Analysing the state of current practices and synergies in data usage between the Maritime Spatial Planning Directive and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive: preliminary survey results

This document reports the results of a survey promoted by the Technical Expert Group (TEG) on Data for MSP to gather information on how the national MSP processes have taken into account the national MSFD implementation and, specifically, the dataset collected and produced under MSFD. The results of the survey indicate a medium level of coherence (approximately 62% of respondents) between MSFD and MSP policy objectives. Furthermore, approximately 54% of the respondents indicated that the same competent authority is responsible for both the MSP and MSFD implementation. There is a medium-high spatial coherence between the areas falling under the MSP planning and areas considered by the MSFD, while the temporal coherence between the two planning frameworks is assessed to be mainly medium (38.5%) and low (23.1%). The integration of MSFD data within MSP is acknowledged to take place in particular during the initial/preparation stage (mix between qualitative and quantitative data), the analysis and interpretation stage and the planning stage (mainly descriptors, criteria and raw data), while there is less reliance on MSFD data in the evaluation and monitoring stage. In the context of shared glossaries, the evaluation of cross-referencing levels between the two frameworks shows notable heterogeneity, with 31% agreeing on a high correspondence, 15% on medium, and 31% on low. Moreover, the extent of collaboration in adopting a shared strategy for data management is mainly at a low level (53.8%). Finally, the level of perceived integration between MSP and the management of land-sea integration is medium, and it implies mainly the exchange of qualitative data.