Ainhize Uriarte

AZTI · Marine Research Division

Ocean warming and acidification, decreases in dissolved oxygen concentrations, and changes in primary production are causing an unprecedented global redistribution of marine life. The identification of underlying ecological processes underpinning marine species turnover, particularly the prevalence of increases of warm-water species or declines of...

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The European Atlantic Ocean offers a high potential for marine renewable energy (MRE), which is targeted to be at least 32% of the EU’s gross final consumption by 2030. The European Commission is supporting the development of the ocean energy sector through an array of activities and policies: the Green Deal, the Energy Union, the Strategic Energy...

The ocean energy development is one of the main pillars of the EU Blue Growth strategy. However, while the technological development of devices is growing fast, their potential environmental effects are not well-known. The nascent status of the Marine Renewable Energy (MRE) sector and Wave Energy (WE) in particular, yields many unknowns about its p...

The ocean energy development is one of the main pillars of the EU Blue Growth strategy. However, while the technological development of devices is growing fast, their potential environmental effects are not well-known. The SafeWAVE project aims to improve the knowledge on the potential environmental impacts from Wave Energy projects. In the projec...

Funded by the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) and launched in November 2018, the WESE-Wave Energy in Southern Europe project aims to improve the current knowledge on environmental impacts of Wave Energy (WE projects) reducing uncertainty in modelling potential impacts of future wave energy large scale devices deployments to better infor...

The EMOD-PACE project, funded by the European Commission, aimed to promote international ocean governance between EU and China. One of the objectives of EMOD-PACE is to compare European and Chinese modelling approaches for ecosystem vulnerability assessment. In particular, our objective was to test the applicability of the Chinese evaluation approa...

In the context of the European Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD, 2008/56/EC), Member States are required to assess the environmental status of marine waters. With the aim to support practitioners in this effort, and guide them in the identification of management solutions, a team of researchers has brought together available information fo...

The emerging marine renewable energy (MRE) industry, also known as ocean energy (mostly wave and tidal energy), yields many unknowns about its potential environmental pressures and impacts. Wave energy converters (WECs) are still perceived by regulators and other stakeholders as risky, particularly for some groups of species and habitats. In many c...

of the consenting process for ocean energy projects in Spain (left) and Portugal (right). Taken from Simas et al., 2015. Review of consenting processes for ocean energy in selected European Union Member States. International Journal of Marine Energy, 9: (0): 41-59. Wave Energy in the Southern Europe (WESE) Funded by the European Maritime and Fisher...

In the Bay of Biscay, regional monitoring programmes and data on abundance and distribution of floating marine litter are scarce, contrary to many other European marine regions. Here, a joint analysis of multiyear observations (2017–2019) of floating micro and macrolitter and oceanographic conditions was conducted for the Bay of Biscay by combining...

WESE is a project funded under the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund focusing on how to overcome the non-technological barriers related with Wave Energy projects, specifically by carrying out environmental monitoring activities around wave energy converters (WECs) operating at sea, to improve knowledge on environmental pressures and impacts and...

El Golfo de Bizkaia es una zona de interés para la conservación de numerosas especies marinas, que están presentes en esta región del nordeste Atlántico durante todo o parte de su ciclo vital. Entre ellas, varias decenas de especies de aves marinas y cetáceos frecuentan estas aguas y son un pilar fundamental para el funcionamiento e integridad de l...

In the WESE project scope, Work Package 2 aims to collect, process, analyse and share environmental data collected in sites where Wave Energy Converters (WEC) are operating in real sea conditions in Spanish and Portuguese coastal waters, representing different types of technology, sites and, therefore, types of marine environment (onshore, nearshor...

In the context of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD 2008/56/EC), a multidisciplinary study was carried out, with researchers from different disciplines, bringing together solutions for management practitioners in the Basque coastal zone (SE part of the Bay of Biscay). This area was selected as case-study and divided into Marine Reportin...

Galparsoro, I., Á. Borja, I. Menchaca, J. Franco, M. C. Uyarra, A. Uriarte, G. Chust y J. Bald, 2020. Elaboración del diagnóstico sobre el medio marino e identificación de líneas de trabajo futuras para la Estrategia de Biodiversidad de la CAPV 2030. Informe elaborado por AZTI para Ihobe. 96 pp + Anexos.

