OSPAR Commission
The OSPAR Commission for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North East Atlantic is responsible for managing work undertaken as a consequence of the 1992 OSPAR Convention. The Commission is made up of the governments of 15 Contracting Parties and the European Commission. Seas At Risk has been an Observer at the OSPAR Commission since 1992.
The Commission's principle objective is the reduction and elimination of marine pollution, but work is also undertaken on the protection of marine species & habitats. The Commission has strategies on the protection and conservation of marine biodiversity and ecosystems, eutrophication, hazardous substances, the offshore oil & gas industry, and radioactive substances, as well as a strategy on marine environmental monitoring and assessment.
Seas At Risk involvement in recent years has focused on the environmental impact of deep water fisheries, the establishment of marine protected areas (MPAs) and regional ballast water management for ships. In 2010, Seas At Risk initiated work on the reduction of marine litter in the OSPAR area.
Since the adoption of the EU's Marine Strategy Framework Directive, OSPAR has a particularly important role in contributing to the regional coherence of targets and measures adopted by its Contracting Parties with the aim of achieving Good Environmental Status. An analysis of this issue can be found below.
The Marine Strategy Directive, EU maritime policy, and the role of OSPAR (30/11/07).
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The web site of the OSPAR Commission
OSPAR Commission
OSPAR Commission 2008 press statement (2/7/08).
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