It seems clear that while the MSFD and MSP have distinct
strategic objectives, they are homologous for present purposes.
Indeed, the two directives both have the goal of creating an oper
ational framework aimed at achieving GES, thereby contributing to
the promotion of a coordinated decision-making process, as pro
vided by the Integrated Maritime Policy (Meiner, 2010) .
The MSFD provides that Member States should carry out an
initial assessment of marine waters, taking into account both their
ecological status and the pressures and impacts to which they are
subjected (ANNEX III Table 2, MSFD). The criteria and methodo
logical standards provided for in the MSFD to estimate GES aim to
produce initial assessments using the parameters established by
Commission Decision 2010/477/EU. With regard to Descriptor 11 in
particular, this will involve a joint assessment of the scale and in
tensity of sound pressures, their extent, the vulnerability of marine
ecosystems and an estimate of potential damage (Van der Graaf
et al., 2012). This approach emphasizes the role of the tools and
spatial protection measures listed in Annex VI of the MSFD, conferring on MSPs a key role in the identification of the distri
bution in space and time of the activities and use of maritime space.
Indeed, Article 8 of the MSP identifies a list of activities of interest
that the maritime space management plans could consider during
the elaboration phase. These convergences of intent can be syn
thesized by the matrix represented in Table 3, which shows the
option of using Descriptor 11 as a shared indicator in order to monitor the relationship between the two directives: business-use/ pressure-impacts.