Member State report / Art11 / 2020 / D10 / Belgium / NE Atlantic: Greater North Sea
Report type | Member State report to Commission |
MSFD Article | Art. 11 Monitoring programmes (and Art. 17 updates) |
Report due | 2020-10-15 |
GES Descriptor | D10 Litter |
Member State | Belgium |
Region/subregion | NE Atlantic: Greater North Sea |
Reported by | FPS Science Policy, Management Unit of the North Sea Mathematical Models (Scientific Service MUMM, R |
Report date | 2020-10-29 |
Report access |
Descriptor |
D10 |
D10 |
D10 |
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Monitoring strategy description |
The amount of litter in the marine environment is monitored at the seafloor, in the stomach of Northern Fulmars and along the coastline, all in accordance with the OSPAR guidelines. Seafloor litter is collected during beam trawl surveys, while ingested litter is derived from the specimen collected during the beached seabird surveys. The registration of litter types contributes to the identification of the input sources. Evolution over time will show whether progress in achieving GES is made. However, due to changed conditions on the reference beach, a new location had to been chosen and a new time series will be started with regards to litter on the coastline. The suitability of this new beach - Nieuwpoort Lombardsijde - is currently being evaluated. |
The amount of litter in the marine environment is monitored at the seafloor, in the stomach of Northern Fulmars and along the coastline, all in accordance with the OSPAR guidelines. Seafloor litter is collected during beam trawl surveys, while ingested litter is derived from the specimen collected during the beached seabird surveys. The registration of litter types contributes to the identification of the input sources. Evolution over time will show whether progress in achieving GES is made. However, due to changed conditions on the reference beach, a new location had to been chosen and a new time series will be started with regards to litter on the coastline. The suitability of this new beach - Nieuwpoort Lombardsijde - is currently being evaluated. |
The amount of litter in the marine environment is monitored at the seafloor, in the stomach of Northern Fulmars and along the coastline, all in accordance with the OSPAR guidelines. Seafloor litter is collected during beam trawl surveys, while ingested litter is derived from the specimen collected during the beached seabird surveys. The registration of litter types contributes to the identification of the input sources. Evolution over time will show whether progress in achieving GES is made. However, due to changed conditions on the reference beach, a new location had to been chosen and a new time series will be started with regards to litter on the coastline. The suitability of this new beach - Nieuwpoort Lombardsijde - is currently being evaluated. |
Coverage of GES criteria |
Adequate monitoring will be in place by 2024 |
Adequate monitoring will be in place by 2024 |
Adequate monitoring will be in place by 2024 |
Gaps and plans |
A project is ongoing to establish a monitoring plan and methodological protocol for the amount of microlitter in the water column and seabed sediment. A baseline for micro-litter in water and sediment as well as in biota for the Belgian part of the North Sea, will become available. The elaboration of a monitoring programme that will gather knowledge on the composition, amount and geographical distribution of microplastics on the long term is needed. Budget request for this monitoring programme is foreseen, the programme is thus dependent upon budget availability and approval. |
A project is ongoing to establish a monitoring plan and methodological protocol for the amount of microlitter in the water column and seabed sediment. A baseline for micro-litter in water and sediment as well as in biota for the Belgian part of the North Sea, will become available. The elaboration of a monitoring programme that will gather knowledge on the composition, amount and geographical distribution of microplastics on the long term is needed. Budget request for this monitoring programme is foreseen, the programme is thus dependent upon budget availability and approval. |
A project is ongoing to establish a monitoring plan and methodological protocol for the amount of microlitter in the water column and seabed sediment. A baseline for micro-litter in water and sediment as well as in biota for the Belgian part of the North Sea, will become available. The elaboration of a monitoring programme that will gather knowledge on the composition, amount and geographical distribution of microplastics on the long term is needed. Budget request for this monitoring programme is foreseen, the programme is thus dependent upon budget availability and approval. |
Related targets |
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Coverage of targets |
Adequate monitoring was in place in 2014 |
Adequate monitoring was in place in 2014 |
Adequate monitoring was in place in 2014 |
Related measures |
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Coverage of measures |
Adequate monitoring was in place in 2014 |
Adequate monitoring was in place in 2014 |
Adequate monitoring was in place in 2014 |
Related monitoring programmes |
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Programme code |
ANSBE-P25-Litter-1-beach |
ANSBE-P26-Litter-2-seafloor |
ANSBE-P27-Litter-3-Ingested |
Programme name |
Beach litter monitoring |
Seafloor litter |
Monitoring plastics in Northern Fulmars |
Update type |
Modified from 2014 |
New programme |
Modified from 2014 |
Old programme codes |
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Programme description |
Belgian reference beaches are searched four times a year (seasonally) for litter items of which the numbers are noted on monitoring sheets with pre-defined categories following the internationally agreed Guideline for Monitoring Marine Litter on the Beaches in the OSPAR maritime area (2010). Since 2017, monitoring of the two reference beaches is not representative anymore due to the high frequency of beach cleaning. Starting from 2020, a new reference beach at Lombardsijde, which is closed for the public, will be monitored and evaluated.