In the present study, we addressed the potential impact of climate change on coastal erosion along the 28 beaches of the Basque Coast (150 km). A shoreline evolution model including cross-shore and alongshore sediment transport formulations, short- and long-term processes considerations and hard structure treatment is developed. The historical anal...

adaptation of NEAT to apply the MSFD guidelines, in Malta

In the last few years, the concept of ecosystem-based approach has led to the need for developing integrative assessments that consider the different ecosystem components all together. In Europe, the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) aims at achieving the Good Environmental Status for all regional seas. This requires Member States (MS) to...

A Decision Support Tool (DST) for the identification of the most feasible areas for wave energy projects in the context of maritime spatial planning (MSP), has been developed and implemented. The DST is based on a conceptual model which considers the main environmental, technical, and socio-economic factors that could influence the suitability for...

Aiming the protection and conservation of the marine environment, the European Marine Strategy Framework Directive (Directive 2008/56/EC) requires the implementation of all measures necessary to achieve the good environmental status by 2020. For that, 11 descriptors are identified: (i) biodiversity, (ii) non-native species, (iii) commercial species...

The present deliverable describes the information that could be of relevance for the assessment of suitable areas for the establishment of wave energy convertors facilities in Portugal and Spain. The aim of the identification of such information is to contribute as background information to the identification of the most suitable areas for the deve...

The marine environment faces an increasing number of threats, mainly driven by anthropogenic activities, that are causing growing impacts on marine species and processes. In Europe, the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) aims to achieve or maintain Good Environmental Status (GES) of the European waters by 2020. The Directive specifically...

The objective of this study was, using open access databases with indicators across all the European seas with agreed targets, to demonstrate if the Nested Environmental status Assessment Tool (NEAT), can be used at the European scale, serving to managers and policy-makers as a tool to assess the environmental status under the MSFD.

Substantial progress has been made in assessing marine health in an integrative way. However, managers are still reluctant in undertaking such assessments, because: (i) lack of indicators; (ii) absence of targets; (iii) difficulty of aggregating indicators from different ecosystem components, habitats, and areas; (iv) absence of criteria on the num...

Marine litter is an emerging issue of global concern causing harm to marine wildlife, coastal communities and marine activities. Floating marine litter constitutes the fraction of litter located at the water surface. In the Bay of Biscay, floating marine litter density is considerable in comparison to other European regions. Furthermore, this area...

Las aves marinas son uno de los grupos de aves más amenazado y actualmente en declive crónico debido a múltiples amenazas. En este trabajo analizamos las principales presiones de las aves marinas a lo largo de la costa cantábrica. Debido a la dificultad de recoger este tipo de información, los registros de ingresos en Centros de Recuperación pueden...

In spite of their oceanic habitat, deep diving cetacean species have been found to be affected by anthropogenic activities, with potential population impacts of high intensity sounds generated by naval research and oil prospecting receiving the most attention. Improving the knowledge of the distribution and abundance of this poorly known group is a...

The Mutriku Oscillating Water Column (OWC) Plant is an onshore infrastructure for wave energy harnessing promoted by the Basque Entity of Energy (Ente Vasco de la Energía, EVE). The facility is housed within a breakwater at the port of Mutriku (Basque Country, Northern Spain) and opened in July 2011. The plant consists of 16 turbines giving a total...

The life history strategies of fishes can be defined by specific combinations of demographic traits that influence species performances depending on environmental features. Hence, the constraints imposed by the local conditions restrict the range of successful strategies by excluding species poorly adapted. In the present study, we compared the dem...

Non-native species, i.e. species occurring outside of their native range, have been recognised as a major threat for ecosystem functioning. Indeed, the number of non-native species introduced at all continents to support human activities or needs has increased during the last decades and several non-native species are now spread worldwide, e.g. mos...

Using a long-term (1995–2014) monitoring network, from 51 sampling stations in estuaries and coasts of the Basque Country (Bay of Biscay), the objective of this investigation was to assess the responsiveness of 83 variables in water (18), sediments (27), biota (26), phytoplankton (2), macroinvertebrates (5) and fishes (5) to different human pressur...

A simple procedure to harmonise and intercalibrate eight national methods classifying the ecological status using fish in transitional waters of the North East Atlantic is described. These methods were initially intercalibrated and a new method recently developed was added to this exercise. A common human pressure index pre-classified the status of...

A simple procedure to harmonise and intercalibrate eight national methods classifying the ecological status using fish in transitional waters of the North East Atlantic is described. These methods were initially intercalibrated and a new method recently developed was added to this exercise. A common human pressure index pre-classified the status of...

