Based on the fact that the Greek legislation has not particular directives that can cover research, extraction and exploitation of MA deposits, and considering that the needs for MA are expected to be enhanced in the near future, the purpose of this WP is to estimate the environmental impacts during the prospecting and, mainly, the extraction of MA deposits. More specifically, the impacts in the morphology and sedimentology of the seabed, the possible alternation of the near bottom hydrodynamics and the impacts to benthos will be investigated. The aforementioned factors will be examined in accordance with the different methods of MA extraction and the existing European and Greek legislation. Furthermore, the aim of WP-5 is to choose the most appropriate method of extracting and the development of the best protocols of the whole procedure (prospecting-dredging) in order to achieve the minimum environmental impact. In addition, the consequences of extraction to nearby coastal zones will be assessed, and especially, in relation to their stability.

The WP-5 consists of the following interrelated five (5) tasksTask 5.1. Environmental legislation (Greek and European), for MA prospecting and extraction.

Description/Methodology: The aim of this task is to gather and examine all the existing Greek and European legislation in order to find out if the existing directives are sufficient for facing and solving the aforementioned aspects, or more initiatives should be undertaken towards this direction. More specifically, this task includes: (i) the extended investigation of the existing legislation/regulations and the involving organizations, which specify and give licenses and instructions for the extraction and in general exploitation of the Greek and European MA deposits; (ii) the comparison between Greek and International environmental legislation, in order to establish the discrepancies and the weak points and if possible to improve some of the regulations; (iii)  notifications regarding the existing legislation and in particular if it can designate and encounter aspects of environmental impacts from MA exploitation activities in the selected study areas.

Deliverable: D20- Extraction procedure legislation (Technical report)

 Task 5.2. Benthos investigation in the potential locations of MA extraction

Description/Methodology: This task will define the diversity of benthic communities, their ecology and abundance and the biomass in each potential study area for MA extraction (sampling in and out from the study areas limits). This information will assist to the evaluation of the colonization and recovery rates in areas of dredging and consequently of benthic alternation, in accordance with the chosen extraction method. From every sampling station, replicate grab-samples will be collected. Samples will be sieved in situ and benthic organisms will be preserved in formalin solution, in order to be classified in the laboratory according to their taxa. The analysis of benthic communities includes abundance and biomass measurements, followed by a series of single-variable (e.g. biodiversity indices, species dominance curves) and multi-variable statistic techniques (e.g. multidimensional taxonomy – MDS, cluster analysis) (Clarke & Warwick, 1994) and their correlation to other parameters (e.g. granulometry). Furthermore, in accordance with the results of the subbottom profiles and the core-sampling, there will be an effort to evaluate the substrate type that will arise after dredging, so that the anticipated newly colonization organisms could be determined, after the potential exploration of the MA deposits.

Deliverable: D21- Benthic analysis (Technical Report)

Task 5.3. Environmental impact assessment

Description/Methodology: This task will undertake: (i) a full and synthetic recording of the environmental impacts from the international bibliography, in association with the demands of the existing legislation; (ii) an evaluation of the most important problems of the procedure, referring to managerial difficulties; (iii) a study of the specific problems of the environmental impacts (e.g. due to the complexity of the coastal areas, determination of errors, availability of data time-series); (iv) the application of Environmental Impact Assessment studies in the selected study areas, emphasizing on their ecological characteristics throughout the systematic study of the benthos abundance and diversity (T.5.2); (v) the investigation of the effect of the extraction to nearby coastal zones, referring to their stability, through the determination of the closure depth; (vi) the proposal and description of standards that can possibly minimize the negative impacts as well as inquiries for alternative solutions and scenarios; and finally, (vii) an effort to trace gaps of knowledge and indefinability in the extraction procedure.

Deliverable: D22- Environmental impact assessment of MA extraction (Technical Report

Task 5.4. Decision making tool for the most suitable method of extraction)

Description/Methodology: The selection of the most suitable method for extracting MA deposits depends on a combination of parameters including: (a) the types and operational capabilities of the available vessels (anchor dredgers, trailer-suction dredgers, etc); (b) the possibility of intensive extraction (e.g. for MA deposits in small depths and close to the coast, small but proper vessels could provide the ability to perform intensive extraction); (c) the water depth of the observed MA deposits (around Europe usually in depths

Deliverable: D23- Description of the MA extraction tool (Technical Report)

 Task 5.5. Development of a “Protocol for MA Extraction”

Description/Methodology: This task will embody all the information extracted from the previous Tasks (5.1-5.4), in order to modulate a homogenized protocol that will include the best applicable research methodologies related to the prospecting, localization and extraction of MA deposits and the determination of any possible environmental impacts in accordance with the most strict regulations of the European and international legislation (existing legislation/directives (WP5-T1)). Moreover, a critical assessment of the research protocols used nowadays will be performed and suggestions for their improvements will be put into consideration. The integrated operational “Protocol for MA Extraction” should (and will) include: (i) the delimitation of study zones based on certain criteria; (ii) technico-economic information for the whole procedure; (iii) the desk-top study; (iv) the appropriate use of the geological oceanography methods for tracing the proper MA deposits; (v) the study of the meteorological and oceanographical data (waves, currents) in order to track sites where modern MA should be concentrated (in the case that no specific field work could be performed); (vi) the tracing and evaluation methodologies of the MA deposits; (vii) the physical and biological characteristics of the areas under consideration that will support the environmental impact assessment studies; (viii) the most suitable extraction method; and (ix) the existing legislation.

Deliverables: D24-Protocol for MA extraction (Technical Report)