163
2
Objectives of the Channel
Programme
The main objectives of the Channel programme
are the following:
• To collectively develop research capacity to
achieve a multidisciplinary understanding of
the functioning of marine and coastal ecosystems subject to strong human pressure
• To promote the sustainable management of
the different parts of the English Channel by
developing decision-taking tools with the aim
of adapting human use intensity to the withstanding capacity of ecosystems
• To provide indicators to decision-makers with
the aim of (1) characterising the status of ecosystems, (2) measuring the pressure exerted
by diverse human activities on these ecosystems and (3) evaluating the effi ciency of management measures
To achieve these objectives, the Channel programme has been structured into four main
research axes:
• Describing ecological factors structuring the
distribution of fi shery resources: habitats (abiotic and biotic factors), biotopes, assemblages,
life history of main species and environment
• Understanding the functioning of the food
web: description, interactions between primary (including toxic phytoplanktonic species) and secondary production and fi shes,
functioning and sensitivity to perturbations
• Quantifying the impact of human pressure on
habitat and food web: fi sheries, marine aggregates extraction, offshore wind farms and
pollutions
• Defi ning new management strategies for sustainable resource exploitation respectful of
marine environment and biodiversity
3
Research and Governance
Projects
The launching of the Channel programme in
2007 has fostered the development of several
EU-funded projects with a central research or
governance component. These complementary
and interlinked projects (Table 1 ) have involved
several hundreds of research scientists and several dozens of research organisms (e.g. governmental institutes, universities) in the EU and even
abroad (e.g. collaboration between IFREMER
1 in
France and DFO
2 in Canada).
We present below the background and objectives of a selection of these projects.
3.1
EMDI+ and CAMIS Projects
EMDI+ and CAMIS are two successive EU
INTERREG-funded governance projects that
have been coordinated by the Region HauteNormandie in France.
The EMDI+ (Espace Manche Development
Initiative) project – INTERREG IIIB North-West
Europe – strongly contributed to the development
of the political cooperation between France and
the UK across the English Channel (‘Channel
Arc Manche’ cooperation) between 2004 and
2008. The main objectives of the EMDI project
were to work out a strategic vision, to test new
cooperation avenues and to develop greater
knowledge of the Channel area and the issues at
stake, in particular through the creation of a
cross-Channel atlas. This project brought some
convincing arguments for the recognition of the
Channel Arc Manche as a coherent cooperation
area in Europe. It has also highlighted the opportunity for the Channel area to position itself as a
demonstration maritime basin of the integrated
maritime policy championed by the European
Commission. More details on this project may be
found on http://www.emdi.certic.unicaen.fr/en/
news.html .
The more recent CAMIS (Channel Arc
Manche Integrated Strategy) project ( https://
camis.arcmanche.eu/home/ ) has confi rmed this
position, with the objectives of (1) developing a
framework for maritime governance, (2) providing expertise for Channel Arc Manche and
1 Institut Français de Recherche pour l’Exploration de la
Mer.
2 Department of Fisheries and Oceans.
The Channel Programme: A Large-Scale Integrated Approach
2
Objectives of the Channel
Programme
The main objectives of the Channel programme
are the following:
• To collectively develop research capacity to
achieve a multidisciplinary understanding of
the functioning of marine and coastal ecosystems subject to strong human pressure
• To promote the sustainable management of
the different parts of the English Channel by
developing decision-taking tools with the aim
of adapting human use intensity to the withstanding capacity of ecosystems
• To provide indicators to decision-makers with
the aim of (1) characterising the status of ecosystems, (2) measuring the pressure exerted
by diverse human activities on these ecosystems and (3) evaluating the effi ciency of management measures
To achieve these objectives, the Channel programme has been structured into four main
research axes:
• Describing ecological factors structuring the
distribution of fi shery resources: habitats (abiotic and biotic factors), biotopes, assemblages,
life history of main species and environment
• Understanding the functioning of the food
web: description, interactions between primary (including toxic phytoplanktonic species) and secondary production and fi shes,
functioning and sensitivity to perturbations
• Quantifying the impact of human pressure on
habitat and food web: fi sheries, marine aggregates extraction, offshore wind farms and
pollutions
• Defi ning new management strategies for sustainable resource exploitation respectful of
marine environment and biodiversity
3
Research and Governance
Projects
The launching of the Channel programme in
2007 has fostered the development of several
EU-funded projects with a central research or
governance component. These complementary
and interlinked projects (Table 1 ) have involved
several hundreds of research scientists and several dozens of research organisms (e.g. governmental institutes, universities) in the EU and even
abroad (e.g. collaboration between IFREMER
1 in
France and DFO
2 in Canada).
We present below the background and objectives of a selection of these projects.
3.1
EMDI+ and CAMIS Projects
EMDI+ and CAMIS are two successive EU
INTERREG-funded governance projects that
have been coordinated by the Region HauteNormandie in France.
The EMDI+ (Espace Manche Development
Initiative) project – INTERREG IIIB North-West
Europe – strongly contributed to the development
of the political cooperation between France and
the UK across the English Channel (‘Channel
Arc Manche’ cooperation) between 2004 and
2008. The main objectives of the EMDI project
were to work out a strategic vision, to test new
cooperation avenues and to develop greater
knowledge of the Channel area and the issues at
stake, in particular through the creation of a
cross-Channel atlas. This project brought some
convincing arguments for the recognition of the
Channel Arc Manche as a coherent cooperation
area in Europe. It has also highlighted the opportunity for the Channel area to position itself as a
demonstration maritime basin of the integrated
maritime policy championed by the European
Commission. More details on this project may be
found on http://www.emdi.certic.unicaen.fr/en/
news.html .
The more recent CAMIS (Channel Arc
Manche Integrated Strategy) project ( https://
camis.arcmanche.eu/home/ ) has confi rmed this
position, with the objectives of (1) developing a
framework for maritime governance, (2) providing expertise for Channel Arc Manche and
1 Institut Français de Recherche pour l’Exploration de la
Mer.
2 Department of Fisheries and Oceans.
The Channel Programme: A Large-Scale Integrated Approach