Michael Elliott

• Chair at University of Hull

Current marine environmental management is the 'sustainable management of people and their marine activ-ities' to be achieved through ecosystem manipulation and activity control. Marine management per se needs to define who requires and can achieve a successfully managed environment, the tools and indicators for that management, the indications of...

Ecosystem services and societal goods and benefits provided by sandy beaches are increasingly affected by human stressors operating at different spatio-temporal scales. The core paradigm of sandy beach management hinges upon the cohesion and sustainability of the littoral active zone as a cohesive unit. However, as narrow open systems with permeabl...

Marine Ecosystem-Based Management (EBM) approaches are a well-established and fundamental component of international agreements and treaties, regional seas conventions, assessment strategies, European Directives and national and regional instruments. However, there is the need to interrogate and clarify the implementation of EBM approaches under cu...

Ecosystem-based marine spatial planning is an approach to managing maritime activities while ensuring human well-being and biodiversity conservation as key pillars for sustainable development. Here, we use a comprehensive literature review and a co-development process with experts to build an assessment framework and tool that integrates the fundam...

GuardIAS is a three-year Horizon Europe project starting in January 2025, uniting diverse expertise to address aquatic invasive alien species (IAS) management. This multidisciplinary initiative comprises seven interconnected work packages targeting all invasion stages (pre-border, border, post-border) to develop tools for disrupting invasions. Guar...

The understanding of the role of fishes in the trophic functioning of estuaries has increased in stages over many decades. It began with qualitative and quantitative dietary studies, mainly from the 1970s onwards, and progressed to more sophisticated stable isotope work towards the end of the 20th Century and into the present. Building on an initia...

In marine, coastal and estuarine environments, it is not possible to understand the ecological processes unless there is a very good understanding of the physical forcing factors. In turn, once the physics of an area creates the conditions for colonisation by the biota, then, very often, the biota modifies the physical and biogeochemical processes....

Describing patterns in activity and behaviour of animals as they move through their environment helps to reveal fundamental aspects of their ecology and identify key habitat requirements. Nursery areas are used by many shark species and play an important role in maintaining the viability of populations. Although shark movements within nursery areas...

Saltmarshes play a crucial role in carbon sequestration and storage, although they are increasingly threatened by climate change-induced sea level rise (SLR). This study assessed the potential variation in Blue Carbon stocks across regional and local scales, and estimated their economic value and potential habitat loss due to SLR based on the IPCC...

Marine SABRES brings together 21 research partners to restore marine biodiversity and support a sustainable blue economy by increasing the uptake of ecosystem-based management in Europe through a Simple Social-Ecological System (SES) Approach.

Human activities at sea have increased, causing subsequent degradation of ocean health and affecting ecosystem services and societal goods and benefits. Climate change further exacerbates the cumulative effects of these activities and their associated pressures. Hence, effective management of these multiple activities is imperative to ensure the su...

Covers the engineering and natural and social sciences aspects related to coastal industries and their operation and management. The book gives the background to the concepts, features, problems and solutions inherent in the siting, operation and decommissioning of industrial plants such as coastal power stations, petrochemical plants and sewage tr...

This chapter focuses on the human activities in estuaries and on coasts and the spatial and temporal conflicts between them. Estuarine and coastal marine environments are complex dynamic ecosystems characterized by highly variable conditions often altered by intense anthropogenic activities driving change in physico-chemical processes, ecosystem st...

Saltmarshes play a central role in addressing climate change by serving as vital carbon sequestration and storage zones. However, they are increasingly threatened by climate-induced sea level rise (SLR). Our study focused on three estuarine saltmarshes in northern Portugal, employing field sampling, remote sensing, and modeling approaches to assess...

This overview proposes a novel typology of characteristics required to ensure that marine assessment and management is connected, coherent and/or equivalent across boundaries, both within or between national and international jurisdictions. This defines the types of connectivity, coherence nature and equivalences with their relevance and examples i...

Two of the groups most impacted by microplastics (MPs) are zooplankton and fish larvae, either through MPs ingestion or absorption. Although there has been an increase of studies focusing on MPs ingestion by these organisms, there is still no standardized methodology for the quantification of MPs present in plankton. For example, some reagents norm...

