| Criterion |
Categories |
Source/definition |
| Status of decline |
|
Decline means a significant decline in extent or
quality. The decline may be historic, recent or current. The decline can occur in the
whole OSPAR maritime area or regionally. ‘Decline’ will be assessed according to
categories 1 to 4 described below for both decline in extent and quality, recognising the
following descriptions: Extent – based on distributional coverage or areal extent.
Quality – judgement of decline in quality should be based on change from natural
condition caused by human activities. Such judgement is likely to include aspects of
biodiversity, species composition, age composition, productivity, biomass per area,
reproductive ability, non-native species and the abiotic character of the habitat. |
| |
|
Extent |
Quality |
| |
Extirpated (extinct within the OSPAR Area) |
A habitat which was previously present in the OSPAR Area, but
no information is available that it still exists. |
A habitat for which quality is affected so severely that
it’s typical or natural components are completely destroyed. |
| |
Severely declined |
A habitat for which only 25% or less of its former natural
distribution in the OSPAR Area still exists. If impacts start or continue and no
protection or management measures are taken the habitat may be completely destroyed. |
A habitat for which quality is negatively affected in the
entire OSPAR Area so that typical or natural components can only be found in one or very
few sub-regions. |
| |
Significantly declined |
A habitat that has declined in extent to between 25% and 75%
of its former natural distribution in the OSPAR Area, or that has become extinct in
several sub-regions. |
A habitat for which quality is negatively affected by: (1)
a change of its typical or natural components over almost the entire OSPAR area, or
(2) the loss of its typical or natural components in several sub-regions. |
| |
Probability of significant decline |
There is a high probability that the habitat will decline by
25% or more if no protection or management measures are taken. |
There is a high probability that the habitat will
significantly decline in quality if no protection or management measures are taken. |
