The establishment of this technical protocol is to provide guidance for marine ecological evaluation used in the process of environmental impact assessment. Five major parts were included in this protocol：(1)description of existing marine environmental and ecological conditions；(2)analyze, distinguish, and predict the ecological effects as a result of the man-made development；(3)overall evaluation of the ecological impact；(4)provisions of effective and feasible mitigation measures；(5)provisions of an appropriate monitoring program.
Background marine environmental conditions, including geographical location, oceanography, water quality, sea floor topography, sediment, beneficial uses, habitat characteristics, and other ecological sensitive areas should all be adequately presented. In situ surveying and analysis program, including QA/QC were also specified.
Ecological analysis and prediction were required in the environmental impact assessment. The effects of man-made development on ecological environment and major biological species should be analyzed. Logical (descriptive), quantitative (such as mathematical model), or biocriteria comparison methods of prediction can be applied in the assessment.
Overall ecological evaluation was specified for the assessment. Separate evaluation should be conducted for both construction and operation periods. Overall evaluation of the effects in terms of extent, duration, probability of occurrence, recoverable possibility, should all be considered.
Feasible mitigation measures to reduce possible adverse ecological effect should be presented. Both technical and administrative mitigation measures were required to be evaluated.
Finally, an adequate monitoring program was also specified, which should include monitoring frequency, location, duration, periods, number of stations, sampling items and methods of evaluation.
