11 October 2012: European researchers have identified the areas of the Mediterranean Sea most affected by eutrophication and urge policy makers to target these hotspots, outlining the legal and policy frameworks available for doing so.

The European Commission has reported on research carried out by M. Karydis and D. Kitsiou, who refer to satellite images of the region and 345 scientific studies published between 1970 and 2010 to highlight that the areas most blighted by phytoplankton blooms are along the northern coast, the Gulf of Lion, the Adriatic Sea and the Northern Aegean.

Their study reviews the current legal, policy and institutional frameworks surrounding mitigation of eutrophic conditions in Europe, which include the European Environment Agency (EEA), the Barcelona Convention, and the Mediterranean Action Plan (MAP). They also examine the application of EU directives on water quality and coastal management, which include the Water Framework Directive, the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, the Nitrates Directive and the Urban Waste Treatment Directive.

Their conclusions, that existing legislation, scientific information and institutional collaboration provide a sound basis for action targeting eutrophication, are published in the journal Environmental Monitoring and Assessment and highlighted on the European Commission (EC) “Science for Environment Policy” website. [EC Science for Environment Policy Press Release]