The challenge attempts to collect discards data for the North Atlantic sea basin (i.e. north of the equator, excluding Caribe, Baltic, North Sea and Artic) and to compute: mass and number of discards by species and year, including fish, mammals, reptiles and seabirds. Data are presented in an Excel's spreadsheet.

Phyto plankton Abundance: Identify the 3 most abundant phytoplankton species in the North Atlantic and calculate a timeseries of their abundance within the basin.

Temporal series (annual mean values) with error of estimation and Long Term Average (LTA) with error of estimation of total phosphate load for each river mouth where in situ data is available. Different sources can be mixed if any.

It's a study of MPA connectivity with assessment of : -size -shape -spacing between each MPA

The impact of fishing on benthic habitats has previously been investigated however; a conclusive classification of potentially sensitive habitats per gear type does not exist. Currently only qualitative estimates of fishery impact using Broad-scale habitat maps are possible. Here a sensitivity matrix using both fishing pressure (fishing Intensity) and habitat sensitivity is employed to define habitat disturbance categories. The predominant fishing activities associated with physical abrasion of the seafloor area are from bottom contacting towed fishing gear. The swept area of the aforementioned gear in contact with the seabed is generally considered a function of gear width, vessel speed and fishing effort (ICES. 2015). The varying characteristics of fishing gear, their interaction with the sea floor and species being targeted; provide scope for differing interactions with subsurface (infaunal) and surface (epifaunal) dwelling communities. An evaluation of the abrasion pressure and habitat sensitivity split into surface and subsurface pressure allows greater insight to the ecological effects. Fishing intensity was calculated annually and based on the area of sea floor being swept (or swept area ratio SAR) by gear type. Calculations are based on SAR’s of gear types per area, per year. Fishing pressure ranks and habitat sensitivity ranks obtained from WGSFD working group (01 WGSFD - Report of the Working Group on Spatial Fisheries Data 2015) can be incorporated within a GIS environment to existing ICES fisheries data to provide habitat disturbance maps (fishing pressure maps+ habitat sensitivity maps) ICES. 2015. Report of the Working Group on Spatial Fisheries Data (WGSFD), 8–12 June 2015, ICES Headquarters, Copenhagen, Denmark. ICES CM 2015/SSGEPI:18. 150 pp.

Assess whether the MPA network constitutes a representative and coherent network as described in article 13 of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive 3 products were specified to achieve the second objectif of the challenge: ATLANTIC_CH02_Product_2 / Quantitative analyse of MPA coherency The product comprises 4 components: Distribution of vulnerable marine habitats : Shape represent the distribution of different vulnérable habitats Distribution biologically or ecologically significant areas (EBSAs) Critical areas of vulnerable species Distribution of indicator species The method used computes the percentage coverage between : Vulnerable habitats like carbon sinks, reef, kelp... Ecologically or biologically significant area Life critical area (feeding , breeding, migratory routes, spawning, dispersal larvea, nursery…) for indicator species Distribution of indicator species in the study area and MPA network location.

The aim of the product is to represent areas where all forms of resource extraction are prohibited such as: • fishing • aggregate extraction • hydrocarbon offshore facilities • aids to navigation • habitation The product is specified through the same components as for the first product plus 2 additional ones: • Pipe lines and cables • Military activity

Temporal series (annual mean values) and Long term Average (LTA) of water discharge for each river mouth where in situ data is available. Different sources can be mixed if any.

Pentadal (5-year average) resolution time-series of bottom temperature for North Atlantic ocean area deeper than 1000m. Calculate the 5 year average bottom temperature at each point on the grid and then calculate the area weighted average.

Maps of seasonal p90 (percentile 90) of Chla on the North Atlantic basin for the past ten years (2005-2014) using the Global Copernicus chla level 4 (L4) products (resolution of 4 km). Method as Gohin Francis, Saulquin Bertrand, Bryere Philippe (2010) Atlas de la Température, de la concentration en Chlorophylle et de la Turbidité de surface du plateau continental français et de ses abords de l’Ouest européen. Ifremer. http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00057/16840/