Mangroves represent a challenge in monitoring studies due to their physical and chemical conditions under constant marine and anthropogenic influences. This study investigated metals/metalloids whole-body bioaccumulation (soft tissues) and the risk associated with their uptake, biochemical and morphological detoxification processes in gills and met...

A revision of Ecosystem Services terminology and concepts within and overall marine management framework based on the DAPSI(W)R(M) framework; it considers degradation and recovery of marine systems.

Estuaries are critical refuges for plant and animal species that have commercial, recreational and cultural value. A wide variety of habitats are associated with estuaries, such as intertidal mudflats, sandy beaches, rocky shores, salt marshes and tidal channels. These different habitats are home to remarkable biodiversity adapted to these highly c...

Marine Strategy Framework Directive Terminology Definitions and Lists GES4SEAS WP2: Developing the conceptual framework and knowledge base for ecosystem based management Task 2.1. Setting up the state-of-the-art of cumulative pressure impacts and ecosystem management approaches towards achieving Good Environmental Status within the MSFD

The notable improvement of China's wetland management policies over the last four decades prompted this study's goal to quantitatively analyze the transformation of China's coastal wetland policies from 1979 to 2022 by applying an institutional network analysis and policy text analysis. The results of the institutional network analysis revealed an...

Program of the GES4SEAS summer school 2022

There is growing awareness of the need for greater acknowledgement of underwater prehistoric cultural resources as part of management and regulation of the seabed around many maritime countries, especially those with large indigenous populations and history such as Australia. Prehistoric cultural places and landscapes inundated by Post-glacial sea-...

Estuaries are globally important zones for urban, recreational and commercial activities as well as supporting a range of habitats and species of significant ecological importance. The role of estuaries is recognised by the legislative framework that has been developed to protect and manage these areas as well as those species and resources in adjo...

The ocean is facing multiple pressures from human activities, including the effects of climate change. Science has a prominent role in identifying problems and communicating these to society. However, scientists are also increasingly taking an active role in developing solutions, including strategies for adapting to and mitigating climate change, i...

Sandy beaches are part of an integral social-ecological system whose management has to encompass the natural and societal features of the catchment and the adjacent marine area, as well as the beach itself. Using a multi-use and complex beach system in Uruguay, the La Coronilla and Barra del Chuy resort, we interrogate those natural and societal fe...

The plethora of human activities and their pressures and impacts in the oceans require managing at local, national, regional and international scales. This requires management responses in a programme of measures to determine (a) the area in which the human activities take place, (b) the area covered by the pressures generated by the activities on...

As a precursor to risk assessment and risk management through consuming contaminated seafood, food safety needs to be quantified and assured. Seaweed is an increasing dietary component, especially in developing countries, but there are few studies assessing uptake rates of contaminants from this route. As such, the present study determined likely h...

Estuarine and coastal waters are acknowledged centres for anthropogenic impacts. Superimposed on the complex natural interactions between land, rivers and sea are the myriad consequences of human activity – a spectrum ranging from locally polluting effluents to some of the severest consequences of global climate change. For practitioners, academics...

Offshore platforms, subsea pipelines, wells and related fixed structures supporting the oil and gas (O&G) industry are prevalent in oceans across the globe, with many approaching the end of their operational life and requiring decommissioning. Although structures can possess high ecological diversity and productivity, information on how they intera...

This chapter examines the ways in which estuarine fishes interact both with their habitat, and with each other, in relation to food and feeding. The ways in which diet and feeding may change with size and age are also discussed. The diverse feeding specialisations and dietary flexibility employed by different groups of fishes are reviewed, with the...

This chapter examines how zoogeography and estuarine typology can influence fish assemblages. There is a focus on the global classification of estuary‐associated fish species that places them into functional groups and guilds according to the ways in which they utilise these systems, especially in terms of their life cycle, feeding and reproductive...