This monitoring contributes to the evaluation of the environmental targets D10.1 and D10.2. |
This programme aims to monitor litter contamination at the seafloor of the BPNS. Data is collected within the beam trawl survey, see ANSBE-P3-Fish-1-populationfor more details.
This programme contributes to environmental target D10.3. |
Since 2002 INBO determines the presence of plastics in the stomachs of beached Northern Fulmars. The specimens are collected during monthly wintersurveys of beached seabirds along the entire Belgian coast. Dissection takes place during international workshops organized by IMARES-Texel or in Belgium under the auspices of trained INBO-personnel. INBO also performs the actual analyses of stomach contents. The data will be used to evaluate the environmental target D10.4: Less than 10 % of the northern fulmars (Noordse stormvogel - Fulmarus glacialis) contain more than 0,1 g plastic in their stomach.
(Former programme ANSBE-D10-Litter-SP28) |
Monitoring purpose |
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Other policies and conventions |
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Regional cooperation - coordinating body |
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Regional cooperation - countries involved |
BE,DE,DK,FR,NL,PL,SE,UK |
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Regional cooperation - implementation level |
Coordinated data collection |
Coordinated data collection |
Coordinated data collection |
Monitoring details |
Existing monitoring between 2002 - 2006 during the summer; restarted 2012 (spring). Monitoring at a new location from 2020 onwards. |
Yearly monitoring since 2011, 5 locations per year at the BPNS. |
Yearly sample size of useful specimens of northern fulmars may highly differ (eg. varied between 1 and 97 between 2001 and 2006). Yearly plastic loads will be reported at the level of OSPAR regions.
Van Franeker, J.A.; Blaize, C.; Danielsen, J.; Fairclough, K.; Gollan, J.; Guse, N.; Hansen, P.-L.; Heubeck, M.; Jensen, J.-K.; Le Guillou, G.; Olsen, B.; Olsen, K.-O.; Pedersen, J.; Stienen, E.W.M.; Turner, D.M. (2011). Monitoring plastic ingestion by the northern fulmar Fulmarus glacialis in the North Sea. Environmental Pollution 159: 2609-2615. dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2011.06.008 |
Features |
Litter in the environment
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Litter in the environment
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Litter in the environment
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Elements |
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GES criteria |
D10C1 |
D10C1 |
D10C3 |
Parameters |
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Parameter Other |
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Spatial scope |
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Marine reporting units |
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Temporal scope (start date - end date) |
2012-9999 |
2011-9999 |
2002-9999 |
Monitoring frequency |
3-monthly |
Yearly |
Monthly |
Monitoring type |
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Monitoring method |
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Monitoring method other |
Counting the number of marine litter items on a selected stretch of beach following the Guideline for monitoring marine litter on the beaches in the OSPAR Maritime Area.
http://www.ospar.org/documents/dbase/decrecs/agreements/10-02e_beachlitter%20guideline_english%20only.pdf |
Following OSPAR-EcoQO guidelines (http://qsr2010.ospar.org/media/assessments/EcoQO/EcoQO_P01-16_complete.pdf) |
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Quality control |
DelayedValidation
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Unknown
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Unknown
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Data management |
The data is reported to OSPAR and transmitted through BMDC's Data Tracking System, which makes it publicly accessible through RBINS' metadata catalogue (http://metadata.naturalsciences.be). |
Currently, all data are stored at ILVO (Smartfish). The data are uploaded to DATRAS, the survey database hosted by ICES, on a yearly basis. This database is an open access source and can be consulted through the website (www.datras.ices.dk). |
The data is transmitted annually through BMDC's Data Tracking System, which makes it publicly accessible through RBINS' metadata catalogue (http://metadata.naturalsciences.be). |
Data access |
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Related indicator/name |
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Contact |
Francis Kerckhof, Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Science (RBINS) |
Bavo De Witte, Els Torreele, Institute for Agriculture, Fishery and Food research (ILVO) |
Eric Stienen, Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO) |
References |