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Numerous pipelines have been installed in the North Sea to support offshore oil and gas extraction. Pipeline decommissioning options include full and partial removal, as well as in situ decommissioning, either with or without intervention. The choice of decommissioning strategy has social, economic and safety implications for commercial fisheries, according to the type and intensity of fishing in the vicinity. Assessing the impacts of decommissioning strategies on fisheries and mitigation options is an essential step in the decommissioning consenting process. It is important that fisheries impact assessments employ the best available data that are capable of resolving the fine-scale spatial patterns that are known to exist in pipeline-fishing overlaps. This paper describes the development of geographic information system (GIS) layers that provide high-resolution fishing intensity data for individual pipeline sections. The layers were created using fishing data extracted from the vessel monitoring system (VMS) for UK vessels operating mobile demersal gear between 2007 and 2015. The layers are freely available to download via the Scottish Government's National Marine Plan Interactive (NMPi). The layers provide a common evidence base for industry, regulators and stakeholders to assess the impacts of different decommissioning options to commercial fisheries during the decommissioning process.

Fundings: Financial support for the conduct of the research, collection and analysis of data, as well as preparation of the article has been received by the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, under the MUSES project grant agreement No 727451. The authors would like to thank all stakeholder participants involved in the research and all project partners involved in the MUSES project. We acknowledge support by the Open Access Publication Funds of Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung. ; Peer reviewed ; Publisher PDF

The "open ocean" has become a highly contested space as coastal populations and maritime uses soared in abundance and intensity over the last decades. Changing marine utilization patterns represent a considerable challenge to society and governments. Maritime spatial planning has emerged as one tool to manage conflicts between users and achieve societal goals for the use of marine space; however, singlesector management approaches are too often still the norm. The last decades have seen the rise of a new ocean use concept: the joint "multi-use" of ocean space. This paper aims to explain and refine the concept of ocean multi-use of space by reviewing the development and state of the art of multi-use in Europe and presenting a clear definition and a comprehensive typology for existing multi-use combinations. It builds on the connectivity of uses and users in spatial, temporal, provisional, and functional dimensions as the underlying key characteristic of multi-use dimensions. Combinations of these dimensions yield four distinct types of multi-use with little overlap between them. The diversity of types demonstrates that there is no one-size-fitsall management approach, but rather that adaptive management plans are needed, focusing on achieving the highest societal benefit while minimizing conflicts. This work will help to sharpen, refine and advance the public and academic discourse over marine spatial planning by offering a common framework to planners, researchers and users alike, when discussing multi-use and its management implications.

Combining maritime uses, either through joint operations or joint installations, can reduce spatial pressures on European Seas and create new opportunities for socio-economic development, along with potential environmental benefits. 'Multi-use' implies a radical change from the concept of exclusive resource rights to an inclusive sharing of resources by one or more users. Thus multi-use often does not come naturally, but shall be motivated by clear drivers and added-values. This also implies that 'multi-use' solutions are not exclusively better than 'single-use' options. It is important to carefully consider local conditions when making a decision on whether to favour single – or multi-use in a given location. Further development of multi-use requires actions mainly from the users themselves, but also backed by research and legislation at all levels. Based on two years of systematic research, combined with extensive stakeholder involvement, within the framework of the Horizon 2020 funded MUSES project, the Action Plan details what actions are required and by whom in the coming years to turn the concept of Multi-Use in European sea basins into real life implementation.