This chapter presents the causes of physical and ecological degradation of estuaries in relation to human activities and climate change. The direct and indirect effects of degradation on ecosystem services and fish are listed, as well as the key questions that need to be answered in order to undertake rehabilitation and restoration actions. Ecohydr...

This chapter details the governance and management of estuarine fish ecology, habitats and fisheries, whereby the governance in turn covers the policies, administrative bodies and legislative instruments. It uses case studies predominantly from North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Japan but other areas are mentioned where...

This appendix uses illustrative references to centre on the desk‐study and analytical methods, which aim to allow researchers and fishery managers to obtain information on the estuarine fish ecology, population dynamics, habitats and fisheries. The data analysis and interpretation methods explained include empirical, conceptual and deterministic mo...

This appendix examines the field methods for fish monitoring in estuaries, including ‘traditional’ sampling techniques (nets and traps), and the more recent acoustic and visual detection, and DNA‐based methods. The features, advantages and disadvantages of each technique are presented (e.g. applicability to given habitat conditions, selectivity, ef...

This chapter synthesises the current knowledge and future directions of research into estuarine fish, their habitats and the estuarine fisheries. It also aims to present the main lessons for our current and future understanding of fish in estuaries. There is a focus on developing an understanding of the socioecological system by considering the rel...

Les zones littorales font parties des milieux les plus directement concernés par les problématiques que représentent le changement climatique et les changements globaux. En effet, les milieux littoraux, et notamment estuariens sont confrontés depuis quelques décennies à une tension croissante entre l’attractivité de leurs territoires et une vulnéra...

Atmospheric particulate material (PM) from mining and steel industries comprises several metallic contaminants. PM10 samples collected in a Brazilian region with a recognized influence of the steel and iron pelletizing industries were used to investigate metallic nanoparticle incorporation into human fibroblast cells (MRC-5). MRC-5 cells were expos...

It is axomatic that a system cannot be managed unless it is measured and that the measurements occur in a rigorous, defendable manner covering relevant spatial and temporal scales. Furthermore, it is not possible to predict the future direction of a system unless any predictive approach or model is supported by empirical evidence from monitoring. T...

As sites of floating marine material deposition, sandy beaches accumulate marine litter. While research and assessment on beach litter is increasing and involves various actors (scientists, society and NGOs), there is the need to assess current and future dominant trends, directions and priorities in that research. As such, a textural co-occurrence...

Approximately half of the world’s ice‐free ocean coastline is composed of sandy beaches, which support a higher level of recreational use than any other ecosystem. However, the contribution of sandy beaches to societal welfare is under increasing risk from local and non‐local pressures, including expanding human development and climate‐related stre...

Despite controversy about the actual capacity of sediments to accumulate pharmaceuticals, the presence of those emergent pollutants in river, estuarine, and coastal sediments has been stated by several research works. Nevertheless, information about the effect of pharmaceuticals on sediment-inhabiting organisms (fauna and flora) is still scarce and...

Wetlands such as mangroves are major centres of biodiversity and the production of ecosystem services from which society gathers goods and benefits. However, these attributes rely on a high environmental quality. That quality is recorded by quantitative indicators which are essential for environmental management. As such, three different salinity d...

In a nutshell: 1. Sandy beach ecosystems make up half of the world’s ice-free ocean coastlines and function as social-ecological systems. 2. No other ecosystem on the planet carries such a high level of recreational use, which is increasing worldwide as demand for leisure time rises. 3. We illustrate a global trend in social-ecological shifts and c...

Due to their ubiquitous presence, size and characteristics as ability to adsorb pollutants, microplastics are hypothesized as causing a major impact on smaller organisms, such as plankton. Despite this, there is a need to determine whether these impacts just relate to the environmental presence of the materials or their effects on biological proces...

The Workshop on Transboundary issues in Marine Spatial Planning (WKTBIMP) was held as part of the terms of reference of the Working Group on Marine Planning and Coastal Zone Management (WGMPCZM). The aim of the workshop was to identify the key transboundary issues that can undermine collaboration and coordination efforts to address them through mar...

