We took inspiration from a “Matrix of marine activities” (appropriate for each IUCN management category) extracted from IUCN paper, to achieve the first objective by computing 1 product comprising the following 12 components:

Product ATLANTIC_CH02_Product_1 / MPA Atlantic network classified in IUCN classification

• Traditional fishing area

• Sustainable fishing area (industrial)

• Leisure fishing area

• Leisure activity area (diving, surfing, tourist beaches)

• Shipping area (shipping trajectory, aids navigation)

• Scientific activity area

• Renewable energy generation facility area (ocean energy facilities, wind farms)

• Aquaculture area (finfish production, shellfish production)

• Shipping infrastructure area (harbours, dredging area...)

• Waste discharge area

• Mining area (aggregate extraction, hydrocarbon extraction)

• Habitation area (urban area)

Each geographic information required for the components was compiled into a layer in grid format. These grids were intersected with the MPAs layer to assign each MPA a IUCN category according to the conditional matrix illustrated below :

If the MPA area contains : Habitation area (urban area) The IUCN category is :V

If the MPA area contains : Mining area (aggregate extraction, hydrocarbon extraction) The IUCN category is V

If the MPA area contains : Waste discharge area The IUCN category is : V

If the MPA area contains : Shipping infrastructure area (harbours, dredging area...) The IUCN category is IV

If the MPA area contains : Aquaculture area (finfish production, shellfish production) The IUCN category is IV

If the MPA area contains : Renewable energy generation facility area (ocean energy facilities, wind farms) The IUCN category is IV

If the MPA area contains : Leisure fishing area The IUCN category is IV

If the MPA area contains : Sustainable fishing area (industrial) The IUCN category is IV

If the MPA area contains : Shipping area (shipping trajectory, aids navigation) The IUCN category is II

If the MPA area contains : Leisure activity area (diving, surfing, tourist beaches) The IUCN category is Ib

If the MPA area contains : Traditional fishing area The IUCN category is Ib

If the MPA area contains : Scientific activity area The IUCN category is Ia