – this paper examines the role of new institutional arrangements based on small-scale, traditional, quality-orientated, multifunctional business strategies, as well as non-fishing activities. Using a case study approach, we analyse – in three different European fishery contexts (Greece, Italy, and the UK respectively) – how the interplay between building adaptive arrangements and the creation of social capital in selected small-scale fisheries provides relevant prerequisites for resilience. International audience

This paper investigates the potential of Geographical Indications to enhance the environmental sustainability of bivalve aquaculture, with a focus on the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) granted to the bouchot mussel of the bay of Mont Saint-Michel (BMSM). First, a retrospective analysis of the PDO application process was carried out to provide insight into specific environmental and regulatory issues facing mussel farming in the BMSM (e.g. common resource management). Second, further assessment relied on a comparative analysis with other public labelling strategies developed by mussel farmers, notably emerging organic certification. This involved setting up an ad-hoc analysis grid to evaluate different dimensions of sustainability, namely economic, environmental and governance. The discussion then addresses the potential of PDO to promote sustainable mussel farming with respect to the current trends in food/mussel labelling in the market and to the increasing demand for environmental preservation in marine and coastal areas. It also emphasises the overlap between different EU labelling schemes that questions their consistency and legibility, particularly for bivalve aquaculture. In conclusion, the system of quality linked to origin has provided an appropriate framework for supporting the implementation of sustainable bouchot mussel farming in the BMSM, thanks to the relevance and inclusiveness of the PDO labelling process and institutional support. Next, to strengthen the legitimacy of the PDO to guarantee the environmental sustainability of farming methods and increase protection on the market, more adaptive management of the PDO label is recommended. International audience