JERICO-NEXT. Approaches to monitor European coastal seas

The objectives of JERICO-NEXT are to address the challenge of observing the complexity and high variability of coastal areas at Pan-European level, in the framework established by European Directives (WFD, MSFD) and the operational marine services. The JERICO-NEXT project aims at extending the EU network of coastal observations developed in JERICO (FP7) by adding new innovative infrastructures while integrating biogeochemical and biological observations. The main target of JERICO-NEXT is to provide the researchers with continuous and more valuable coastal data coupling physical and biological information. The JERICO research infrastructure (JERICO-RI) is valorised through six Joint Research Activity Projects (JRAP) that address key environment challenges and scientific questions; the ultimate objectives being to maximise the value and impact of the RI while providing key recommendations for the further development of the infrastructure, in terms of sampling capabilities, representativeness of coastal processes, support to services, among others. Each JRAP gathers a critical mass of expertise from the consortium, allowing tackling the challenges of multi-disciplinarity and the variability of European coastal environments. The present report (D4.1) summarises the approaches proposed for assessing the value and the present and future relevance of the JERICO-RI, to provide high-value datasets for addressing these key challenges at European level. Dedicated sampling strategies have been elaborated and formulated to answer key scientific questions, related to these challenges and will be tested during the next two years of the project, with the aim to provide sounded inputs to the JERICO-RI science strategy (WP1.2) for the short term, and concrete recommendations to the roadmap for the future...