Mangroves are complex ecosystems with widely varying abiotic factors such as salinity, pH, redox potential, substratum particle size, dissolved organic matter and xenobiotic concentrations, and a high biodiversity. This paper presents the trophodynamic pathways of accumulation and transfer of metals and metalloids (B, Al, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn,...

The history of monitoring transitional water fish in Scotland is briefly outlined. The requirements of the EU Water Framework Directive are explained and how this applies to the monitoring of transitional water fish communities in Scotland is described. The development of a monitoring programme for Scotland is outlined, including sampling methods a...

Many major and mega-cities have developed on coasts worldwide, thereby increasing reliance on coasts for human habitation and infra- structure, commerce and industry (ports and transport), and tourism and recreation (Small and Nicholls, 2003; Defeo et al., 2009; Sengupta et al., 2020; Defeo et al., in revision). This results from the benefits to hu...

Marine and estuarine management requires an excellent understanding of the interacting, interrelated and interdependent sub-systems comprising ecological, societal and management complexity. Managing such a complex system sustainably relies on knowing what aspects can be managed, and conversely what aspects are outside the control of the manager. A...

Emerging metallic contaminants (EMCs) are of concern due their presence in aquatic ecosystems and the lack of environmental regulations in several countries. This study verifies the presence of EMCs in two neotropical mangrove estuarine ecosystems (Espírito Santo Brazil) by evaluating abiotic and biotic matrices across six trophic levels (plankton,...

Marine and estuarine management requires an excellent understanding of the interacting, interrelated and interdependent sub-systems comprising ecological, societal and management complexity. Managing such a complex system sustainably relies on knowing what aspects can be managed, and conversely what aspects are outside the control of the manager. A...

The complexity of interactions and feedbacks between human activities and ecosystems can make the analysis of such social-ecological systems intractable. In order to provide a common means to understand and analyse the links between social and ecological process within these systems, a range of analytical frameworks have been developed and adopted....

Air pollution legislation and control worldwide is based on the size of particulate matter (PM) to evaluate the effects on environmental and human health, in which the small diameter particles are considered more dangerous than larger sizes. This study investigates the composition, stability, size and dispersion of atmospheric settleable particulat...

Estuarine habitats are major nurseries for the European flounder Platichthys flesus , with different year classes sharing food and space resources. Hence, an understanding of feeding strategies that optimize resource use and maintain carrying capacity is fundamental for sustainable and successful ecosystem management. The main feeding areas of juve...

This report distils the main results of the EU H2020 project CERES "Climate Change and European Fisheries and Aquaculture" (grant number 678193) executed between 2016 and 2020. See the report for citation format.

Determining the overall effects of human activities on the estuaries, seas and coasts, as a precursor to marine management, requires quantifying three aspects. These are: (a) the area in which the human activities take place, (b) the area covered by the pressures generated by the activities on the prevailing habitats and species, in which pressures...

The assessment of the cumulative impacts of multiple human activities is an increasingly important yet complex part of managing the marine environment. Despite this, as yet, there is no consistent approach to considering these in assessments and/or management (e.g. environmental impact assessment, marine spatial planning). Current and previous appr...

On 1 March 2019, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly (New York) declared 2021–2030 the “UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.” This call to action has the purpose of recognizing the need to massively accelerate global restoration of degraded ecosystems, to fight the climate heating crisis, enhance food security, provide clean water and protect b...

The expected increase of maritime activities in the North Sea and the growing awareness of its natural environmental value require enhanced science-based environmental advice for more efficient and effective marine management. The North Sea Open Science Conference organised by the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences and the Belgian Biodiver...

The south coast of Belize provides a space which several economic activities converge in a complex interaction. Since being agreed 20 years ago, it is important yo identify the progress of Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) in the country, especially in southern Belize. A combination of two methodologies was used: a) DAPSIR(W)R(M) framework...

A number of studies have investigated the impacts of storm surges at the local or regional scale, with a recent study by Vousdoukas et al. giving projections for Europe for 2010–2040 and 2070–2100. This chapter shows that the North and Baltic Sea coastlines show the largest increase in storm surges, where in contrast the southern European Mediterra...