264838c2-3d2a-4f5b-9703-36f6a60b5c6e Plankton surveys in the Aegean and Ionian Seas 2018-01-01 Offshore surveys are being conducted across the Aegean and Ionian Seas to monitor plankton abundance using both net sampling and advanced imaging techniques. Two sampling campaigns per year target pelagic ecosystems at depths from 0 to 200 meters. The objectives are to examine the use of different components of the plankton assemblages (phytoplankton and zooplankton), to assess the biodiversity status, to explore the possibility to set threshold values for those components in relation to ecologically relevant assessment areas, to improve the coherence of Good Ecological Status (GES) definition for the MSFD. Aegean Sea Ionian Sea plankton Marianna Giannoulaki Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR) marianna@hcmr.gr Ionian Sea 19.00 21.50 37.00 39.00 Aegean Sea 22.5245 28.3324 35.1146 41.0117