This document is the Deliverable “Report on common understanding and GES assessment methodology (both impulsive and continuous noise) and : recommendations on the definition of threshold at MED level. (31st October 2018)” of the QUIETMED project funded by the DG Environment of the European Commission within the call “DG ENV/MSFD Second Cycle/2016”. This call funds the next phase of MSFD implementation, in particular to achieve regionally coherent, coordinated and consistent updates of the determinations of GES, initial assessments and sets of environmental targets by July 2018, in accordance with Article 17(2a and 2b), Article 5(2) and Article 3(5) of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (2008/56/EC). The QUIETMED project aims to enhance cooperation among Member States (MS) in the Mediterranean Sea to implement the Second Cycle of the Marine Directive and in particular to assist them in the preparation of their MSFD reports by 2018 through: i) promoting a common approach at Mediterranean level to update GES and Environmental targets related to Descriptor 11 in each MS marine strategies ii) development of methodological aspects for the implementation of ambient noise monitoring programs (indicator 11.2.1) iii) development of a joint monitoring programme of impulsive noise (Indicator 11.1.1) based on a common register, including gathering and processing of available data on underwater noise. This confidential document D2.3 of QUIETMED. This report D2.2 is largely based upon the outcomes of workshops held in 2016 in Hamburg, 2017, in Torrelodones and 2018 within the TGNoise in Bucharest. It also takes into consideration international scientific literature related to noise budgets, noise mapping and species-specific noise thresholds. This document is targeted at a non-technical audience, with the aim of supporting decisions by Public Administrations related to the underwater noise issue.

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