Many fish species realize their life cycle in restricted and variable habitats such as coastal and estuarine nurseries. These habitats are essential for the growth and survival of young fish. The decisive nature of this phase on coastal nurseries explains that the degradation and destruction of these biotopes are among the main causes of the decline of marine species occupying these limited and fragile habitats. Reducing the surface or decreasing the quality of these coastal habitats can affect the size of the fish stocks that depend on them. The characterization of the ecological status and the study of the functionality of these nursery habitats, are essential for the implementation of ecosystem-based management measures that guarantee sustainable fisheries. The NURSE22 survey is part of a time series that started in 1980s. This time series supports public policies by consolidating knowledge on coastal environments. It grants Ifremer on its capacity in terms of expertise vis-à-vis all other non-fishing coastal uses (aggregates extraction, clippings, MRE, etc.). In addition, this time series is now participating in the MSFD through the assessment of Good Environmental Status (GES) of the Descriptor 1 on Biodiversity.

NURSE22 aims to collect data to monitor and understand the functioning of nurseries in the coastal zone, as these essential habitats play a determining role in the recruitment of juveniles of several fish species. Therefore, it aims at pursuing the standardized sampling of benthic and demersal organisms  (commercial and non-commercial invertebrates and fish) since the 1980's to develop nursery habitat quality indicators and GES indicators for coastal ecosystems. Concurrently, the survey will collect data on coastal marine litter, one of the MSFD descriptor. The study areas of this survey correspond to four flatfish nurseries in the Bay of Biscay: the external part of the Loire and Gironde estuaries, the bay of Bourgneuf, and the bay of Vilaine. The work to be carried out on the four nurseries proposes a quantitative and biogeographical description of the ecosystems.

The data obtained at the scale of each of the sites studied are all elements that will contribute to the understanding of the functioning of coastal ecosystems both at the site scale and at the regional scale (i.e. Bay of Biscay). The data obtained in the context of the NURSE22 survey will be used to feed the models on the trophic capacity of coastal marine ecosystems, models developed as part of the BiotroL research project. All the data obtained from the survey will be added to those already existing in order to develop GES indicators for coastal fish and cephalopods and marine coastal litter under MSFD.