The raster dataset represents bycatch fishing intensity (kilowatt per fishing hour) from bottom touching mobile gears in the European seas. The dataset has been derived from Automatic Identification System (AIS) based demersal fishing intensity data received from the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre - Independent experts of the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (JRC STECF) as well as Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) and logbook based demersal fishing intensity data downloaded from from OSPAR and HELCOM Commissions. The temporal extent varies between the data sources (between 2014 and 2017). OSPAR and HELCOM data superseded the JRC STECF data where they overlapped spatially. The cell values have been transformed into a logarithmic scale (ln1). This dataset has been prepared for the calculation of the combined effect index, produced for the ETC/ICM Report 4/2019 "Multiple pressures and their combined effects in Europe's seas" available on: https://www.eionet.europa.eu/etcs/etc-icm/etc-icm-report-4-2019-multiple-pressures-and-their-combined-effects-in-europes-seas-1.

Coastal zones are presented as a series of 10 consecutive buffers of 1km width each (towards inland). For this dataset, were treated as sea data all areas with class values of 52x (521: coastal lagoons, 522: estuaries, 523: sea and ocean) in Corine Land Cover (details in lineage).

Maps of potential biomass catches (tons/year) per surface unit (0.25º latitude x 0.25º longitude) based on 3-D probability of occurrence for the main commercial fish species of the Atlantic. To map potential catches, first, mean catches (tons/year) were calculated according to Watson (2020) Global fisheries landings (V4) database for period 2010-2015 and then the total mean catch value for each species was redistributed according to the occurrence probability value that was modelled in 3-D using Shape-Constrained Generalized Additive Models (SC-GAMs). Potential catch value of each cell integrates the catches along the water column (from surface until 1000 m depth). See Valle et al. (2024) in Ecological Modelling 490:110632 ( https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2024.110632 ), for more details.

Modelled density of the seapen Kophobelemnon stelliferum in the North East Atlantic. The Random Forest density model trained on data collected by an ROV was constrained by an ensemble of Maxent and Random Forest presence-absence model trained on a larger dataset also collected by an ROV. This species provides structural complexity in an environment where it is lacking and, thus, promotes higher biodiversity where they settle. They are vulnerable to mechanical disturbance of the sediment by fishing gear and a better understanding of their distribution will lead to better management of their population. This work was performed at the University of Plymouth in 2021.

The raster dataset represents the risk of collision of whales with vessels in Europe Seas. The most vulnerable species from ship strikes are cetaceans and turtles, since they go to the surface to breathe. On the other hand, their migration routes can overlap with shipping lanes. The collisions can produce the death or injury of the animals, and are an important threat for the conservation of these species. The dataset has been prepared in the context of the development of the first European Maritime Transport Environmental Report (EMSA-EEA report, 2021: https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/maritime-transport).

This raster dataset represents physical disturbance to the seabed in the European seas. Several human activities disturb the seabed either directly or indirectly. Alteration of benthic living conditions as a result of increased sedimentation or attenuation of light penetration, abrasion of the seabed and exploitation of benthic biota, temporarily disturb the benthic habitat quality. The dataset is an aggregation of several different human activities that cause physical disturbance to the seabed: aquaculture, demersal fishing, dredging and dumping of dredged material, oil and gas rigs, offshore installations, ports, sand and gravel extraction, shellfish mariculture, shipping in shallow waters and windfarms. The resulting dataset is a raster (10km grid cell) derived from EMODnet, MED-IAMER, JRC-STECF, OSPAR, HELCOM and 4C Offshore datasets, and with reference temporal coverage from 2012 to 2017. This dataset has been prepared for the calculation of the combined effect index, produced for the ETC/ICM Report 4/2019 "Multiple pressures and their combined effects in Europe's seas" available on: https://www.eionet.europa.eu/etcs/etc-icm/etc-icm-report-4-2019-multiple-pressures-and-their-combined-effects-in-europes-seas-1.

Coastal zones are presented as a series of 10 consecutive buffers of 1km width each (towards inland). For this dataset, were treated as sea data all areas with a class value of 523 (sea and ocean) in Corine Land Cover (details in lineage).

Classification of the Atlantic Ocean seabed into broad-scale benthic habitats employing a hierarchical top-down clustering approach aimed at informing Marine Spatial Planning. This work was performed at the University of Plymouth in 2021 with data provided by a wide group of partners representing the nations surrounding the Atlantic Ocean. It classifies continuous environmental data into discrete classes that can be compared to observed biogeographical patterns at various scales. It has 3 levels of classification. For ease of use, a layer is provided for each level. Level 1 has 4 classes. Level 2 has 15 classes nested within level 1. Layers indices are 2 digits (1[level1 class index]1[level 2 class index]). Level 3 has 157 classes nested within level 2 and class names have 4 digits (1digit[level1 class index]1[level 2 class index]2[level 3 class index]). Note that the classification was performed for the whole world and thus it has more classes than in the presented layer.