Wageningen Marine Research of Stichting Dienst Landbouwkundig Onderzoek provides knowledge that is essential for the sustainable use and management of the sea and saline coastal areas. Located in the Netherlands, Wageningen Marine Research focuses on strategic and applied ecological research relating to economic developments that respect the sea’s ecology and ecological values. Wageningen Marine Research is the knowledge partner for the authorities, business and non-governmental organizations with a vested interest in marine living resources management. The field of work comprises: Nature, Environment, Fishery and Aquaculture.

Wageningen Marine Research leads WP8, Ecosystem-based Management towards Policy Objectives, and is responsible for the marine case study, focusing on trade-offs in ecosystem-based fisheries management in the North Sea aimed at achieving Biodiversity Strategy targets.

Dr. Gerjan Piet

Dr. Gerjan Piet is a senior scientist in marine ecology, specialised in ecosystem effects of fishing and ecosystem-based management. He is heavily involved in developing MSFD descriptors and indicators (lead Task group descriptor 3, commercial fish and shellfish). He coordinated FP6 – 044227 (IMAGE) and was Work Package lead in many other projects (e.g. EFEP, INEXFISH, MEECE, MEFEPO, ODEMM). As part of the European Environment Agency’s European Topic Centre on Inland, Coastal and Marine waters, he is working on the development of a framework for marine ecosystem services and accounting. He was involved in the evaluation of Dutch Natura 2000 areas and will lead WP8 and the marine case study in AQUACROSS.

Dr. Tobias van Kooten

Dr. Tobias van Kooten is a theoretical ecologist with 15 years’ experience. He has been assistant professor at Umea University in Sweden and is now a senior scientist at IMARES. His work focuses on the dynamics of populations and communities, in particular in response to fisheries. Recently, he has worked on the effects of bottom trawling on benthic ecosystems, including effects on biodiversity. He is involved in the evaluation of Dutch Natura 2000 areas.

Ralf van Hal

Ralf van Hal has his MSc in biology and has 10 years’ experience working as a marine researcher at IMARES. His work focuses on the changes in the demersal ecosystem of the North Sea due to e.g. climate effects and anthropogenic impacts (fisheries, offshore construction, and coastal nourishment). Recently, he has been involved in the coordination and development of EU monitoring programs for the MSFD indicators, in addition to his work coordinating the International Bottom Trawl Survey (IBTS) in the North Sea.

Pepijn de Vries

Pepijn de Vries gained his MSc in pharmaceutical science. Since 2006, he has worked in risk and hazard assessments of substances in the marine environment, broadening to general impact assessments of human activities in marine environments in later years. He has helped develop a risk assessment framework for produced water discharges by the offshore oil and gas industry. He was also involved in the development and analyses of a framework for assessing the overarching risks resulting from activities by a multitude of sectors. This was done for the EU project ODEMM (Options for Delivering Ecosystem-Based Marine Management).

Jacqueline Tamis

Jacqueline Tamis is an ecologist with 15 years of experience working within projects concerning environmental risk and impact assessment. She has gained knowledge and experience within the fields of offshore oil and gas industry, offshore wind energy, fishing, shipping, invasive species, subsea storage of CO₂, and the European Natura 2000 and Marine Strategy Framework Directive.