Estuaries are subjected to multiple anthropogenic stressors, which have additive, antagonistic or synergistic effects. Current challenges include the use of large databases of biological monitoring surveys (e.g. the European Water Framework Directive) to help environmental managers prioritizing restoration measures. This study investigated the impa...

European estuaries are subjected to a large spectrum of anthropogenic pressures, which are known to have additive, antagonistic, synergistic and multiplicative impacts on the functioning of ecological systems. Understanding the pressure-impact relationships and the interactions effects among pressures are essential requirements to develop accurate...

Marine litter is one of the descriptors in the European Marine Strategy Framework Directive, which aims to achieve a healthy marine environment and make ecosystems more resilient to climate change. Most experiences have been focused upon quantifying the abundance and distribution of marine litter, on beaches in particular. Nevertheless, the continu...

Aquatic ecosystems facing multiple stressors lead to challenging conditions for their management, as stressors can have additive, but also interactive effects on organisms, populations and communities. Accounting for these interactions is important in the assessment of the stressor’s impacts and to implement good restoration measures. Using a compa...

The Biscay Marine Energy Platform (bimep) is an offshore infrastructure for the demonstration and testing of wave energy harnessing devices promoted by the Basque Entity of Energy (Ente Vasco de la Energía - EVE). Bimep is located close to Arminza town (Basque Country, Northern Spain) and it consists on an 5.3 km2 sea area between 50 and 90 m depth...

The Biscay Marine Energy Platform (bimep) is an offshore infrastructure for the demonstration and testing of wave energy harnessing devices promoted by the Basque Entity of Energy (Ente Vasco de la Energía - EVE). Bimep is located close to Arminza town (Basque Country, Northern Spain) and it consists on an 5.3 km2 sea area between 50 and 90 m depth...

The Biscay Marine Energy Platform (bimep) is an offshore infrastructure for the demonstration and testing of wave energy harnessing devices promoted by the Basque Entity of Energy (Ente Vasco de la Energía - EVE). Bimep is located close to Arminza town (Basque Country, Northern Spain) and it consists on an 5.3 km2 sea area between 50 and 90 m depth...

A reviewofthecriteriausedinEuropeandelsewhereforassessingtheecologicalcoherence of networksofmarineprotectedareashasledtoaproposalfortheassessment criteria to be used bytheCommission:representativity, connectivity ofconservationfeatures, replication of these featuresinseveralsitesandadequacy. The reportalsopresentsanassessment method which wasdevel...

Aquatic ecosystems facing multiple stressors lead to challenging conditions for their management, as stressors can have additive, but also interactive effects on organisms, populations and communities. Accounting for these interactions is important in the assessment of the stressor’s impacts and to implement good restoration measures. Using a compa...

The early response to environmental disturbance and antropogenic pressure by estuarine fishes make them good indicators of changes, especially in regard to water quality. From 2008 to 2010 sampling surveys of demersal assemblages in the Basque estuarieswere carried out three times per year (spring, summer and autumn). The results obtained have allo...

Estuaries and lagoons are especially affected by anthropogenic pressures. This has resulted in symptoms of degradation including water quality impairment and loss of aquatic biota. Protection of aquatic biodiversity and management of these coastal systems require robust tools to assess habitat integrity. Fish populations have been extensively used...

The implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) is directing European marine research towards the coordinated and integrated assessment of sea environmental status, following the ecosystem-based approach. The MSFD uses a set of 11 descriptors which, together, summarise the way in which the whole system functions. As such, the E...

The aim of this study was to determine whether the latitudinal distribution of fish species that use estuaries to complete their entire life cycle has shifted northward as an expected consequence of global warming. The mean latitude of past fish species distributions found in 1970s’ literature was compared with the mean latitude of distributions to...

Estuarine fish assemblages are subject to a great environmental variability that largely depends on both upstream fluvial and downstream marine influences. From this ecohydrological view, our study introduces a macroecological approach aiming to identify the main environmental factors that structure fish assemblages among European tidal estuaries....

The European Water Framework and Marine Strategy Directives relate to the assessment of ecological quality, within estuarine and coastal systems. This legislation requires quality to be defined in an integrative way, using several biological elements (phytoplankton, benthos, algae, phanerogams, and fishes), together with physico-chemical elements (...

Validation of the AZTI's Fish Index (AFI), proposed for the Basque Country (northern Spain), in assessing fish quality within the Water Framework Directive (WFD), is undertaken. The response to anthropogenic pressure is investigated, in setting the boundaries between the different quality status classes. Hence, 12 estuaries were sampled, at differe...