Member State report / Art8-2024 / 2024 / D7 / Belgium / NE Atlantic: Greater North Sea
| Report type | Member State report to Commission |
| MSFD Article | Art8 |
| Report due | 2024-10-15 |
| GES Descriptor | D7 Hydrographical changes |
| Member State | Belgium |
| Region/subregion | NE Atlantic: Greater North Sea |
| Report date | 2026-01-13 14:08:15 |
Belgian Part of the North Sea (ANS-BE-MS-1)
Regional assessment area |
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|---|---|---|
Component MRUs |
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GES component |
D7
|
D7
|
Feature |
Hydrographical changes
|
Benthic broad habitats
|
Element |
Littoral sediment |
|
Element extent |
||
Trend element |
Unknown |
|
Element 2 |
||
Element source |
EU |
|
Criterion |
D7C1
|
D7C2
|
Parameter |
Extent
|
Other
|
Threshold value upper |
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Threshold value lower |
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Threshold value operator |
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Threshold qualitative |
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Threshold value source |
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Value achieved upper |
0.45 |
0.45 |
Value achieved lower |
||
Value unit |
square kilometre
|
square kilometre
|
Proportion threshold value |
||
Proportion value achieved |
||
Proportion threshold value unit |
||
Trend parameter |
Unknown |
Unknown |
Parameter achieved |
Not assessed |
Unknown |
Description parameter |
Area physically lost, disturbed or hydrographically altered: Infra-structures built after 1992. |
Since 1992, in the nearshore area (< 1nmile) the outer-ports of Oostende (0,45 km²) are man-made waves sheltered areas that induce adverse impacts at the scale of the broadscale benthic habitat. |
Related indicator |
|
|
Criteria status |
Not relevant |
Unknown |
Description criteria |
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Element status |
Unknown |
|
Description element |
||
Source assessment feature |
|
|
Reporting method feature |
Type D |
Type D |
Trend feature |
Unknown |
Unknown |
Integration rule type parameter |
Not relevant
|
Not relevant
|
Integration rule description parameter |
||
Integration rule type criteria |
Not relevant
|
Not relevant
|
Integration rule description criteria |
||
GES extent threshold |
||
GES extent achieved |
||
GES extent unit |
Not relevant |
Not relevant |
GES achieved |
Not relevant |
Not relevant |
Description overall status |
Over the period 2016-2021, the total extent of permanent alteration of hydrographical conditions in the Belgian Part of the North Sea increased from 65,84 km² to 93,73 km². This increase is exclusively due to the construction of 217 new wind turbines across 6 new windfarms. The wakes that develop behind each wind turbine might disturb the suspension-sedimentation pattern on a total area of 203.5 km2. However, these permanent alterations of the hydrographical condition are too weak to generate adverse effect at the level of the broadscale benthic habitat. |
Over the period 2016-2021, the total extent of permanent alteration of hydrographical conditions in the Belgian Part of the North Sea increased from 65,84 km² to 93,73 km². This increase is exclusively due to the construction of 217 new wind turbines across 6 new windfarms. The wakes that develop behind each wind turbine might disturb the suspension-sedimentation pattern on a total area of 203.5 km2. However, these permanent alterations of the hydrographical condition are too weak to generate adverse effect at the level of the broadscale benthic habitat. |
Assessments period |
2016-2021 |
2016-2021 |
Related pressures |
|
|
Related targets |
|
|
Test TV |
NA |
NA |
Test results |
Correct |
Correct |