EUCC is one of the 31 partners from 15 European countries involved in the recently launched project KnowSeas - Knowledge-based sustainable management for Europe’s seas, funded by the EU FP7 Programme and led by the Scottish Association for Marine Science.

For the next 4 years, a large group of natural and social scientists, and other experts with extensive experience in the marine environment, will work together to address the application of ecosystem-based approaches to the management and sustainability of the regional European seas. KnowSeas aims to strengthen the science base, to develop and test practical tools to help clarify and support this ecosystem-based approach - a concept which is unclear, complex and difficult to operationalise for most policy and decision-makers. This project will also engage the European Commission and governing bodies such as OSPAR and HELCOM throughout its progress, in order to allow high level involvement of the outcomes of its activities and studies.

EUCC is involved in designing the conceptual models that will be applied and tested in the regional seas, the establishment of the policy framework for the project, and the development of Guidelines for an Ecosystem Approach – one of the several outcomes of KnowSeas.