The IAEA has a long collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Mediterranean Action Plan (MAP) and its Program for the Assessment and Control of Marine Pollution in the Mediterranean region (MED POL) which was established in 1975 to assist? the Mediterranean countries to assess the status and trends in the quality of the marine and coastal environment among other assignments.

This includes the implementation of the Pollution Cluster of the Integrated Monitoring and Assessment Programme (IMAP), along with the development of necessary guidelines and tools to enable the integrated assessment of Good Environmental Status (GES).

The MED POL Programme in cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Marine Environmental Studies Laboratory (MESL), prepared Monitoring Guidelines /Protocols related to IMAP Common Indicators related to the Ecological Objectives on Eutrophication (EO5) (Common Indicator 13 and 14) and on Contaminants (EO9) (Common Indicators 17, 18 and 20) as well as to associated Analytical Quality Assurance? and the Reporting of Monitoring Data. They were reviewed by the Ecosystem Approach Correspondence Group on IMAP Pollution (CORMON Pollution) and were approved by the MED POL Focal Points Meeting in 2021.

IMAP Guidelines

The IMAP guidelines form a coherent manual to guide technical personnel of IMAP competent laboratories of the Contracting Parties for the implementation of standardized and harmonized monitoring practices related to a specific IMAP Common Indicator (i.e., sampling method, sample preservation and transportation, sample preparation and analysis, along with quality assurance and reporting of monitoring data).

Integrated Monitoring and Assessment Programme (IMAP) Monitoring Guidelines

• Introduction and Table of Contents

Ecological Objective (EO5) on Eutrophication

• ?Concentration of key nutrients and Chlorophyll a concentration in water column:? IMAP MONITORING GUIDELINES FOR CI13 AND CI14

Ecological Objective (EO9) on Contaminants

• Concentration of key harmful contaminants measured in the relevant matrix: IMAP MONITORING GUIDELINES FOR CI17
• Level of pollution effects of key contaminants where a cause and effect relationship has been established: IMAP MONITORING GUIDELINES FOR CI18
• Actual levels of contaminants that have been detected and number of contaminants which have exceeded maximum regulatory levels in commonly consumed seafood: IMAP MONITORING GUIDELINES FOR CI20

Analytical Quality Assurance

• IMAP MONITORING GUIDELINES FOR QUALITY ASSURANCE

Reporting Monitoring Data

• IMAP Monitoring Guidelines for Reporting IMAP Monitoring Data

Annexes

• Combined Annexes