Scientific diving: Towards European harmonisation

In the European Union, almost half of the population presently lives within 50-60km from the sea, and marine and coastal zone resources produce much of the EU’s economic wealth. While fishing, shipping and tourism industries all compete for vital space along the estimated 90 000km of coastline, coastal zones contain some of Europe’s most fragile and valuable natural habitats and archaeological heritages. Surveying and assessing the status quo and the future changes of coastal habitats are therefore key priorities for marine science in the coming decades. This is particularly important in the light of tremendous forthcoming challenges, such as: - fast changing human demography resulting in a rise in coastal populations and rapid coastal urbanisation; - increasing tourism, resulting in coastal zone development and degradation; - increasing demand and overexploitation of living and non-living resources; - conflicting uses of the marine environment (e.g. fish/shellfish farming, boating, recreational diving, mineral/oil/gas extractions, wind farms); - global change (i.e. increasing frequency of extreme events and rise in superficial water temperature, sea level rise, sea water acidification, diseases and mass mortality events). Another key priority for marine science is to support all the ambitious efforts within the EU Sustainable Development Strategy (SDS) and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). All these issues require advancement in marine biology, geology and archaeology that improves our knowledge of natural processes affecting biodiversity and functioning. It must also address the human impact and improve ways to mitigate it (e.g. designing ecologically active coastal and marine infrastructures, and developing innovative restorations techniques), as well as develop innovative technologies which support these actions.