Centre for Coastal and Marine Sciences, Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML) Richard Warwick Prospect Place, West Hoe, Plymouth PL1 3DH, UK E-mail: r.warwick@pml.ac.uk Website: www.pml.ac.uk

PML is the Leader of Workpackage 1 (WP1: Reference sites) and:

• co-ordinates and carries out the first inventories and reviews on available data for sites with background data on biodiversity (WP1). To this end, he contacts and consults the members of the Concerted Action for information and advice. This will mainly be done by (E-)mail.
• chairs the sessions in the regional meetings and workshops dealing with WP1.
• co-operates with the Regional Co-ordinators (members 5 to 10) in the organisation of regional meetings (3 regions, 1 meeting per region per year), and makes reports with regard to the sessions on most suitable and best studied reference sites (WP1).
• makes, with help of the Regional Co-ordinators, draft reports on the results of the inventories and discussions in the meetings and workshops with regard to the most suitable and best studied sites (including a draft outline for criteria and protocols, gaps in existing data and in knowledge, and recommendations for the selection of sites).
• readjusts reports, outlines and protocols according to recommendations from members, meetings and workshops.
• presents results in meetings and workshops.
• composes final reports on most suitable and best studied sites for marine biodiversity studies.
• is responsible for the deliverables of Work-package 1.
• gives, through 2 representatives, input to the 2 meetings and 2 workshops (each lasting 3 days) within all 3 Workpackages, by presenting information on biodiversity research in its country.
• is member of the steering committee (4 meetings at intervals of approximately 8 months).