The Azores Planning Site will adopt management goals and objectives for the development of the systematic conservation planning scenarios for the deep-waters of the Azores EEZ, based on the broad overarching mission statement of protecting natural diversity, ecosystem structure, function, connectivity and resilience of deep-sea communities in the Azores EEZ in a changing planet, while allowing the environmentally sustainable use of natural resources for current and future generations. For this, MarinePlan will contribute to fill some of the identified knowledge gaps and use the extensive data gathered over the last years (e.g., through the H2020 projects ATLAS and iAtlantic) along with systematic conservation planning tools (e.g., Marxan implemented with PrioritizeR) to develop multiple EB-MSP scenarios to inform the selection of 30% of the planning area that are better suited to achieve the goals and objectives, and the selection of 10% of the area for strict protection. Additionally, MarinePlan will use spatial ecosystem-based modelling tools (Ecopath, Ecosim and Ecospace) to evaluate the positive and negative effects of implementing different scenarios of strict protection. MarinePlan scenarios will be of particular interest for the Regional Government of the Azores and relevant stakeholders and will support the implementation the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 at regional scales.

One of today’s most pressing challenges is to safeguard the loss of ecosystem biodiversity and functioning, while simultaneously allowing for their exploitation by those who depend on their services, goods and benefits. In Europe, Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) is the main governance process to ideally integrate sustainability and exploitation but this requires tools and knowledge to align MSP and marine protected area (MPA) designation processes. Founded on a large amount of expertise and a solid theoretical basis, MarinePlan will co-develop with stakeholders a Decision Support System (DSS) for ecosystem-based maritime spatial planning (EB-MSP) together with best practice guidance to enhance the effectiveness of spatial conservation and restoration measures for marine biodiversity in European Seas. The MarinePlan objectives are fully measurable, validated and verifiable since each will produce specific outputs: 1) a comprehensive DSS comprising guidelines and tools for EB-MSP implementation together with best practice guidance; 2) operational EBSA criteria and proposed MPA networks at various scales based on the best available science; 3) examples of realistic scenarios and planning options prioritising conservation and restoration areas in the context of multiple human uses and climate change and a synthesis of key action points to achieve the EU Biodiversity Strategy, and 4) policy recommendations on how to enhance the implementation of EB-MSP in European Seas.