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
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
  • D10.T1
  • D10.T2
  • D10.T3
  • D10.T4
  • D10.T1
  • D10.T2
  • D10.T3
  • D10.T4
  • D10.T1
  • D10.T2
  • D10.T3
  • D10.T4
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
  • 1 - 'Report on Environmental Impacts (REI) and Adapted Evaluation (AE)'
  • 15 - 'Measures associated with the land (policies and Directives): Waste Directive, Water Framework Directive, Urban Wastewater Directive, Packaging Framework Directive, policy plan of the Flemish region, policy on waste from coastal municipalities'
  • 16 - 'Land-related measures (raising awareness): awareness campaigns of the OVAM, Clean Beach actions'
  • 19A - 'Installation of port reception facilities(waste collection MARPOL Annex I and V)'
  • 19B - 'Waste management plans for harbours'
  • 21 - 'Monitoring of marine litter conference OSPAR (also considered within the follow-up programme of the MSFD)'
  • 22 - 'Fishing for litter'
  • 28B - 'Raising awareness about waste management in marinas'
  • 29A - 'Improving the system and regulation of waste release from fishing ships'
  • 29B - 'Studying and raising awareness about recycling, deposit, tagging of fishing nets'
  • 29C - 'Study and promotion of alternatives to 'dolly ropes''
  • 1 - 'Report on Environmental Impacts (REI) and Adapted Evaluation (AE)'
  • 15 - 'Measures associated with the land (policies and Directives): Waste Directive, Water Framework Directive, Urban Wastewater Directive, Packaging Framework Directive, policy plan of the Flemish region, policy on waste from coastal municipalities'
  • 16 - 'Land-related measures (raising awareness): awareness campaigns of the OVAM, Clean Beach actions'
  • 19A - 'Installation of port reception facilities(waste collection MARPOL Annex I and V)'
  • 19B - 'Waste management plans for harbours'
  • 21 - 'Monitoring of marine litter conference OSPAR (also considered within the follow-up programme of the MSFD)'
  • 22 - 'Fishing for litter'
  • 28B - 'Raising awareness about waste management in marinas'
  • 29A - 'Improving the system and regulation of waste release from fishing ships'
  • 29B - 'Studying and raising awareness about recycling, deposit, tagging of fishing nets'
  • 29C - 'Study and promotion of alternatives to 'dolly ropes''
  • 1 - 'Report on Environmental Impacts (REI) and Adapted Evaluation (AE)'
  • 15 - 'Measures associated with the land (policies and Directives): Waste Directive, Water Framework Directive, Urban Wastewater Directive, Packaging Framework Directive, policy plan of the Flemish region, policy on waste from coastal municipalities'
  • 16 - 'Land-related measures (raising awareness): awareness campaigns of the OVAM, Clean Beach actions'
  • 19A - 'Installation of port reception facilities(waste collection MARPOL Annex I and V)'
  • 19B - 'Waste management plans for harbours'
  • 21 - 'Monitoring of marine litter conference OSPAR (also considered within the follow-up programme of the MSFD)'
  • 22 - 'Fishing for litter'
  • 28B - 'Raising awareness about waste management in marinas'
  • 29A - 'Improving the system and regulation of waste release from fishing ships'
  • 29B - 'Studying and raising awareness about recycling, deposit, tagging of fishing nets'
  • 29C - 'Study and promotion of alternatives to 'dolly ropes''
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
  • ANSBE-P25-Litter-1-beach
  • ANSBE-P26-Litter-2-seafloor
  • ANSBE-P27-Litter-3-Ingested
  • ANSBE-P25-Litter-1-beach
  • ANSBE-P26-Litter-2-seafloor
  • ANSBE-P27-Litter-3-Ingested
  • ANSBE-P25-Litter-1-beach
  • ANSBE-P26-Litter-2-seafloor
  • ANSBE-P27-Litter-3-Ingested
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
  • ANSBE-D10-Litter-SP26
  • ANSBE-D10-Litter-SP28
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
  • Pressures in the marine environment
  • Pressures in the marine environment
  • Environmental state and impacts
  • Pressures in the marine environment
Other policies and conventions
  • OSPAR Coordinated Environmental Monitoring Programme
  • OSPAR Coordinated Environmental Monitoring Programme
  • OSPAR Coordinated Environmental Monitoring Programme
Regional cooperation - coordinating body
  • OSPAR
  • Other
  • OSPAR
Regional cooperation - countries involved
BE,DE,DK,FR,NL,PL,SE,UK
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
Litter in the environment
Litter in the environment
Elements
  • Litter in the environment
  • Macrolitter (all)
  • Macrolitter (all)
GES criteria
D10C1
D10C1
D10C3
Parameters
  • Amount on coastline
  • Amount on seabed
  • Amount in biota (ingested)
Parameter Other
Spatial scope
  • Coastal waters (WFD)
  • EEZ (or similar)
  • Territorial waters
  • Terrestrial part of MS
Marine reporting units
  • ANS-BE-MS-1
  • ANS-BE-MS-1
  • ANS-BE-MS-1
Temporal scope (start date - end date)
2012-9999
2011-9999
2002-9999
Monitoring frequency
3-monthly
Yearly
Monthly
Monitoring type
  • In-situ sampling land/beach
  • In-situ sampling coastal
  • In-situ sampling offshore
  • In-situ sampling land/beach
Monitoring method
  • Other monitoring method
  • OSPAR CEMP Guidelines on Litter on the Seafloor
  • Other monitoring method
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)
Quality control
DelayedValidation
Unknown
Unknown
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
Related indicator/name
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