[{"command":"openDialog","selector":"#drupal-modal","settings":null,"data":"\u003Cdiv id=\u0022republish_modal_form\u0022\u003E\u003Cform class=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form ecl-form\u0022 data-drupal-selector=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 action=\u0022\/en\/article\/modal\/5793\u0022 method=\u0022post\u0022 id=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 accept-charset=\u0022UTF-8\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHorizon articles can be republished for free under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EYou must give appropriate credit. We ask you to do this by:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 1) Using the original journalist\u0027s byline\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 2) Linking back to our original story\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 3) Using the following text in the footer: This article was originally published in \u003Ca href=\u0027#\u0027\u003EHorizon, the EU Research and Innovation magazine\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003ESee our full republication guidelines \u003Ca href=\u0027\/horizon-magazine\/republish-our-stories\u0027\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EHTML for this article, including the attribution and page view counter, is below:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022js-form-item form-item js-form-type-textarea form-item-body-content js-form-item-body-content ecl-form-group ecl-form-group--text-area form-no-label ecl-u-mv-m\u0022\u003E\n \n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n \u003Ctextarea data-drupal-selector=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 aria-describedby=\u0022edit-body-content--description\u0022 id=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 name=\u0022body_content\u0022 rows=\u00225\u0022 cols=\u002260\u0022 class=\u0022form-textarea ecl-text-area\u0022\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EThe value of the sea can\u2019t just be measured by markets\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u2018A poor man wants the oyster, a rich man wants the pearl\u2026\u2019 The words of Elvis Presley, though more famous 50 years ago, are no less resonant today. Values given to resources from the marine environment differ, and incorporating different types of values into management of the seas is vital to sustainability.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn Europe, as Member States struggle to maintain prosperity and re-establish their economies, the Integrated Maritime Policy (IMP) sets out a vision of \u2018Blue Growth\u2019 to support economic improvement in maritime sectors. At the same time, the environmental component of the policy, the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, mandates by law that Good Environmental Status be achieved or maintained in Europe\u2019s Seas by 2020.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENatural capital\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe stakes are high. From the extraction of oil and gas, to the freight transport which underpins European international trade; maritime sectors are of huge economic significance. But not all of the value of the marine environment is measured by markets. The seas generate other benefits, sometimes called ecosystem services or natural capital. For example, the aesthetic conditions which support recreation, such as clear water, beautiful natural scenery, and clean beaches, are valuable in terms of the enjoyment they provide to people, but are not for sale; in addition the oceans perform fundamental biogeochemical processes which regulate the climate and atmosphere and provide the living conditions necessary for all human activities to take place.\u003Cspan class=\u0022img_legend\u0022\u003E\u003Cfigure role=\u0022group\u0022\u003E\n\u003Ca class=\u0022gallery\u0022 href=\u0022\/research-and-innovation\/sites\/default\/files\/hm\/Aggreegate%20assessment_notext.jpg\u0022\u003E\u003Cimg alt=\u0022Estimates of benefits generated by European seas for some economic sectors and ecosystem services (2010) calculated as part of the KnowSeas project. Dark shades indicate minimum values paler shades represent upper estimates (values should not be aggregate as they were generated using different valuation techniques). [To open in full size in a pop up window when clicked] \u00a9 SAMS\u0022 height=\u0022176\u0022 src=\u0022\/research-and-innovation\/sites\/default\/files\/hm\/Aggreegate%20assessment_notext.jpg\u0022 title=\u0022Estimates of benefits generated by European seas for some economic sectors and ecosystem services (2010) calculated as part of the KnowSeas project. Dark shades indicate minimum values paler shades represent upper estimates (values should not be aggregate as they were generated using different valuation techniques). [To open in full size in a pop up window when clicked] \u00a9 SAMS\u0022 width=\u0022200\u0022\u003EEstimates of benefits generated by European seas for some economic sectors and ecosystem services (2010) calculated as part of the KnowSeas project. Dark shades indicate minimum values paler shades represent upper estimates (values should not be aggregate as they were generated using different valuation techniques). [To open in full size in a pop up window when clicked] \u00a9 SAMS\u003C\/a\u003E\n\u003Cfigcaption class=\u0022tw-italic tw-mb-4\u0022\u003EEstimates of benefits generated by European seas for some economic sectors and ecosystem services (2010) calculated as part of the KnowSeas project. Dark shades indicate minimum values paler shades represent upper estimates (values should not be aggregate as they were generated using different valuation techniques). [To open in full size in a pop up window when clicked] \u00a9 SAMS\u003C\/figcaption\u003E\n\u003C\/figure\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe accompanying graphic shows estimates of the economic worth of marine sectors and ecosystem services valued as part of the KnowSeas project. Altering the marine environment can reduce these stocks of natural capital and lessen their capacity to generate ecosystem services. The degree to which we can exploit marine ecosystems without depleting natural capital defines the limits of sustainability.