Member State report / Art9 / 2012 / D10 / Belgium / NE Atlantic: Greater North Sea

Report type Member State report to Commission
MSFD Article Art. 9 Determination of GES (and Art. 17 updates)
Report due 2012-10-15
GES Descriptor D10 Litter
Member State Belgium
Region/subregion NE Atlantic: Greater North Sea
Reported by FPS Health, Food Chain safety and Environment - Service Marine environment
Report date 2012-08-16
Report access ANSBE_MSFD9GES_20130314.xml
GES component
D10
10.1 Characteristics of litter in the marine and coastal environment
10.1.1 Trends in litter on shore
10.1.2 Trends in litter in water column
10.1.3 Trends in micro-plastics
10.2 Impacts of marine litter on marine life
10.2.1 Trends in amount of litter ingested
Method used
ANS-BE-MS-1: Conform the Directive, GES and the environmental targets for the Belgian marine waters are defined on the basis of the eleven qualitative descriptors listed in Annex I of the Directive. The definition of GES is expressed in a qualitative description of what GES would look like when achieved for each of the descriptors. This is then underpinned by a set of more detailed quantitative environmental targets based on established environmental thresholds/limits for state, pressure or impact (Art. 10). Where quantitative environmental thresholds could not be set, trend-based or qualitative thresholds were used. The complete package of GES and environmental targets needs to give a complete and balanced overview.
ANS-BE-MS-1: Conform the Directive, GES and the environmental targets for the Belgian marine waters are defined on the basis of the eleven qualitative descriptors listed in Annex I of the Directive. The definition of GES is expressed in a qualitative description of what GES would look like when achieved for each of the descriptors. This is then underpinned by a set of more detailed quantitative environmental targets based on established environmental thresholds/limits for state, pressure or impact (Art. 10). Where quantitative environmental thresholds could not be set, trend-based or qualitative thresholds were used. The complete package of GES and environmental targets needs to give a complete and balanced overview.
ANS-BE-MS-1: Conform the Directive, GES and the environmental targets for the Belgian marine waters are defined on the basis of the eleven qualitative descriptors listed in Annex I of the Directive. The definition of GES is expressed in a qualitative description of what GES would look like when achieved for each of the descriptors. This is then underpinned by a set of more detailed quantitative environmental targets based on established environmental thresholds/limits for state, pressure or impact (Art. 10). Where quantitative environmental thresholds could not be set, trend-based or qualitative thresholds were used. The complete package of GES and environmental targets needs to give a complete and balanced overview.
Marine reporting units
  • Belgian Part of the North Sea
  • Belgian Part of the North Sea
  • Belgian Part of the North Sea
  • Belgian Part of the North Sea
  • Belgian Part of the North Sea
  • Belgian Part of the North Sea
  • Belgian Part of the North Sea
Feature
  • All birds
  • All fish
  • Litter [macro]
  • SeabedHabitatsAll
  • Litter [macro]
  • All birds
  • All fish
  • Litter [macro]
  • MammalsAll
  • SeabedHabitatsAll
  • WaterColumnHabitatsAll
Criterion/indicator
D10
10.1
10.1.1
10.1.2
10.1.3
10.2
10.2.1
GES description
Properties and quantities of marine litter do not cause harm to the coastal and marine environment.
The amount of litter, including its degradation products , on coastlines and in the marine environment is decreasing over time and are at levels which do not result in harmful effects to the coastal or marine environment.
The amount of litter, including its degradation products , on coastlines and in the marine environment is decreasing over time and are at levels which do not result in harmful effects to the coastal or marine environment.
Threshold values
Threshold value unit
Proportion of area to achieve threshold value
Reference point type
Baseline
Initial Assessment 2012
Initial Assessment 2012
Assessment method
Development status