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERecognising the value of the environment and of the ecosystem services it provides when implementing the integrated policy is therefore hugely important. In scope and scale this is an enormous undertaking. European marine territory is vast - covering 6.6 million square km - and diverse both in terms of the ecology within it and the social and cultural norms of the people surrounding it. From the crowded beaches and crystal waters of the Mediterranean to the deep remote fjords of the North Atlantic, marine managers face the same challenge, that of balancing use and conservation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETrade-offs\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAligning these twin goals requires an understanding of the trade-offs between exploitation and ecosystem service supply. European society places pressures on the seas through fishing, agriculture and shipping amongst other activities. These pressures result in an alarming list of environmental problems: collapsing fish stocks, oxygen depletion and ocean acidification are just a few. The damage done to oceans in turn diminishes their capacity to supply ecosystem services on which all human activities - economic and social - ultimately rely. For example, ocean acidification, caused by emissions of carbon dioxide may destroy cold water coral reefs in the North East Atlantic, eliminating essential fish habitat - and production of commercially important species - as well as reducing biodiversity and the potential for the discovery of new genetic resources with pharmaceutical worth.\u003Cblockquote class=\u0022tw-text-center tw-text-blue tw-font-bold tw-text-2xl lg:tw-w-1\/2 tw-border-2 tw-border-blue tw-p-12 tw-my-8 lg:tw-m-12 lg:tw--ml-16 tw-float-left\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022tw-text-5xl tw-rotate-180\u0022\u003E\u201c\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cp class=\u0022tw-font-serif tw-italic\u0022\u003E\u2018The degree to which we can exploit marine ecosystems without depleting natural capital defines the limits of sustainability.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cfooter\u003E\n \u003Ccite class=\u0022tw-not-italic tw-font-normal tw-text-sm tw-text-black\u0022\u003EDr Tim O\u0026#039;Higgins, KnowSeas project coordinator\u003C\/cite\u003E\n \u003C\/footer\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EUnderstanding how best to manage the marine environment to maintain ecosystem services, as well as support economic development, has been the focus of the KnowSeas project over the past four years. The project, led by the Scottish Association for Marine Science, has brought together a multidisciplinary team of ecologists, economists and social scientists from 33 academic partners in 16 different countries. The work has taken a systems approach, aiming to support implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive by developing a coherent conceptual approach as well as practical tools for marine managers. The project output tools and reports\u0026nbsp;are available on the Internet.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWith jobs and economic growth currently top priority on most national agendas, there is a danger that the trade-offs between economic profit and ecological loss will be ignored. The harsh reality is that ecosystem services are unlikely to be fully considered in management and that our stocks of natural capital may continue to be depleted further in the coming years. The values we place today on exploitation and conservation of the marine environment will shape the future long after the 2020 target for Good Environmental Status. If we chose to deplete our natural capital now for the sake of economic growth we endanger the very ecosystems on which our societies depend for life.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/textarea\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n \u003Cdiv id=\u0022edit-body-content--description\u0022 class=\u0022ecl-help-block description\u0022\u003E\n Please copy the above code and embed it onto your website to republish.\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cinput autocomplete=\u0022off\u0022 data-drupal-selector=\u0022form-cbckg5btifgp-c22kybohubm8v4ayu5jvdxgnfln5u\u0022 type=\u0022hidden\u0022 name=\u0022form_build_id\u0022 value=\u0022form--cbCkG5btiFGP_c22KYBohubm8V4Ayu5jVdxgNflN5U\u0022 \/\u003E\n\u003Cinput data-drupal-selector=\u0022edit-modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 type=\u0022hidden\u0022 name=\u0022form_id\u0022 value=\u0022modal_form_example_modal_form\u0022 \/\u003E\n\u003C\/form\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E","dialogOptions":{"width":"800","modal":true,"title":"Republish this content"}}]